Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

Senate File 2306 - Introduced
                                  SENATE FILE 2306
                                  BY CELSI, DONAHUE, WEINER,
                                      JOCHUM, BISIGNANO, DOTZLER,
                                      TRONE GARRIOTT, T. TAYLOR,
                                      WINCKLER, KNOX, BOULTON,
                                      PETERSEN, QUIRMBACH, WAHLS,
                                      and BENNETT
                            A BILL FOR
An Act relating to options for long-term care, and making
  appropriations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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                               S.F. 2306
    Section 1. MEDICAID —— REIMBURSEMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
 COSTS —— HOME HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. The department of
 health and human services shall establish a rate structure for
 reimbursement of the transportation costs of home health care
 providers by incorporating an increased reimbursement amount
 into the existing home health care provider reimbursement rate
 that reflects the total time expended by a home health care
 provider, including the provider’s travel time, in the per
 visit reimbursement. The department shall submit a report on
 the reimbursement rate structure and the projected cost of
 application of the reimbursement rate structure to the governor
 and the general assembly by December 1, 2024.
    Sec. 2. OPTIONS FOR LONG-TERM LIVING —— STUDY —— REPORT.
    1. Pursuant to section 231.58, and considering the intent of
 the general assembly for the long-term living system in Iowa
 pursuant to section 231F.1, including maximizing independence,
 choice, and dignity for consumers, the director of health
 and human services shall convene a study group to facilitate
 the coordination of long-term living system policy, service
 delivery, and long-range planning by performing a focused
 review of the alternatives for the long-term living system in
 the state.
    2. The study group shall include all of the following
 members:
    a. The director of health and human services.
    b. The division director of the division of aging and
 disability services of the department of health and human
 services.
    c. The director of the department of inspections, appeals,
 and licensing.
    d. The state director of AARP Iowa, or the director’s
 designee.
    e. The executive director of each area agency on aging, or
 the director’s designee.
    f. The co-chairpersons of the older Iowans legislature.
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                               S.F. 2306
    g. The executive director of the Iowa caregivers
 association, or the executive director’s designee.
    h. The executive director of the Alzheimer’s association,
 Iowa chapter, or the executive director’s designee.
    i. The executive director of disability rights Iowa, or the
 executive director’s designee.
    j. The director of the Barbara and Richard Csomay center
 for gerontological excellence, at the state university of Iowa
 college of nursing, or the director’s designee.
    k. The director of the gerontology program at Iowa state
 university of science and technology, or the director’s
 designee.
    l. The director of the university of northern Iowa school of
 applied human sciences, or the director’s designee.
    m. The president and vice president of the Hale group.
    3. The review shall include a survey of existing long-term
 living approaches utilized in other states and innovative
 approaches such as the greenhouse system, adult family homes,
 and elder group homes, with the goal of providing Iowans with
 access to an extensive range of high-quality, affordable, and
 cost-effective long-term living options. The review shall also
 consider how the state may assist nursing facilities which are
 not at full occupancy by incorporating other sectors including
 but not limited to child care, adult day care, and home health
 services.
    4. The study group shall submit a report of its findings
 and recommendations including a summary of existing and
 innovative approaches, how other states have successfully
 implemented existing approaches, and how the state of Iowa can
 encourage development of the identified existing and innovative
 approaches in this state, to the governor and the general
 assembly by December 15, 2024.
    Sec. 3. ADULT DAY CARE PROVIDERS —— MEDICAID
 REIMBURSEMENT. For the fiscal year beginning July 1,
 2024, reimbursement rates under the Medicaid program for adult
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                               S.F. 2306
 day care providers who provide services to Medicaid home and
 community-based services waiver recipients shall be increased
 by five percent over the reimbursement rates in effect on June
 30, 2024.
    Sec. 4. IOWA RETURN TO COMMUNITY PROGRAM ——
 APPROPRIATION. There is appropriated from the general
 fund of the state to the department of health and human
 services for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, and
 ending June 30, 2025, the following amount, or so much
 thereof as is necessary, to be used in collaboration with
 affected stakeholders to continue to expand the Iowa return to
 community program to assist non-Medicaid-eligible consumers
 who indicate a preference to return to the community and are
 deemed appropriate for discharge, to return to their community
 following a nursing facility or hospital stay:
 .................................................. $ 2,000,000
    The department of health and human services shall submit to
 the governor and the general assembly by December 15, 2024, an
 estimate of the cost to fully fund an expansion of the Iowa
 return to community program to provide access to all interested
 consumers.
