Changes offered to Senate Medicaid “tech” bill adds reverse repealer and study committees

At the Medicaid hearing Monday, Senator Brice Wiggins, author of the Medicaid bill SB 2836, offered a committee substitute to the legislation.

The committee substitute offers a revision of services, rates and managed-care conditions and extended repealer. It would authorize a study committee on managed care, after feedback from the Medicaid Advisory Committee still had reservations of utilizing the program for all beneficiaries. The committee would go into effect within 45 days after passage.

The same repealer applies to the 5% rule, where provider reimbursement was reduced by 5%. The committee substitute would create a study commission to look at the effects of what the reduction in reimbursement would do across the board. That Committee would begin January 1, 2019

Wiggins explained a lot still needs to be done, so this bill would be referred back to committee to fill the gaps and fix the holes. Sen. Pro Tempore Terry Burton agreed saying now may not be the time discuss all the potential fixes, with a deadline so close, the bill just needs to stay alive.

The amendment was passed by the committee and will head to the Senate floor for a vote.

“We respect providers and what they do but we have to look at all the issues,” said Sen. Wiggins.

You can read the full substitute below:

NEW VERSION OF PROPOSED CS FOR SB 2836 FOR MEDICAID