Amendment #5, as changed to H4706

Caregiver Commission

Representatives Kushmerek of Fitchburg, Scanlon of North Attleborough and Philips of Sharon move to amend the bill by striking out the amendment and inserting in place thereof the following:-

Representatives Kushmerek of Fitchburg, Scanlon of North Attleborough and Philips of Sharon move to amend the bill by inserting after section 2 the following section:-

SECTION 2A. (a) There shall be established a special legislative commission, pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws, to conduct a comprehensive study on family caregiving policy in the commonwealth, including (i) an evaluation of all state-funded efforts in caregiving research, clinical care, institutional and home-based and community-based services and supports, and (ii) an investigation into the potential fiscal, access and quality impacts of allowing spouses to serve as paid caregivers in the MassHealth program.

(b) The special legislative commission shall consist of the chairs of the joint committee on aging and independence, who shall serve as co-chairs; 1 member of the senate to be appointed by the senate president; 1 member of the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker; 1 member of the senate appointed by the minority leader of the senate; 1 member of the house of representatives appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; the secretary of aging and independence, or a designee; the secretary of health and human services, or a designee; the commissioner of public health, or a designee, the commissioner of the department of mental health, or a designee; the commissioner of the department of developmental services, or a designee; the assistant secretary for MassHealth, or a designee; the secretary of labor and workforce development, or a designee; and 12 persons to be appointed by the governor in a manner that promotes geographic and demographic diversity, 1 of whom shall be a family caregiver advocate, 1 of whom shall be a family caregiver, 1 of whom shall be a health care provider, 2 of whom shall be representatives of state-based academic institutions, including 1 representative who shall be a gerontologist, 1 representative from the Association for Behavioral Healthcare, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative from the Massachusetts chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons, 1 of whom shall be a representative from the Massachusetts Council for Adult Foster Care, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative from Massachusetts Aging Access Associating, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative from the Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative from the Seven Hills Foundation, Inc., and 1 of whom shall be a representative from ARC Massachusetts, Inc.

(c) (1) The study shall include, but not be limited to, an analysis of the following: (i) the anticipated costs of allowing spouses to serve as paid caregivers in the MassHealth program; (ii) the potential savings from supporting home-based care in lieu of institutional care; (iii) the anticipated impact of allowing spouses to serve as paid caregivers in the MassHealth program to access to care, quality of care, and quality of life; (iv) the policies of other states regarding spousal caregivers and the costs, savings, access, quality of care, and quality of life impacts associated with such policies; and (v) any federal approvals, statutory changes and regulatory changes necessary for the commonwealth to allow spouses to serve as paid caregivers in the MassHealth program.

(2) The special legislative commission shall consult with the health policy commission established under chapter 6D of the General Laws. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the special legislative commission and the health policy commission may request from the division of medical assistance, the center for health information and analysis and the executive office of aging and independence any information necessary to conduct the study required under this section, and each such agency shall provide the requested information.

(d) The special commission shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the senate and house committees on ways and means, the joint committee on health care financing and the joint committee on aging and independence by not later than December 1, 2026.

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #5, as changed to H4706

Caregiver Commission