42-6-106. Home and community based waiver program expanded; requirements.

(a) Repealed By Laws 2013, Ch. 117, § 2.

(b) The department is authorized to increase the provider reimbursement levels by an amount up to three dollars ($3.00) per hour for hourly services or seventeen and six-tenths percent (17.6%) above the prevailing rate for nonhourly services as of December 1, 2006. The department shall report to the joint labor, health and social services interim committee by November 1, 2007 the extent to which reimbursement improvements and any other changes made have improved the availability of home health care services and any additional remedies that may be needed. The length of the report shall not exceed one thousand (1,000) words plus any appropriate charts and graphs. Additional reports may be made from time to time as the need arises.

(c) The department shall set goals for expanding the number of Medicaid home and community based clients in self directed budget options and shall report progress toward those goals to the joint labor, health and social services interim committee no later than November 1, 2007, November 1, 2008 and November 1, 2009. The department shall allow these options to be managed by persons designated to do so in advanced health care directives.

(d) Consistent with approved budgets, the department shall make available a pool of state funds to meet transitional needs of clients moving from a more restrictive to a less restrictive environment in circumstances where Medicaid funds are not available due to federal restrictions. If sufficient funds are available, these state funds may also be used to meet short term needs of clients seeking to avoid placements in more restrictive environments. The department shall govern the expenditure of these funds though contracts, policies and rules and regulations as needed.