WEST virginia legislature

2023 regular session

Introduced

Senate Bill 617

By Senator Barrett

[Introduced February 14, 2023; referred
 to the Committee on Health and Human Resources]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §9-5-31, relating to required reporting; requiring that the Commissioner of the Bureau for Medical Services produce a report; requiring that report relate to home and community-based provider reimbursement; requiring use of methodology; requiring use of independent party; and establishing deadline.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 5. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.

§9-5-31. Required report regarding home and community-based providers.

The Commissioner of the Bureau for Medical Services shall produce a report for transmission to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Delegates, and the Legislative Commission on Health and Human Services Accountability by December 1, 2023, and tri-annually thereafter, that determines recommended levels of reimbursement for home and community-based providers that serve Intellectual/Developmental Disability (I/DD) patients.

The report shall utilize a methodology that accurately reflects the costs of providing services corresponding to the department’s objectives and standards for I/DD patients and also reflects regional wage differentiations in border areas of the state that impede the recruitment and retention of direct care workers.  The Commissioner of the Bureau for Medical Services shall utilize an independent party having professional expertise in developing recommended home and community-based reimbursement rates for Intellectual/Developmental Disability (I/DD) providers.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require the Commissioner of the Bureau for Medical Services to produce a report to determine the recommended levels of reimbursement for home and community-based providers that service Intellectual/Developmental Disability (I/DD) patients.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.