NOTE: As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used in any other situation.



The LFC is only preparing FIRs on bills referred to the Senate Finance Committee, the Senate Ways and Means Committee, the House Appropriations and Finance Committee and the House Taxation and Revenue Committee. The chief clerks are responsible for preparing and issuing all other bill analyses.



Only the most recent FIR version, excluding attachments, is available on the Intranet. Previously issued FIRs and attachments may be obtained from the LFC office in Room 416 of the State Capitol Building.





F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T





SPONSOR: Heaton DATE TYPED: 02/02/99 HB 208
SHORT TITLE: Services to Unserved DD Eligible SB
ANALYST: Burkhart


APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY99 FY2000 FY99 FY2000
$ 5,500.0 Recurring GF



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)



Duplicates/Conflicts with/Companion to/Relates to HB137, SB24, SB144 & SB-243



SUMMARY



Synopsis of Bill



House Bill 208 appropriates 5,500.0 to the Department of Health for use as state match for the medicaid developmentally disabled waiver program to be used to provide services to those currently not receiving services.



Significant Issues



At the present time there is a waiting list for services for developmental disabilities clients in New Mexico. There are current legislative initiatives as well as the Legislative Finance Committee recommendation and that of the Department of Finance and Administration that are also efforts to accomplish the same goal. While there is a published estimate of 1700 persons who have requested services under the waiver, there presently exists no estimate of the number of individuals who qualify under medicaid for these services. There is also a concern that services may not be available in some rural areas of the state and that a period of time may be necessary to build that capacity.



FISCAL IMPLICATIONS



The use of these general fund monies will leverage medicaid monies and significantly increase the amount of money directed to this program. As more and more individuals are provided services, the Department of Health may find it necessary to request the waiver be expanded to increase this capacity. Requests of this expansion should be made on a timely basis so that any possible federal delays are minimized.



ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS



The Department of Health has an elaborate financial control and contracting system that will accommodate the planned expansion of this program.



DUPLICATION



This bill duplicates to one extent or another the following legislative introductions: SB24, SB144, HB137 and appropriations to be considered in HB2 and SB2.



OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES



Care must be taken to insure coordination of these efforts in order to avoid duplication and additional workload.



POSSIBLE QUESTIONS



1. How was the 5,500.0 amount determined?



MB/njw