Social Services Consortium Members,
Yes, the Legislative Session had finally ended. Both the House and Senate agreed to an adjournment resolution that was effective this afternoon.
Studies Bill (H413) - The Studies Bill is the list of all the committees they want to establish to further study issues to make recommendations to the General Assembly. There was hope that the Senate might consider taking up the Studies Bill for passage but that didn't happen. There are studies included in the budget bill that will move forward but all those you find listed in H 413 will not unless it holds the interests of some powerful legislators who can use other avenues to resurrect the study.
Lottery – Yes, it did pass and just when you thought the saga was over, it is now being questioned in court by its opponents. The GA voted on the lottery twice in one day to pass it – that is legal unless there is an objection on the floor by a legislator, which there was, and the Senate Dem leadership went forward with a second vote anyway based on some strange legal wrangling. It is the legality of the second vote that is being question in court.
Cigarette tax – increases an additional 30cents this year and another 5 cents in July of FY 05-06.
Budget - The budget info from the previous report I sent out on the conferee budget remained the same. I have included it below with some additional information. You can find the complete report at http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2005/Bills/Senate/PDF/S622v9.pdf and go to Part X. I have included some of the section number to let you know where to go to read all the details on the budget item.
Health Care
- The cut to Blind, Elderly, and Disabled was REMOVED but look for that same cut to rear its head again next session!
- Co-Payments were increased for Chiropractic, Optical, Podiatry, Hospital Outpatient, Non-Emergency ER visits and Generic Prescription drugs by $3.00 each.
- Expands Community Care of NC management to additional Medicaid recipients (section 10.17(a)).
- Establishes a Ticket to Work/Medicaid eligibility that provides Medicaid buy-in for workers with disabilities (section 10.18(a))
- Medicaid rates will freeze at the 04-05 FY rates for most providers.
- Personal Care Services will be put under a utilization management system to reduce spending. ( section 10.19 (a)).
- Moves children from 0-5 with incomes up to 200% of poverty from Health Choice to the Medicaid program ( section 10.22(b))
- Provides additional funding for NC Health Choice in the first year to support children 6-18. Authorizes a cap at a 3% enrollment growth every 6 months. Program will pay 115% of Medicaid rates effective Jan 1, 2006 and 100% effective July 1, 2006 .
- Increases the State/County SA rate from $1,084 per month to $1,118 per month per Oct 1, 2005 . Counties pay 50% and State 50%. (section 10.37(c)
- Public Health Depts received $250,000 to establish a pilot program to fund interpreter services.
- Created a verification of state residency for Medical Assistance ( section 10.21A (b))
- Enhanced Medicaid Estate recovery to include liens on real property ( section 10.21A (b)) with a subsection that gives a postponement of estate recovery in cases of undue hardship (108A-70.6)
- Establishes a Medicaid study of services for individuals who are dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare, particularly including Medicare Part D. (section 10.21E )
- Establishes a controlled substance reporting method for schedule II through V controlled substances to reduce misuse and abuse of medications. (section 10.36 (a)
- Establishes regulatory changes to improve quality and safety of ACH (section 10.40A(a) that includes a section that the Association helped develop (section 10.40A(p)).
- Requires DHHS to develop a plan for a star-rating system for Adult Care Homes (section 10.40(f)
Children
- We received $2 Million for additional CPS workers to expand MRS!!!!
- Child Advocacy centers received funding for equal grants-in-aid for each center.
- System of Care for Child Mental Health received $2 million for participating county programs.
- Child Care Subsidy received $3.6 million for FY 05-06 to maintain the current level of services. No money was allocated for FY 06-07.
- Funding of $2.5 million for an additional 50 school nurses that will participate in the Child and Family Support Teams. (section 10.53 (a))
- Established a comprehensive treatment services program that seeks to require the different Departments to collaborate and establishes a children's services work group and a Coordination of Children's Services Study Commission to move the efforts. (section 10.25(a)).
- Requires DHHS to develop and implement performance standards for child support programs. (section 10.43(a))
- Establishes a Governor's Vision Care Program (section 10.59F (a)) that provides funds for vision tests and glasses to children that meet certain eligibility requirements. Also requires that every child in the state entering kindergarten in the public schools has to obtain a comprehensive eye exam 6 months prior to beginning school. (section 10.59 F (g))
Other
- NC FAST – they took out the $5.4 million in reserves for FY 05-07 and replaced it with $4.9 in FY 05-06 and $6M in 06-07.
- Expanded More at Four by $16.640 for FY 05-06 and 06-07 for an additional 3,200 slots. (section 10.67(a))
