Medicaid managed care restrictions amended, advanced

A bill that would delay the transition of long-term care facilities to the state’s Medicaid managed care program advanced from select file May 21.

LB468, as introduced by Fremont Sen. Lynne Walz, originally would have prohibited any new service or population from being added to Medicaid managed care until Jan. 1, 2020, or until an evaluation of the managed care program is completed.

As amended on general file, the bill was limited to specify that long-term care and supports, including skilled nursing facilities, nursing facilities, assisted living facilities and home and community-based services would not be added to the Medicaid managed care program before July 1, 2021.

Lincoln Sen. Kate Bolz offered an amendment on select file, adopted 35-0, to remove provisions of her LB328 that were added to the bill on general file. Bolz said concerns were raised by the state Department of Health and Human Services between the two rounds of debate and that she would like to study the issue more before next session.

“This [amendment] is trying to support the Walz bill and to work in good faith with the Department of Health and Human Services,” she said.

Sen. Sue Crawford of Bellevue brought an amendment, adopted 31-0, that added provisions of her LB566. The provisions would require notification and a hearing of the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee if the state Department of Insurance submits an innovation waiver to the federal government under section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act.

The amendment also would require notification—and a public hearing of the Health and Human Services Committee during the public comment period—for a waiver submitted under section 1115 of the federal Social Security Act.

The Crawford amendment was adopted 31-0 and LB468 advanced to final reading by voice vote.