    Sec. 5. STATEWIDE DEMENTIA CARE COORDINATOR —— DEMENTIA
 SERVICE SPECIALISTS —— APPROPRIATION. There is appropriated
 from the general fund of the state to the department of health
 and human services for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024,
 and ending June 30, 2025, the following amount or so much
 thereof as is necessary, for the department of health and
 human services to employ a statewide dementia care coordinator
 within the department to provide statewide coordination of
 dementia-friendly initiatives including efforts pursuant to
 section 231.62; to coordinate dementia service specialists
 in each area agency on aging; to provide grants to each
 area agency on aging to employ a dementia service specialist
 to increase access and connections to local supports and
 services for persons living with dementia, their families,
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                                        S.F. 2306
  and caregivers; to evaluate the availability of respite care
  for family caregivers of persons with dementia and to provide
  recommendations to the department and the general assembly
  on how to meet the demand; and to increase awareness about
  dementia within the network of area agency on aging providers
  as well as in communities, businesses, health care facilities,
  and assisted living programs throughout the state:
  .................................................. $     750,000
                            EXPLANATION
         The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
          the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
    This bill relates to options for long-term living and
 funding of long-term care services.
    The bill requires the department of health and human
 services (HHS) to establish a rate structure for reimbursement
 of the transportation costs of home health care providers by
 incorporating an increased reimbursement amount for travel
 time into the per visit reimbursement. The department shall
 submit a report of the rate structure and the projected cost of
 application of the reimbursement rate structure to the governor
 and the general assembly by December 1, 2024.
    The bill requires that pursuant to Code section 231.58
 (long-term living coordination) and considering the intent of
 the general assembly for the long-term living system in Iowa
 pursuant to Code section 231F.1 (intent for Iowa’s long-term
 living system), including maximizing independence, choice,
 and dignity for consumers, the director of HHS shall convene
 a study group that includes members specified in the bill to
 perform a focused review of the alternatives for long-term
 living options in the state. The review shall include a survey
 of existing approaches utilized in other states and innovative
 approaches such as the greenhouse system, adult family homes,
 and elder group homes, with the goal of providing Iowans with
 access to an extensive range of high-quality, affordable, and
 cost-effective long-term living options. The review shall also
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                                S.F. 2306
 consider how the state may assist nursing facilities not at
 full occupancy by incorporating other sectors, including child
 care, adult day care, and home health care. The study group
 shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to
 the governor and the general assembly by December 15, 2024.
    The bill provides that for FY 2024-2025, Medicaid
 reimbursement rates for adult day care providers who provide
 services to Medicaid home and community-based services waiver
 recipients shall be increased by 5 percent over the rates in
 effect on June 30, 2024.
    The bill makes an appropriation to HHS for FY 2024-2025 from
 the general fund of the state to be used in collaboration with
 affected stakeholders to continue to expand the Iowa return
 to community program. The bill requires HHS to submit to the
 governor and the general assembly by December 15, 2024, an
 estimate of the cost to fully fund an expansion of the Iowa
 return to community program to provide access to all interested
 consumers.
    The bill makes an appropriation to HHS for FY 2024-2025
 from the general fund of the state to be used by HHS to employ
 a statewide dementia care coordinator within HHS to provide
 statewide coordination of dementia-friendly initiatives
 including efforts pursuant to Code section 231.62 (Alzheimer’s
 disease services and assistance); to coordinate dementia
 service specialists in each area agency on aging; to provide
 grants to each area agency on aging to employ a dementia
 service specialist to increase access and connections to local
 supports and services for persons living with dementia, their
 families, and caregivers; to evaluate the availability of
 respite for family caregivers of persons with dementia and make
 recommendations to meet the demand; and to increase awareness
 about dementia within the network of area agency on aging
 providers as well as in communities, businesses, health care
 facilities, and assisted living programs throughout the state.
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