Relates to nursing transition and diversion

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Gustavo Rivera says this is needed

The NHTD Medicaid Waiver is a vital tool that helps older adults and individuals with disabilities remain in their homes and communities rather than entering or remaining in nursing facilities. Participants receive a range of home- and community-based services that support inde- pendence, reduce institutionalization, and improve quality of life, while saving taxpayer dollars due to the lower cost of community-based care. With respect to a similar waiver, on December 21, 2024, Governor Hochul signed a bill permanently carving the Traumatic Brain Injury Medicaid Waiver program out of managed care. The TBI Waiver is almost identical to the NHTD Waiver - outside of the populations that they serve. Currently, the NHTD Waiver could transition to managed care as early as January 1, 2027. The Waiver population was originally scheduled to be carved into Medicaid managed care in 2017. That transition was delayed several times. The delays recognized the small, geographically dispersed, highly acute and individualized population, which makes it a difficult fit for a mainstream or specialized managed care plan. While the Legislature and Governor agreed to delay carving in the NHTD Waiver populations to managed care until at least January 2027, no work has been done by the State to prepare the population, health plans and service providers for any transition. This bill will ensure that vulnerable populations in NY served by the NHTD waiver will be able to continue to access healthcare services with- out disruption.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.