Department of Medical Assistance Services; Medicaid waivers; consumer-directed services; employer of record. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) to modify the program rules for consumer-directed services available through certain Medicaid waivers to allow an individual receiving services to serve as the employer of record (EOR) for his own service delivery and designate another individual to perform all or a portion of the duties of the EOR on the individual's behalf when the individual receiving services is unable to perform such duties or direct his own care. The bill specifies that when an individual (i) has not yet reached the age of majority, (ii) is ineligible to use his existing employer identification number (EIN) to facilitate the taxation of benefits, or (iii) is otherwise determined to be ineligible by DMAS by administrative rule, the EIN shall be assigned to the individual receiving services and shall not be transferred to another individual. Under the bill, DMAS has the authority to limit such amendments to specify that an individual receiving services may make such designation no more than twice per calendar year.
Department of Medical Assistance Services; Medicaid estate recoveries. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services (the Department) to limit the operation of its estate recovery program to the recovery of only federally required costs. The bill directs the Department to make information on estate recovery available on its website in multiple languages. The bill directs the Department to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill.
Department of Medical Assistance Services; enhanced oversight of services facilitators. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to enhance oversight of Medicaid services facilitation for consumer directed services, including incorporation of such services into the statewide Fiscal Employer Agent contract and development of a contract monitoring and oversight plan.
Firefighters Cancer Screening Grant Program and Fund established. Creates the Firefighters Cancer Screening Grant Program and Fund to award grants to localities for costs incurred in providing certain cancer detection tests to firefighters. The bill provides that in any year that the amount of funds in the Firefighters Cancer Screening Fund reduces to zero and the Fund does not receive a separate appropriation, the Grant Program and Fund shall expire.
Administrative Process Act; exemptions; limitations; appeals of case decisions regarding benefits sought. Specifies that the Administrative Process Act applies to case decisions regarding the grant or denial, including determinations of eligibility and approved levels of service, of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, general relief, auxiliary grants, or state-local hospitalization. The bill also removes provisions limiting review of case decisions to ascertaining whether there was evidence in the agency record to support the case decision of the agency.
Fees for vehicles designed and used for transportation of passengers; funds returned to a locality; permitted uses. Expands the permitted use of funds returned to a locality from certain vehicle fees to include the purchase or maintenance of necessary equipment, supplies, facilities, and vehicles permitted by the Office of Emergency Medical Services and other operating expenses deemed necessary by the locality to ensure the provision of emergency medical services in such locality by nonprofit emergency medical services agencies. Under current law, such funds may be used for the purchase of necessary equipment and supplies for use in the locality for emergency medical services provided by nonprofit emergency medical services agencies.
Workers' compensation; presumption for certain cancers; sheriffs and deputy sheriffs. Expands the workers' compensation presumption of compensability for certain cancers causing the death or disability of certain employees who have completed five years of service in their position to include sheriffs or deputy sheriffs.
Line of Duty Act; transitional coverage. Requires the Department of Human Resource Management to acquire and provide temporary transitional health insurance coverage to disabled persons, eligible spouses, and eligible dependents during the period of transition into the LODA (Line of Duty Act) Health Benefits Plans. Current law authorizes but does not require the Department to acquire and provide such temporary transitional health insurance coverage to disabled persons, eligible spouses, and eligible dependents during such period.
State retiree health benefits program; reenrollment in program. Allows a state retiree who elects to participate in the state retiree health plan but later discontinues participation one opportunity to return to participation in the plan, provided that such return to participation occurs within five years after the date of such employee's retirement. Under current law, a state retiree who elects to participate in the state retiree health plan but later discontinues participation is barred from participating in the plan.
Health insurance credits for general registrars and employees of general registrars. Increases the amount of monthly health insurance credits received by retired general registrars and employees of general registrars with a minimum of 15 years of creditable service from $1.50 to $1.75 per month per year of creditable service not to exceed $52.50 per month beginning July 1, 2026.
