HOUSE BILL 173

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2010

INTRODUCED BY

John A. Heaton

AN ACT

RELATING TO MEDICAL ASSISTANCE; ENACTING A TEMPORARY PROVISION TO DIRECT THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO COMPARE CURRENT MEDICAID NURSING FACILITY REIMBURSEMENT RATES WITH AVERAGE MEDICAID NURSING FACILITY COST REPORT DATA; ENACTING A SECTION OF THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ACT TO DIRECT THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO OBTAIN A YEARLY ANALYSIS OF MEDICAID NURSING FACILITY REIMBURSEMENT RATES AND AVERAGE ALLOWABLE COSTS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. [NEW MATERIAL] TEMPORARY PROVISION--NURSING FACILITY REIMBURSEMENT RATE DATA COLLECTION.--

          A. By December 1, 2010, the human services department shall collect nursing facility cost report data and nursing facility reimbursement rate information for all nursing facilities accepting medicaid reimbursement.

          B. The human services department shall report its analysis and any measures to address medicaid nursing facility reimbursement rates to the interim legislative health and human services committee and the legislative finance committee by December 1, 2011.

     Section 2. A new section of the Public Assistance Act is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] YEARLY ANALYSIS OF MEDICAID NURSING FACILITY REIMBURSEMENT RATES.--For each fiscal year after fiscal year 2011, the department shall set a minimum medicaid nursing facility reimbursement rate by reconciling the prior fiscal year's medicaid nursing facility reimbursement rate and an average of audited allowable costs. In order to set the minimum reimbursement rate, the department shall perform or obtain an analysis that compares nursing facility reimbursement rates and audited allowable costs using a nationally recognized analysis of nursing facility reimbursement."

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