Healthcare (Medicaid)

HB 5071 appropriates funds from the General Fund for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for private healthcare providers. This bill directly affects private doctors, clinics, and other medical providers who treat Medicaid patients by raising the payments they receive from the state. The funding implements "phase one" of a Medicaid rate study, aiming to adjust payment rates based on that study's findings. The bill does not change eligibility or coverage but modifies how much providers are paid for services.

This bill changes Medicaid reimbursement rules for behavioral health providers. It requires the state to pay the full reimbursement rate for each home health visit to a building housing multiple residents, rather than reducing the rate for subsequent visits to the same building by the same provider. The policy directly affects behavioral health practitioners and Medicaid program administrators. The key change eliminates the current practice of lowering payments for repeated visits to multi-resident facilities, ensuring consistent funding per visit.

HB 5370 establishes a five-year medical respite pilot program to provide supportive care for homeless individuals requiring medical recuperation but not hospitalization. The program, operating in four selected cities from 2026-2031, will offer up to four care units with 24-hour supervision, healthcare referrals, and case management to help participants secure housing. It requires a planning group with hospitals and homelessness nonprofits to design the program and pursue funding, along with two mandatory reports evaluating participant numbers, Medicaid cost savings, and expansion recommendations. The bill directly affects homeless individuals in participating cities by connecting medical care with housing support services.