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Committee approves bill to add bundled cognitive-evaluation code for Medicaid
Summary
The A & B Health Subcommittee approved House Bill 2,268 to add a Medicaid billing code that bundles a comprehensive cognitive evaluation with care planning and caregiver involvement; supporters said it aligns Medicaid with Medicare and should have limited fiscal impact.
Representative Stark presented House Bill 2,268 to the A & B Health Subcommittee, saying the measure would add a billing code to Medicaid that “allows for bundled appointment, including both comprehensive cognitive evaluation and care planning, ensuring that caregivers are actively involved in the process,” an Alzheimer’s Association request, and one that Stark said already is covered in CMS for Medicare.
The proposal, supporters said, aims to support early detection and personalized management of cognitive impairment. Representative Stark said the change is primarily a coding alignment so Medicaid matches Medicare rather than a new program: “It’s just been overlooked in, for Medicaid and so it does it for Medicaid, makes it match up with Medicare,” he said.
Members asked about fiscal impact. Representative Rowe asked whether a fiscal analysis was available. Stark and other supporters said the health department had been asked for numbers but had not yet provided a finalized estimate. Stark described the range of possible impact: about 440 patients could qualify, only a small percentage (he cited roughly 3–4 percent and elsewhere referenced a 2.4 percent figure mentioned by stakeholders) would likely use the service, and cost estimates ranged from roughly $3,000 at the low end to under $100,000 total at the high end. Stark and questioners emphasized the estimate was preliminary and that the committee hoped for more precise figures before subsequent committee consideration.
Members clarified implementation details. Representative Pittman asked whether implementation would require any new systems or infrastructure; Stark replied there would be no implementation cost beyond creating the billing code. Representative Snead and others pressed on utilization assumptions and asked whether the Alzheimer’s Association or the health department could refine the uptake estimate before further review.
The committee recorded a voice vote of 6 ayes and 0 nays and passed HB 2,268 to the next stage.
Ending: The bill passed the subcommittee 6–0; staff and lawmakers noted outstanding fiscal questions and asked for a department estimate before full committee review.
