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Bill would add attendant care to frail‑elderly Medicaid waiver and create a caregiver-facing agency directory
Summary
Assembly Bill 338 would authorize the state to seek a Medicaid waiver amendment to fund attendant care for frail elderly recipients, and require the creation of an interagency web tool listing licensed personal‑care agencies, locations, services and insurance acceptance to simplify access for families.
Carson City — Assembly Bill 338, introduced March 17 through the interim committee on seniors, veterans and adults with special needs and presented by Chair Tracy Brown‑May and interns/stakeholders, would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to apply for a federal waiver to include attendant care within the state’s Frail Elderly (FE) Medicaid waiver and require an interagency online directory of licensed personal‑care agencies.
Sponsor and stakeholder testimony said the bill aims to reduce unnecessary nursing‑facility placements and make it easier for seniors and caregivers to find in‑home personal-care services. Supporters included the Personal Care Association of Nevada, AARP Nevada, the Nevada Association of Counties, and the Native Voters Alliance Nevada.
Key elements - Medicaid waiver amendment: Section 1 directs DHHS to apply for an amendment to the FE waiver to authorize federal financial participation in attendant care services for frail elderly persons, covering activities such as bathing, dressing, toileting and eating. Stakeholders said the current FE waiver does not include attendant care, which is available instead through a separate Medicaid state plan that can require asset “spend down.” - Interagency online directory: Sections 2 and 3 require ADSD and the Division of Public and Behavioral Health to create a searchable web tool on the ADSD site listing personal‑care agencies, the services they provide, geographic service areas, disciplinary actions and accepted insurance/payment types to simplify consumer access to licensed providers. - Access and equity rationale: Proponents argued the change would reduce administrative barriers for older adults who now face confusing website navigation, inconsistent listings across state agencies, and uneven local availability.
Support and evidence Connie McMullen of the Personal Care Association of Nevada explained the divide between waiver eligibility and state‑plan attendant care: ADSD waiver eligibility uses a higher asset threshold (300% of SSI) than the Medicaid state plan, which can force seniors to “spend down” assets to access attendant care. The association and county representatives said the directory would reduce confusion about provider types (personal care agencies, intermediary service organizations, employment agencies) and indicate whether providers accept Medicaid.
Local government and tribal testimony The Nevada Association of Counties supported the measure, saying it would reduce nursing‑facility placements and county social‑safety‑net usage. Testimony from the Native Voters Alliance highlighted telemedicine and rural/tribal access concerns and urged passage to reduce travel and waiting times for diagnosis and services.
Process notes Committee members asked for clarifying details about implementation and interagency responsibilities. Proponents said the bill requires collaboration by ADSD and the Division of Public and Behavioral Health and that the website would centralize provider information now scattered across state resources.
Ending note No organized opposition was recorded in the hearing. Sponsors said stakeholders would continue to coordinate implementation details if the bill advances.
