1. (a) The office of the secretary, in consultation with the local area agencies on aging, shall negotiate reimbursement rates for services provided under this chapter.
2. (b) Payments for services under this chapter may not be counted in a Medicaid recipient's spend down requirement in IC 12-15 .

3. (c) In negotiating the reimbursement rates described in subsection (a), the office of the secretary shall consider the:

   1. (1) location; and

   2. (2) availability;

      of providers who provide services under this chapter.

As added by P.L.246-2005, SEC.100. Amended by P.L.167-2025, SEC.5.