HJ104: Medicaid; Joint Commission on Health Care to form subcommittee to study reform thereof.

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 104
Offered January 11, 2006
Prefiled January 10, 2006
Directing the Joint Commission on Health Care to form a subcommittee to study Medicaid reform in the Commonwealth. Report.

Patrons-- Morgan, Athey, Cosgrove, Crockett-Stark, Gear, Hugo, Hurt, Jones, S.C., Kilgore, Landes, Marshall, D.W., O'Bannon, Peace, Rapp, Rust, Scott, E.T. and Wittman

Referred to Committee on Rules

WHEREAS, Medicaid serves as the nation's healthcare safety net providing healthcare coverage for over 52 million people, including children, pregnant women and other adults in low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled; and

WHEREAS, in April 2005, Congress passed a budget resolution calling for up to $10 billion in cuts to federal Medicaid spending over the next five years; and

WHEREAS, the national Medicaid Commission was established in May 2005 and charged with finding ways to achieve the $10 billion in Medicaid savings over five years while at the same time making progress toward meaningful long-term program changes to better serve the beneficiaries; and

WHEREAS, the national Medicaid Commission has recommended two items that, if passed, will require states to alter their Medicaid programs to meet new federal requirements regarding asset transfer and prescription drugs; and

WHEREAS, it would be beneficial to consider the anticipated changes in federal law and prepare for their implementation and impact on the Commonwealth's Medicaid system; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Joint Commission on Health Care be directed to form a subcommittee to study Medicaid reform in the Commonwealth.

The Joint Commission on Health Care shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary and report of its progress in meeting the request of this resolution no later than the first day of the 2007 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary and report shall be submitted for publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.