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Account	Description	FY07 GAA	FY08 GAA
4000-0600	MassHealth Senior Care For health care services provided to MassHealth members who are seniors, and for the operation of the senior care options program under section 9D of chapter 118E of the General Laws; provided, that funds may be expended from this item for health care services provided to these recipients in prior fiscal years; provided further, that funds shall be expended for the 'community choices' initiative; provided further, that benefit for this demonstration project shall not be reduced below the services provided in fiscal year 2007; provided further, that the eligibility requirements for this demonstration project shall not be more restrictive than those established in fiscal year 2007; provided further, that the executive office of health and human services shall submit a report to the house and senate committees on ways and means detailing the projected costs and the number of individuals served by the "community choices" initiative in fiscal year 2008 delineated by the federal poverty level; provided further, that the report shall be submitted not later than February 1, 2008; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the regulations, criteria and standards for determining admission to and continued stay in a nursing home in fiscal year 2008 shall not be more restrictive than those regulations, criteria and standards in effect on January 1, 2004 until the executive office of health and human services and the executive office of elder affairs submit a multi-year plan to the house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on health care financing detailing the suggested timeline for phasing in changes to nursing home clinical criteria, provided that these changes shall not adversely affect current nursing home residents and shall not jeopardize the effectiveness of the 2176 home and community based waiver; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, for any nursing home or non-acute chronic disease hospital that provides kosher food to its residents, the department, in consultation with the division, in recognition of the unique special innovative program status granted by the executive office, shall continue to make the standard payment rates established in fiscal year 2006 to reflect the high dietary costs incurred in providing kosher food; provided further, that funds shall be expended for the purpose of a housing with services demonstration project known as the 'Caring Homes' initiative designed to delay or prevent nursing home placement by providing care-giving services to an elder; provided further, that under said demonstration project, eligible MassHealth enrollees shall be able to live in the home of an individual or relative, with the exception of spouses and dependent children, to provide for their long term supports, pursuant to regulations promulgated by said executive office; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, not less than $5,000,000 shall be expended from this item for the purpose of providing an increase to $72.80 per month in the personal needs allowance for individuals residing in nursing homes and rest homes who are eligible for MassHealth, Emergency Aid to the Elderly Disabled and Children program or Supplemental Security Income; provided further, that no less than $270,000 shall be expended for nursing facility pre-admission counseling for long-term care services, which shall include an assessment of community-based options; provided further, that in fiscal year 2008, the division of health care finance and policy shall adjust rates for providers of adult day health by no less than $2,000,000 in the aggregate, which shall be above any previously authorized rate increase; provided further, that effective July 1, 2007 for the fiscal year ending June 30 2008, the division of health care finance and policy shall establish MassHealth nursing facility rates that result in payments to nursing facilities that are not less than $80,000,000 above the payments made to said facilities in fiscal year 2007; provided further, that not later than October 1, 2007, the Office of Medicaid shall submit a Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration grant in accordance with section 6071 of the federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, P.L. 109-171, to assist individuals seeking to transition from institutions who wish to live in the community; and provided further, that the Office of Medicaid shall forward a copy of this application to the house and senate committee on ways and means, the house and senate chairpersons of the joint committee on elder affairs, and the house and senate chairpersons of the joint committee on health care financing; and provided further, that the executive office of elder affairs shall make no change in the reimbursement system or operations of adult day health programs as they relate to transportation of program participants, except that the executive office may grant periodic rate increases, as appropriate, for transportation services	1,726,309,136	2,053,753,985

Note:  Governor's veto was overridden.  Text in red reflects vetoed language.

Veto Explanation: I am striking language which earmarks funding for program expansion not recommended because it is inconsistent with the rate-setting process provided by law and I am reducing the appropriation for this item accordingly.

 
 

HISTORICAL SPENDING CATEGORIES ($000)

SPENDING CATEGORY	FY04 Spending	FY05 Spending	FY06 Spending	FY07 Spending	FY08 GAA
Operating Expenses	0	0	35	0	0
Public Assistance	1,609,726	1,695,341	1,859,305	1,706,647	2,053,754
TOTAL	1,609,726	1,695,341	1,859,340	1,706,647	2,053,754

* FY07 Projected Spending includes the budget plus nearly $1 billion in spending from FY06 supplemental budgets.

 

 

Earmarks

EARMARK DESCRIPTION	FY08
Community Choices initiative	45,000,000
Kosher Food Rate	1,300,000
Nursing facility annual rate increase	80,000,000
Personal Needs Allowance for nursing home and rest home residents	5,000,000
Pre-admission counseling for nursing homes	270,000