HF 2460--Health and Human Services Appropriations Summary
Conference Committee Report
Senator Ragan, Floor Manager
The FY 17 General Fund target of $1,836,364,265 is just $4 million over the FY 16 estimated budget--a 0.2% increase. The FY 17 HHS budget is mostly status quo.
· Provides funding for the Departments of Aging, Office of Long Term Care Ombudsman, Human Services, Public Health, Veterans Affairs and Veterans Home
General Fund / Estimated FY 16 / Governors FY 17 / HF 2460 / Senate amendment / Conf. Committee (final)Aging / 11,399,732 / 11,436,066 / 11,436,603 / 12,498,603 / 12,548,603
OLTCO / 1,276,783 / 1,276,783 / 1,276,783 / 1,626,783 / 1,376,783
IDPH / 59,484,820 / 57,812,621 / 59,288,852 / 59,038,852 / 59,138,852
DHS / 1,748,418,735 / 1,777,112,143 / 1,752,077,022 / 1,750,914,485 / 1,750,914,485
Veterans / 12,285,542 / 12,285,542 / 12,285,542 / 12,285,542 / 12,285,542
Total / $1,832,865,612 / $1,859,923,155 / $1,836,364,265 / 1,836,364,265 / 1,836,973,531
Other Funds
Estimated FY 16 / Governor / House / SenateSSBG / 12,350,348 / 12,350,348 / 12,350,348 / 12,350,348
TANF / 135,012,110 / 146,001,005 / 146,001,005 / 146,001,005
Key Features
• Appropriates just over $1.3 billion for Medicaid. This funding level will reduce the chance that supplemental funding will be needed during the 2017 session.
• Fully implements First Five in 13 additional counties. First Five addresses healthy mental development for children 0-5; $1,076,231
• Funds efforts to determine the best programs and initiatives to address healthcare workforce shortages and develop a strategic plan (funding sources differ) $100,000
• Provides rate protections to certain key providers as we transition to managed care
o Home Health Care $1 million
o Community Providers $2.2 million
• Buys down the HCBS waiver waiting lists $2 million; 11,000 people on waiting lists; cost to buy waiting list down completely is $16 million
• Eliminates 2 of the Governor’s cost containment strategies that would hurt doctors, hospitals and nursing homes
• $300,000 to fund children’s mental health grants for crisis service development (SF 2297)
• $200,000 to College of Direct Supports at IACP for training platform
• Continuation of juvenile justice graduated sanctions services with general fund $5.2 million
• $3 million to county mental health regions (Polk, Scott); this cost could be avoided with mental health levy fix
o $2.5 million to Polk County
o $500,000 to Scott
• $1 million dollars to continue the Life Long Links/Aging and Disabilities Resource Centers to support elderly and disabled Iowans. 95% of users are pre-Medicaid and the services help contain the growth in Medicaid.
• Additional resources for Elder Rights Specialists in the Area Agencies on Aging that deal with elder abuse $112,537
• $100,000 for 1 additional Managed Care Ombudsman
• Funds 2 additional Resource Facilitators for brain injury. The facilitators help brain injured Iowans and their families find services and supports $150,000
• Decreases the negative impact of the Governor’s cost containment strategy of scooping the DSH payments to UIHC by $3 million
• $300,000 for the Refugee RISE program (SF 2298)
• $100,000 to food bank
Policy
• Medicaid Privatization Oversight.
o Legislative Health Policy Oversight Committee to meet twice during the interim; hear concerns, make recommendations
o Clarifies the authority and duties of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman to advocate for Medicaid members.
o Expands and clarifies duties and authority of the MAAC Consumers will have a stronger voice on the MAAC. Consumer will be co-chair; more public input sessions across the state
o Requires data reporting and public posting of data
• No change to family planning
• Children’s Mental Health (SF 2297) The bill creates planning grants that will be issued by the Department of Human Services. The planning grant groups will compile their system solutions and a report with recommendations and consultation by DHS, the Mental Health & Disabilities Services Commission, the Iowa Department of Public Health and the Mental Health Planning Commission will be submitted to the legislature by next session.
• Fixes to the naloxone bill (SF 2218); eliminates fiscal impact; adds persons in a position to assist to the list of who can be prescribed the naloxone; effective immediately; House and Senate both have fixes but language is different
• Hospital provider tax. Senate sunsets the program in July 2017 and requires a study of alternative funding mechanisms.
• Nursing facility supplemental payment program--a funding mechanism that allows nursing facilities to use NON-state funds to draw down federal matching dollars up to the upper payment limit
• Changes eligibility and cost sharing for the Autism ABA grant program. Expands eligibility from 9 to 14 years and from 400 to 500% FPL and makes changes to the ABA Grant program.
• Iowa Veterans Home admissions report
• Meningitis vaccine SF 2136 requires students enrolling in 7th grade and 12th grade to be immunized against meningococcal disease in accordance with standards established by the U.S. Public Health Service. Medical and religious exemptions apply.
• Refugee RISE (SF 2298) This bill establishes the RefugeeRISE AmeriCorps program.The bill requires the Iowa commission on volunteer service (commission), in collaboration with the department of human services (DHS), to establish a RefugeeRISE AmeriCorps program to increase community integration and engagement for diverse refugee communities in rural and urban areas across the state. The commission, in collaboration with DHS, may adopt rules to implement and administer the program and shall submit an annual report to the general assembly and DHS relating to the efficacy of the program.
• Study the use of new multi-purpose tablet medications to replace multiple pills
• Trauma care service categorizations--grandfathers Level 2 Hospital designations as long as they continue to meet state certification requirements
HHS Appropriations HF 2460--Conference Committee Report Kris Bell
April 29, 2016