SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2460        FILED ON: 3/12/2010

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2317

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Ten

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An Act relative to Medicare reimbursement.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. The executive office of health and human services, the executive office of administration and finance, and the department of elementary and secondary education areshall  conduct an investigation and study of a possible change in the methodology by  which the commonwealth seeks reimbursement from the Medicaid program for students educated pursuant to Chapter 71B of the General Laws from the current “per diem” format, so-called, to a “fee-for-service” format, so-called. Said study shall examine any barriers to implementation and cost saving benefits from the implementation of a change in this methodology. Said study shall also examine the development of a system to acquire from municipalities and regional school districts the information necessary to utilize a fee-for-service method of reimbursement from the Medicaid system. Said study shall also examine ways of how to maximize efficiency and minimize costs. The results of the investigation study shall be reported on or before June 30, 2011. The commissioner of the department of elementary and secondary education shall submit the results of this study to the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives who shall forward the same to the chair of the house committee on ways and means, the chair of the senate committee on ways and means, the chairs of the joint committee on education,  the chairs of the joint committee on healthcare financing.