EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. Green numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).

1-1 Whereas, Persons who are 65 years of age or older and persons with

1-2 disabilities generally have the highest incidence of chronic illness and the

1-3 greatest need for long-term care services; and

1-4 Whereas, It is important to elderly persons and persons with

1-5 disabilities who require long-term care to maintain their independence and

1-6 familiar lifestyle; and

1-7 Whereas, Home- and community-based long-term care programs

1-8 provide services to elderly persons and persons with disabilities in their

1-9 homes or in facilities in their communities, thereby allowing such persons

1-10 to receive the care they require and remain living in their homes; and

1-11 Whereas, Although waivers have been granted from the Health Care

1-12 Financing Administration of the United States Department of Health and

1-13 Human Services so that the Medicaid program in this state may offer some

1-14 home- and community-based programs to recipients of Medicaid,

1-15 participation in those programs is limited and Medicaid continues to be

1-16 biased toward institutional care; and

2-1 Whereas, Studies have concluded that home- and community-based

2-2 long-term care programs offer quality long-term care and provide a cost-

2-3 effective alternative to institutional care; now, therefore, be it

2-4 Resolved by the Senate of the State of Nevada, the Assembly

2-5 Concurring, That the Nevada Legislature hereby urges the Department

2-6 of Human Resources to conduct a comprehensive national study of existing

2-7 and proposed programs for providing home- and community-based long-

2-8 term care services to elderly and disabled recipients of Medicaid to

2-9 determine whether it is feasible to offer additional home- and community-

2-10 based long-term care programs to recipients of Medicaid in this state and

2-11 whether it is feasible to expand or improve the existing programs in this

2-12 state. The study must include, without limitation, an analysis of:

2-13 1. The federal model called the "Program of All-Inclusive Care for the

2-14 Elderly";

2-15 2. The model proposed by the National Program Office on Self-

2-16 Determination to use principles of self-determination to provide long-term

2-17 care to persons with disabilities;

2-18 3. The amount of reimbursement currently paid to persons who provide

2-19 services to recipients of Medicaid under the home- and community-based

2-20 waiver programs, including, without limitation, an analysis of whether it is

2-21 feasible to increase the amount of reimbursement so that it is equivalent to

2-22 the amount paid by Medicare for similar services; and

2-23 4. The feasibility and benefits of providing the services of a medical

2-24 social worker as a benefit for recipients of Medicaid; and be it further

2-25 Resolved, That the Department of Human Resources shall submit

2-26 quarterly reports concerning the results of the study and any progress that it

2-27 has made towards offering additional home- and community-based services

2-28 to recipients of Medicaid to the Legislative Committee on Health Care

2-29 during the next biennium, beginning on September 1, 1999; and be it

2-30 further

2-31 Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and transmit a copy

2-32 of this resolution to the Director of the Department of Human Resources.