Revises provisions relating to Medicaid. (BDR 38-1117)

Existing federal regulations require the State to establish a Medicaid Advisory Committee and a Beneficiary Advisory Council to advise the Director of the Department of Health and Human Services concerning policy developments related to and the effective administration of Medicaid. Existing federal regulations prescribe requirements governing the membership of the Committee and Council, including a requirement that a certain percentage of the voting members of the Medicaid Advisory Committee concurrently serve on the Beneficiary Advisory Council. (42 C.F.R. § 431.12) To comply with these federal requirements, section 5 of this bill creates the Beneficiary Advisory Council within the Division of Health Care Financing and Policy of the Department to advise the Medicaid Advisory Committee on the experience of persons who are recipients of Medicaid. Section 6 of this bill prescribes the membership of the Council, which includes: (1) one member of the executive leadership of the Division; and (2) at least four persons who currently are or formerly were recipients of Medicaid or have direct experience supporting a recipient of Medicaid. Section 7 of this bill requires the Council to meet at least quarterly. Existing state law creates the Medical Care Advisory Committee within the Division of Health Care Financing and Policy of the Department to advise the Division on the provision of services relating to health and medical care to recipients of welfare and participate in the development of policy and the administration of programs of the Division. (NRS 422.151) Existing law: (1) prescribes the membership of the Committee; (2) provides that the term of a member of the Committee is 2 years; and (3) provides that members serve without compensation, except for the per diem allowance and travel expenses provided for state officers and employees. (NRS 422.153) Sections 8-10 of this bill change the name of the Medical Care Advisory Committee to the Medicaid Advisory Committee. Section 8 requires the Medicaid Advisory Committee to advise the Division on the ability of persons to access services provided by Medicaid. Section 9 adds certain voting members, including requiring at least 25 percent of the members of the Committee to be persons who also serve on the Council. Sections 6 and 9 additionally: (1) prohibit a member of either the Council or Committee from serving two consecutive terms; and (2) authorize members of either the Council or Committee who are recipients of Medicaid to receive certain compensation while engaged in the business of the Council or Committee. Section 10 increases the frequency with which the Medicaid Advisory Committee meets from once to quarterly each calendar year. Sections 12 and 13 of this bill require the Director of the Department of Health and Human Services to appoint the members of the Council and Committee, respectively, to staggered terms. Sections 3 and 4 of this bill define the terms “Beneficiary Advisory Council” and “Medicaid Advisory Committee,” respectively. Section 2 of this bill establishes the applicability of those definitions. Section 11 of this bill requires the Director of the Department to administer sections 2-7 in the same manner as the provisions of law relating to Medicaid.