SENATE MEMORIAL 72

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2011

INTRODUCED BY

Gerald Ortiz y Pino

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO CONVENE A WORK GROUP ON THE MI VIA SELF-DIRECTED HOME- AND COMMUNITY-BASED MEDICAID WAIVER PROGRAM TO STUDY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING THE MI VIA PROGRAM'S SERVICES AND SUSTAINABILITY.

     WHEREAS, in 2006, the human services department submitted an application and received approval from the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services for two new self-directed home- and community-based medicaid services waivers, known together as the Mi Via program; and

     WHEREAS, in the two years leading up to the approval of Mi Via, the self-directed waiver program, the human services department, the department of health and the aging and long- term services department collaborated with and facilitated a stakeholder group consisting of potential participants in Mi Via and their families, advocates, disability groups and other stakeholders to develop the Mi Via program, which resulted in an innovative, well-designed and self-directed waiver program; and

     WHEREAS, after the implementation of Mi Via, the self-directed waiver program and the departments appointed a Mi Via task force for growth, nurturing and sustainability that continued to provide Mi Via participants and stakeholders with input into the operation of Mi Via; and

     WHEREAS, in 2009, the Mi Via task force collaborated with the departments to make changes to the Mi Via program and submit a renewal application for the home- and community-based services self-directed program, resulting in approval of the new application by the centers for medicare and medicaid services and making a number of changes to the Mi Via program; and

     WHEREAS, in February 2011, the Mi Via task force for growth, nurturing and sustainability was changed to become the ongoing Mi Via advisory committee with the purpose to "work with the state and community, to keep the philosophy of self- direction as the basis of all discussions about the Mi Via waiver to continuously improve the quality of life for all participants"; and

     WHEREAS, after the first few years of the Mi Via program, data showed that the cost of services for Mi Via participants in the aggregate was less than the cost of services to recipients of services from the traditional home- and community-based services waivers, thus making self-direction an important approach to take to help the state sustain medicaid- funded long-term services; and

     WHEREAS, the ongoing implementation of Mi Via is characterized by high administrative costs due to the complexity of the program, and the departments are concerned that this cost will not be sustainable and would like to find ways to bring the administrative costs down; and

     WHEREAS, Mi Via participants are responsible for implementing and managing their service and support plans and thus have key insights into how Mi Via is working and how efficiencies and improvements could be made; and

     WHEREAS, the state has faced and will continue to face challenges to sustain medicaid funding for long-term services and needs to find solutions to meeting the long-term care needs of all eligible citizens of New Mexico now and in the future; and

     WHEREAS, it has been demonstrated that the best approach for finding solutions to administrative cost efficiencies, improving Mi Via and growth in Mi Via is through a collaborative process involving the departments, Mi Via participants and stakeholders together;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the human services department be requested to convene a collaborative work group to study the implementation of the Mi Via self-directed waiver program and make recommendations for realizing cost efficiencies in the administration of the program, improvements in implementing the program and achieving growth in the program as a way to help sustain medicaid funding for long-term services so the state can meet the long-term care needs of all eligible New Mexico residents now and in the future; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the secretaries of human services, health, aging and long-term services and any other department that is involved in Mi Via appoint staff to the work group; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the secretary of human services request Mi Via contractors; the chair and vice chair of the legislative finance committee; the chair and vice chair of the legislative health and human services committee; members of the Mi Via advisory committee; members of the disability coalition; Mi Via participants living with developmental disabilities, medical fragility, physical disability, HIV/AIDS and brain injury; family members of Mi Via participants; advocates for Mi Via participants and other stakeholders; Mi Via consultants; Mi Via direct-support staff; and providers to join the work group; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the secretary of human services assure that fifty percent plus one members of the work group are Mi Via participants, Mi Via family members and advocates; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state agencies, the legislative finance committee staff and the legislative council service staff provide assistance as appropriate to carry out the work of the Mi Via work group; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretaries of human services, health and aging and long-term services; and the chair and vice chair of the legislative finance committee.

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