(Feb. 21, 2023) – Yesterday, the House Social Service Budget Committee, chaired by Representative Les Mason (R-McPherson), worked the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services budget. The committee added $5 million for an involuntary inpatient observation reimbursement program for hospitals, law enforcement and counties. Other changes made by the committee included:

• Opioid use disorder reimbursement to Newton provider MIR Incorporated for $1.9 million
• Ember Hope pilot program to receive $1 million
• $400,000 for Envision families for blind and visually impaired children
• $2 million for Interhab
• $1 million for a new disability employment transition program
• $3 million for senior nutrition services
• Expanding certified community behavioral health centers
• $7.3 million, $2.9 million State General Funds, to increase the intellectual or developmental disability, targeted case management rate to $75/hour
• $103,075 for mental health first aid
• Establishing a pilot program for assisted living technology equipment
• Increase Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly Medicaid rates by 5 percent
• Fully rebasing nursing homes' Medicaid daily base rates
• Study to look at IDD service provider's cost and provide recommendations to adjust the fund based on inflationary indexes
• $61.6 million Medicaid payment add-on per Medicaid resident based on a facility's annual cost report for long-term care
• An interim committee on rate-setting methodology for nursing homes
• $3 million for community mental health centers
• $5 million to increase allocations for substance use disorders services for the uninsured

The House will report out on the KDADS budget on Wednesday, March 8.

Today, the Senate Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Services worked the KDADS budget. Chair Carolyn McGinn (R-Sedgwick) brought a motion to add $5 million for hospitals, law enforcement and counties to be reimbursed on an hourly basis for patient observation for those patients that have been approved for involuntary patient admissions. Other changes proposed to the agency budget included:

• $1 million for Ember Hope Youthville
• $200,000 for Envision
• Ability to expand adoption of certified community behavioral health centers
• $6 million for substance abuse disorder for the uninsured
• $1 million to analyze system performances
• $133,075 for mental health first aid training
• $15 million, including 5.9 million SGF for the 7 percent rebase for nursing facilities for 24 and review at omnibus.
• $1.5 million for nutritional services for services through KDADS
• $6.5 million, including $2.6 million SGF to add to the reimbursement rate for the providers of frail and elderly waiver services
• Language requiring KDADS to conduct a study to review IDD service provider costs and make recommendations for indexed funding increases
• $1.2 million for capacity for crisis services for IDD with a report to House budget and health committees
• $30.8 million, including $12.4 million SGF, to establish an add-on for nursing facilities based on the percentage of Medicaid residents served, and review at omnibus
• Increase maximum transfer from lottery vending machines for mental health services to $9 million
• $2.5 million from American Rescue Plan Act for PACE expansion or review at omnibus if no ARPA funds
• Increase PACE Medicaid rates by 5 percent