Bill Text: AZ SB1552 | 2020 | Fifty-fourth Legislature 2nd Regular | Introduced

Arizona Senate Bill 1552 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Developmental disability providers; rates; appropriations

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 8-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-03-09 - Senate Committee of the Whole action: Retained [SB1552 Detail]

Download: Arizona-2020-SB1552-Introduced.html

REFERENCE TITLE: developmental disability providers; rates; appropriations

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-fourth Legislature

Second Regular Session

2020

SB 1552

Introduced by

Senators Brophy McGee: Allen S, Bowie, Carter; Representatives Allen J, Barto, Cobb, Shope, Thorpe

AN ACT

Appropriating monies to the department of economic security.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Appropriations; department of economic security; intellectual and developmental disabilities; provider rate increases; reports

A. The following amounts are appropriated in the following fiscal years to the department of economic security to provide reimbursement rate increases for services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities:

1. $50,000,000 from the state general fund and $166,700,000 in medicaid expenditure authority in fiscal year 2020‑2021.

2. $______ from the state general fund and $_____ in medicaid expenditure authority in fiscal year 2021‑2022.

3. $______ from the state general fund and $_____ in medicaid expenditure authority in fiscal year 2022‑2023.

B. The department of economic security shall use the fiscal year 2019‑2020 rate rebase study required by section 36‑2959, Arizona Revised Statutes, to provide reimbursement rate increases for all services provided to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in fiscal years 2020‑2021, 2021‑2022 and 2022‑2023 so that each service receives an increase in each of the three fiscal years, unless a service reaches one hundred percent of the benchmark rate.� The department shall ensure that all reimbursement rates for services provided to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are at one hundred percent of the benchmark rates by the end of fiscal year 2022‑2023, including any adjustment needed to the benchmark rates to account for any increases in minimum wage in fiscal years 2020‑2021, 2021‑2022 and 2022‑2023.� Before implementing provider rate increases, the department shall engage community stakeholders regarding the department's plans to increase provider rates.

C. The department of economic security shall submit a report to the joint legislative budget committee on or before September 1 each fiscal year describing its efforts to engage stakeholders and the department's plans to implement provider rate increases for fiscal years 2020‑2021, 2021‑2022 and 2022‑2023.

Sec. 2. Intent

The legislature intends that services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities be funded at a level to ensure that quality and effective services are adequately available so that individuals who are eligible to receive state services are able to live their most independent life and are cared for by qualified direct care workers. Funding levels should be set so that a direct care worker's compensation reflects the wage assumptions contained in the first version of the 2019‑2020 rate rebase study.