Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Health Care topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House merges two children’s waivers into new ‘children with complex health needs’ waiver, HB1003 passes
Summary
House Bill 1003 passed to combine two Medicaid home and community‑based waivers for children into a single "children with complex health needs" waiver, with sponsors citing need to avoid coverage gaps during transition.
The House passed House Bill 1003 to consolidate the Children's Home and Community‑Based Services waiver and the waiver for children with life‑limiting illnesses into a single Medicaid waiver called the "children with complex health needs waiver."
Representative Stuart, co‑prime sponsor with Representative Brooks, said the bill will streamline home‑and‑community‑based services for children and avoid coverage gaps. Representative Brooks said committee amendments were requested by stakeholders to ensure the new consolidated name and to provide a full year for families on the current CHCBS waiver to transition onto the new waiver. "This is something that I believe is truly just nonpartisan," Brooks said, adding that the safety clause was used to prevent interruptions in coverage for families.
Floor discussion noted the use of a safety clause so the measure could take effect immediately and prevent a lapse in coverage; sponsors said a delayed effective date might produce a period where families would be unable to access services. The committee report passed and the bill then passed on the floor as recorded in the transcript.
