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Committee approves FSSA agency bill after amendment; SB 222 passes 12–0
Summary
The Public Health committee passed SB 222 (the FSSA agency bill) as amended, 12–0. The technical bill consolidates disability and aging divisions, expands DMHA certification authority, recognizes 988 crisis specialists as first responders, and extends a microfacility pilot; an amendment preserved Medicaid reimbursement for home-health agencies while Medicare enrollment is pending.
Chair Barrett presented Senate Bill 222, the Family and Social Services Administration agency bill, which contains technical updates intended to improve efficiency, accountability and program quality across FSSA divisions. Liza Sherman, FSSA legislative director, walked the committee through multiple provisions.
Major provisions include ensuring presumptive-eligibility standards apply uniformly across provider types for Medicaid, repealing an outdated preferred-drug-list report that costs about $50,000 annually, expanding the Division of Mental Health and Addiction’s authority to certify and decertify peer and recovery organizations and providers, formally recognizing 988 crisis specialists and mobile crisis team members as first responders, consolidating the division of disability and rehabilitation services with the division of aging into a combined Division of Disability, Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), and requesting a one-year extension of an existing microfacility pilot serving small groups of children for limited hours.
Representative Goss Reeves offered an amendment to allow licensed home-health agencies that are enrolled Medicaid providers and in good standing to continue providing services and receive Medicaid reimbursement while their Medicare enrollment application is pending; the amendment was accepted by consent.
After short discussion, the committee moved to pass the amended bill. The committee conducted a roll-call vote; the tally was 12 in favor, 0 opposed. The bill passed out of the committee as amended.
The committee chair closed the meeting and adjourned for the week.
