This bill mandates the Department of Health and Human Services to establish annual rates for Medicaid state plan case management services, aiming to achieve rate parity within the program. Specifically, it introduces a new section, RSA 126-A:18-c, which requires the department to set unit rates that accurately reflect the average cost of delivering these services by October 1 each year. The department is instructed to consider factors such as economy, efficiency, quality of care, and access to care, while also addressing disparities caused by administrative payments to certain providers.

Additionally, the bill does not allocate funding or authorize new positions but anticipates an increase in annual expenditures ranging from $4.6 million to $12.8 million, with $2.6 million to $6.5 million expected to come from general funds. To implement the provisions of the bill, the department may need to hire additional staff, including a financial specialist and a budget analyst, to audit cost reports and set appropriate rates. The estimated costs for these positions are projected to be $198,000 in FY 2026, $208,000 in FY 2027, and $214,000 in FY 2028. The bill is set to take effect 60 days after its passage.