AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

HB 5986 proposes to adjust how Medicaid funds are allocated, primarily to increase payment rates for nursing facilities. The bill reduces appropriations for Medicaid managed care in fiscal year 2025-2026 to achieve this increase. It directs the executive office of health and human services to revise the payment methodology for nursing facilities, moving from a cost-based system to a price-based system that considers factors like patient acuity and Medicaid occupancy. A significant provision ensures that a portion of these rate increases must be dedicated to boosting compensation for direct-care workers, such as nurses and certified nursing assistants, within these facilities.