NC S841

Requires the Department of Health and Human Services to submit annual reports for fiscal years 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 to legislative committees detailing statewide and county-by-county Medicaid application processing metrics, including percentage processed timely and average processing times.

Establishes timely processing standards requiring county departments of social services to render Medicaid eligibility decisions within 45 calendar days for standard applications and 90 calendar days for applications requiring disability determinations.

Mandates corrective action plans when counties fail to meet processing standards for three consecutive months or five months within a 12-month period, with potential state takeover of Medicaid eligibility administration if corrective action plans are not successfully completed.

Appropriates $143,215 in state matching funds (with equal federal funds) for three new Business System Analyst positions and $156,785 in state matching funds (with equal federal funds) for four new Human Services Evaluator/Planner positions within the Department of Health and Human Services for fiscal year 2016-2017.

Effective January 1, 2017 for processing standards and July 1, 2016 for other provisions, allowing counties to appeal Department decisions to temporarily assume Medicaid eligibility administration through the Office of Administrative Hearings.