Senate panel reviews House adjustments to aging and disability budget; adds and amends several program allocations

The Senate Ways and Means Committee on Monday reviewed House adjustments to the Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) budget, including restorations tied to federal FMAP changes and multiple new one-time and ongoing additions.

Dayton, legislative staffer presenting the green sheet, told the committee the House additions include a $45,000,000 restoration tied to HCBS FMAP savings and a $140,000 addition for in-home care for low-income seniors. For fiscal year 2026 the House added roughly $75.5 million in new appropriations, including a nursing-facility add-on payment set at $20 per Medicaid day, and funding to add new IDD waiver slots from the wait list.

Why it matters: The package targets both immediate pandemic-era funding reconciliations (FMAP-related restorations) and ongoing provider and service-rate changes for long-term care and behavioral health. Committee members probed the sources, locales and programmatic details of several House additions before voting on a series of amendments.

Most substantive House/committee items discussed

- HCBS FMAP restoration: $45,000,000 added to restore funding tied to FMAP increases during the federal public health emergency (House adjustment). Dayton said this restores funding related to FMAP increases.

- In-home care pilot completion: $140,000 to continue a pilot program serving low-income seniors.

- FY2026 additions: roughly $75.5 million total including $29.3 million from state general fund to support a $20-per-day nursing facility add-on; new IDD waiver slots funded (22,400,000 with $8.7 million SGF to add…