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Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Print number 5853a
- Amend and recommit to health
- Referred to health
- Referred to rules
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Relates to long term home health care program enhancement
In Senate Committee · Rules · Sponsor Richard Gottfried
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S5853A
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law and the social services law, in relation to long term home health care program enhancement
Purpose
To enhance New York's Long Term Home Health Care Program ("LTHHCP"), to increase the efficiency of operations and ensure capacity under the new state policy promoting care coordination programs.
Summary of provisions
Convert the current Medicaid payment method for LTHHCP from fee-for-service to episodic payment, effective sixty days after it becomes law or a soon as practicable thereafter, with provider-specific price adjustments for specified purposes, and includes a pilot test to facilitate transition.
Provide new authority and procedures for processing referral and admissions to LTHHCP so that intake, assessment and care management would be consolidated into the LTHHCP.
Payment reform would provide mandate relief to counties, eliminating the need for local department of social services (LDSS) participation in assessments, while maintaining notice to LDSS of LTHHCP referrals and admissions and allow for audit of LTHHCP provider activity by LDSS or other Health Department designee as a compliance check under the new process.
In addition, the bill would eliminate artificial barriers to admission, promotes continuity of care and patient retention; eliminates current causes for discharge unrelated to the appropriateness of the patient for the program, and repeals capacity limitations for LTHHCP.
Justification
The Long Term Home Health Care Program has been a landmark program in New York State for over thirty years, enabling upwards of 30,000 patients annually to receive quality, coordinated care at home instead of in an institution, at an average of 50 percent savings over nursing home services.
The 2011-12 state budget provided that individuals with long term, complex or intensive needs should be more appropriately and effectively served in programs with robust care management and care coordination capability. Singled out among these programs in this care coordination policy are the state's Managed Long Term Care plans, and the Long Term Home Health Care Program. This proposal was
reviewed by the Division of the Budget during 2012 budget negotiations and it was scored as budget neutral.
This legislation would improve payment method and enrollment procedures for the LTHHCP which will further align the program's capabilities with the state's care coordination goals, and ultimately and assure quality and cost-effective care of chronically ill, infirm and disabled New Yorkers.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
Projected Medicaid savings through case management.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.