JBC approves 2% Medicaid provider cut but exempts NICU, maternal codes and PBT

The committee approved several budget actions affecting Medicaid providers. A motion to apply a 2% across-the-board cut to Medicaid provider rates passed on a 6-0 voice vote. The committee then voted to exempt NICU and maternal-care codes from that across-the-board reduction and from an 85% provider reduction; that motion passed 6-0. Members also voted to exempt pediatric behavioral therapy (PBT) from any cuts beyond what had already been enacted during supplementals; that passed 6-0.

On caregiver supports, a motion to phase the family-caregiver soft-cap hours (84 hours for the first six months, then 70 hours the second half of the fiscal year, reaching 56 hours the next July 1) also passed unanimously. The committee set aside funds for a working group (the transcript records the set-aside as "half $1,000,000") to support follow-up work and authorized staff to pursue a working-group approach tied to later legislation if needed.

Representative Brown moved an RFI requesting that HCPF, Early Childhood Education, Public Health and Environment, and the Division of Insurance prepare a report on aggregated five-year data for children age 5 and under (screenings, referrals, diagnoses, service use and prescriptions); the RFI passed on a 6-0 vote. Committee members said the RFI should capture data useful for early-childhood mental-health planning and consider IDD where appropriate.

These votes were procedural committee decisions tied to long-bill balancing and follow-up drafting; staff were directed to return with related bill language and clarifying fiscal information.