Senate committee advances human services omnibus framework; A‑1 adopted, major nursing‑home and waiver changes remain under review

On April 7 the Senate Human Services Committee reviewed a comprehensive human services omnibus draft (delete‑all/A‑1 amendment to Senate File 3054) that reorganizes and modifies numerous policy and budget items affecting long‑term care, disability waivers, behavioral health, and grants. Committee counsel and fiscal staff walked members through the spreadsheet of proposals and the A‑1 author’s amendment; the committee adopted the A‑1 amendment by voice vote and laid the amended Senate File 3054 over for markup and potential inclusion in later packages.

Major topics discussed and the committee’s action overview:

Nursing facility payment system and VBR modifications: Committee fiscal staff described differences between the governor’s proposal and the A‑1. The A‑1 limits operating growth to 4% per year (the governor proposed a 2% operating cap) and also changes the formula used in value‑based reimbursement (VBR) that links care‑related payment limits to a facility’s quality score. Committee counsel described the change as an alteration to the slope of the quality‑limit formula: lower‑quality facilities would see a reduced limit, with the policy intended…