An act relating to Medicaid reimbursement rates for home- and community-based service providers

This bill establishes an annual inflation adjustment for Medicaid reimbursement rates paid to home- and community-based service providers in Vermont, ensuring their payments keep pace with rising costs. It requires the state health and disability departments to calculate this inflation factor each year and apply it to provider rates starting July 1. The legislation also mandates a comprehensive study of current payment rates, their adequacy, and the methods used to set them, with results due by January 15, 2024. Additionally, the study must examine how to align these rates with other payers and account for new state-mandated employer contributions like those from paid family leave or minimum wage laws.