HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 HJM 4030

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                       Appropriations

Brief Description:  Petitioning for Medicaid flexibility.

Sponsors:  Representatives Backlund, Cody, Dyer, Lambert, Carrell, Koster, Zellinsky, Sherstad and Anderson.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Appropriations:  1/28/98, 2/3/98 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 29 members:  Representatives Huff, Chairman; Alexander, Vice Chairman; Clements, Vice Chairman; Wensman, Vice Chairman; H. Sommers, Ranking Minority Member; Doumit, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Gombosky, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Benson; Carlson; Chopp; Cody; Cooke; Crouse; Dyer; Grant; Keiser; Kenney; Kessler; Linville; Lisk; Mastin; McMorris; Parlette; Poulsen; D. Schmidt; Sehlin; Sheahan; Talcott and Tokuda.

Staff:  Deborah Frazier (786-7152).

Background:    Medicaid funding is provided to states by the federal government to provide a variety of health related services to low-income individuals.  States were granted flexibility in administering programs implemented under recently enacted federal welfare legislation.

Summary of Bill:  This Joint Memorial petitions the President to submit, and the Congress to pass, legislation granting extensive flexibility to the states in the use of Medicaid funding for acute and long term care services.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Testimony For:  This much needed flexibility will allow savings in administrative costs currently experienced in the Medicaid program.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Backlund, prime sponsor.