HB 1560 -- MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

SPONSOR:  Bearden

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Senior
Citizen Advocacy by a vote of 10 to 0.

This bill establishes an assessment plan for use by the
Department of Health and Senior Services for persons living in a
residential care facility.  The assessment will determine the
amount of personal care services the residential care facility is
authorized to be reimbursed for under Title XIX.  Any change in
the amount of personal care service a facility is authorized to
provide a resident will be based on the level of personal care
needs as determined by the assessment plan.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Effect on General Revenue Fund of a cost
of Unknown to an income of Unknown in FY 2007, FY 2008, and
FY 2009.  No impact on Other State Funds in FY 2007, FY 2008, and
FY 2009.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill provides an assessment
device that will better gauge the personal medical assistance
levels necessary for patients in residential care facilities.
Currently, personal assistance assessments are entirely
subjective.  The new assessment device will aid in determining
whether patients require minimal, moderate, or maximum
assistance.  The bill also provides assessors with a more
coherent and objective criteria for the assessment of patients'
medical assistance needs and allows the state to more easily
audit the residential care facilities' provision of medical
assistance.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Bearden; Missouri
Assisted Living Association; William Kenny; Kathy McCrary; and
Andrew Stubblefield.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Alex Curchin, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
93rd General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated November 29, 2006 at 9:43 am