[Missouri-l] Fw: [Modisabilaw] Senate Appropriations and HB395-Transition Grants

[Chip Hailey]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Marty Exline 
To: MO Disability Policy/Law Listserv 
Sent: Friday, April 03, 2009 5:01 PM
Subject: [Modisabilaw] Senate Appropriations and HB395-Transition Grants


The Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to meet several times next week to continue mark-up the budget bills that were passed by the House. So far, the Committee has included some significant budget items that were not in the bills passed by the House. 

The Committee did include funding for HealthNet (Medicaid) coverage of low-income parents up to 50% of the poverty level, meaning that about 34,000 more adults would have health care coverage. Funding would come through hospital taxes and federal dollars rather than state general revenue.

The Committee also included funds recommended in the Governor's budget for caseload growth for individuals with developmental disabilities. The House had included only a portion of the funding.

Its not certain yet whether the Committee will include funds to eliminate SCHIP premiums for families in the 150% to 225% of poverty range and to reduce premiums for those from 226% to 300% of poverty as recommended in the Governors budget.

The Committee is scheduled to meet next on Tuesday, April 7 at 8:00 AM and again upon evening adjournment; on Wednesday, April 8 at 8:00 AM and upon evening adjournment and on Thursday, April 9 at 8:00 AM. All hearings will be in SCR 2. Remember that once the bills are voted on by the full Senate, any differences between the Senate and House versions will go to a conference committee for resolution.



HB 395 - Long Term Care Transition Grants - Representative Nance

HB 395 is scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday, April 7th at 8:15 AM in SCR 1.  The bill has passed the House and is being heard in the Health, Mental Health, Seniors ahd Families Committee.  Currently, HealthNet (Medicaid) recipients who are transitioning from a nursing home back into the community are eligible for a grant up to $1,500 to cover some of their transition costs such as down payments, deposits or other set up costs. The bill would increase the maximum amount of the grant to $2,400 subject to appropriations. The bill also moves the administration of the grant from DESE - the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation to the Department of Health & Senior Services (Division of Senior and Disability Services). 

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