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| From our lobbyist Lori Ann Harris: HOUSE BUDGET UPDATE – June 12, 2006 THE HOUSE FULL APPROPRIATONS COMMITTEE WILL MEET TUESDAY MORNING BEGINNING AT 8:30 AM. PLEASE CONTACT HOUSE LEADERS TODAY! I had an opportunity to speak with some of the Budget Leaders to express concerns about the TANF and Maintenance of Effort provision and the Child Care Funds Matching Requirement. The standard line from budget leaders is: “We're capping Medicaid costs for counties and changes in other areas of the HHS budget were necessary to provide this relief.” Please find below the special provision regarding the Child Care Funds Matching Requirement. TANF and MOE
This special provision in the TANF Block Grant will have a negative effect on Counties! Per Sherry Bradsher, the penalty referenced in the House budget language would be on the NC base grant of $292,387,883. The penalty to be transferred to the counties ranges from 1% to 5% per the Deficit Reduction Act. Potential County liability is as follows: 5% = $14,619,394 4% = $11,695,515 3% = $8,771,636 2% = $5,847,757 1% = $2,923,878 ALSO OF ISSUE IS HB 2562 Currently there is no funding in the House Budget for this bill, Quality Improvement in Adult Care Homes. Neither the Governor's Budget nor the Senate Budget included an appropriation. This is our last chance to get this into the budget so at least it can be considered when the budget is being negotiated. Please contact members about this bill also! Attached is a Fact Sheet on this! HOUSE BILL 2562
May 25, 2006 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS for the NC SOCIAL SERVICES CONSORTIUM FOR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVES. The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: SECTION 1. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Social Services, the sum of four hundred twenty thousand dollars ($420,000) for the 2006-2007 fiscal year. These funds shall be allocated to the NC Social Services Consortium for the following purposes: (1) $160,000 to contract with a quality improvement organization to continue the development of the Quality Improvement Program and to assist with pilot program implementation. (2) $260,000 for a pilot program in four counties to test the Quality Improvement Program prior to its implementation statewide. These funds may be used for one position in each of four counties. SECTION 2. This act becomes effective July 1, 2006. Call your legislators today and let them know that the House Budget needs more work! Let me know that the special provisions on TANF and MOE and the special provision on Child Care Funds Matching Requirement will have a negative effect on your county and that these special provisions must be removed and why we need Quality Improvement in Family Care Homes! House members will be in meetings today but call and leave a message or email them ASAP! Below is a list of the big chairs and their home county, as well as, the full appropriations committee. Click on the link to reach their profile page that has phone numbers and email addresses.
MEDICAID RELIEF As was reported last week, the House budget includes county Medicaid relief. Click on the link NCACC to see the update from the NC Association of County Commissioners. In this update is a chart that shows Medicaid Savings by County. |
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