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, Medicaid programs have typically provided reimbursement

1-2 for medical services only; and

1-3 Whereas, As a result, the only option that has been available to

1-4 recipients of Medicaid who are in need of assistance with certain activities

1-5 of daily living has been to move into long-term care facilities, which are

1-6 considered medical facilities that provide medical services, to receive the

1-7 care they require; and

1-8 Whereas, The Health Care Financing Administration of the

1-9 Department of Health and Human Services grants waivers to states so that

1-10 Medicaid programs may provide reimbursement for certain nonmedical

1-11 services and provide long-term care services in the community rather than

1-12 in a nursing home or other institutional setting; and

1-13 Whereas, Services provided as a result of the home-based and

1-14 community-based waivers are considered by many to be a preferable

1-15 alternative to long-term institutional care because they provide greater

1-16 choice and independence for the recipient and are less expensive than the

1-17 cost of institutional care; and

1-18 Whereas, The Medicaid program in this state has received four home-

1-19 based and community-based waivers to provide alternative services to

1-20 persons who are disabled, elderly or mentally retarded; and

2-1 Whereas, Although services are available to certain recipients of

2-2 Medicaid in this state through the home-based and community-based

2-3 waiver programs, a person who applies for such services is often placed on

2-4 a waiting list for 6 months to 2 years before his application is evaluated to

2-5 determine whether he is eligible to receive such services; and

2-6 Whereas, Because of the long period of waiting to enroll in the

2-7 Medicaid waiver programs and the uncertainty concerning eligibility, some

2-8 recipients of Medicaid choose to enter long-term care facilities to receive

2-9 the assistance they require; and

2-10 Whereas, The Legislature recognizes the importance of making the

2-11 home-based and community-based waiver programs available to all

2-12 eligible recipients of Medicaid; now, therefore, be it

2-13 Resolved by the Senate of the State of Nevada, the Assembly

2-14 Concurring, That the Nevada Legislature hereby encourages the

2-15 Department of Human Resources to:

2-16 1. Take the actions necessary to eliminate waiting lists for

2-17 participation in its home-based and community-based waiver programs;

2-18 2. Streamline the process to determine eligibility of Medicare

2-19 recipients for participation in waiver programs; and

2-20 3. Conduct regular evaluations to assess the satisfaction of recipients

2-21 of Medicaid who apply to waiver programs and who receive waiver

2-22 services; and be it further

2-23 Resolved, That the Department of Human Resources is hereby

2-24 directed to submit a report of the progress it has made toward carrying out

2-25 these goals to the 71st session of the Nevada Legislature; and be it further

2-26 Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and transmit a

2-27 copy of this resolution to the Director of the Department of Human

2-28 Resources.