SB 22-235 Summary

• Requires the state department and department of health care policy and financing to develop a comprehensive assessment of best practices for administering public and medical assistance programs by August 15, 2022, evaluating policies, workforce structure, systems infrastructure, and data.

• Directs the state department to contract with a third party by November 1, 2022 to conduct the assessment and make recommendations for improving access, timeliness of application processing, administrative efficiency, and cost effectiveness.

• Establishes a county administration funding model to determine appropriate funding levels for each county starting in fiscal year 2025-26, with the model developed by January 2, 2024 and updated every three years thereafter.

• Requires the state department to submit assessment results and fiscal impact analyses to the joint budget committee by July 1, 2023 and November 1, 2023, and mandates annual joint reports beginning November 15, 2026 on funding model results and implementation outcomes.

• Appropriates $360,000 for fiscal year 2022-23 ($80,000 to the department of health care policy and financing and $280,000 to the department of human services) to implement the assessment and funding model development.