NE LB1143

Amends section 68-949 to allow the Department of Health and Human Services to consider client utilization and preferred care settings when calculating Medicaid nursing facility rates for prospective rating periods.

Requires the department to report to the Legislature any differences between appropriated amounts and actual amounts used in nursing facility rate calculations, including projected resident days.

Mandates the department submit an application to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services by December 31, 2026 to establish a Money Follows the Person program.

The Money Follows the Person program would assist qualified individuals in transitioning from institutional settings to community-based settings while maintaining long-term care services.