FINAL BILL REPORT

SB 6223

C 57 L 12

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Repealing the early supplemental security income transition project.

Sponsors: Senators Regala, Hargrove and Stevens; by request of Department of Social and Health Services.

Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections

House Committee on Health & Human Services Appropriations & Oversight

Background: In 2010 the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) implemented the Early Supplemental Security Income Transition Project (ESSITP) in King, Pierce, and Spokane counties. The purpose of the project is to move persons likely eligible for supplemental security income benefits (SSI) from the aged, blind, or disabled (ABD) program and the medical program to SSI as quickly as possible. The program is to be implemented through performance-based contracts with managed health care systems providing medical care services or other qualified entities.

The entities with whom DSHS contracts are responsible for the following:

• systematically screening persons receiving medical benefits at the point of eligibility determination or shortly thereafter to determine if the person should be referred for medical or behavioral health evaluations to determine if they are likely eligible for SSI;

• sharing the results with DSHS;

• managing medical care services and ABD assistance incapacity evaluations to provide timely access to needed medical and behavioral health evaluations and standardizing health care providers' conduct of incapacity evaluations;

• maintaining a centralized appointment and clinical data system; and

• assisting persons receiving medical care services benefits with obtaining additional medical or behavioral health exams needed to meet the disability standard for SSI and with submission of applications for SSI benefits.

The performance goals of the program are as follows:

• screening persons receiving medical care services within 30 days of entering the program; and

• transferring 75 percent of persons receiving medical care services that appear likely to qualify for SSI to the ABD program within four months of applying for the ABD program.

The initial focus of the ESSITP is to be on persons who have been receiving medical care services or ABD assistance for 12 or more months.

DSHS is to report to the Governor and the Legislature, on whether the ESSITP is meeting the performance goals no later than December 1, 2011.

Summary: The statute establishing the ESSITP is repealed.

Votes on Final Passage: