(a) Not later than September 1, 2026, the office of the secretary shall apply to the United States Department of Health and Human Services for a Medicaid waiver to provide assisted living services effective July 1, 2026, in a waiver separate from the Medicaid home and community based services waiver that included assisted living services to individuals who:
- (1) are at least sixty (60) years of age; and
(2) meet nursing facility level of care requirements;
as an available service before July 1, 2026.
- (b) The office of the secretary shall state in the waiver application a plan to transfer waiver slots from the existing Medicaid home and community based services waivers that include assisted living services to individuals described in subsection (a) to the new assisted living Medicaid waiver application required under subsection (a) upon approval. If the new assisted living Medicaid waiver submitted under subsection (a) is approved, the office of the secretary shall transfer waiver slots currently used for individuals receiving assisted living services from the existing Medicaid home and community based services waivers that include assisted living services to individuals described in subsection (a) to the new assisted living Medicaid waiver.
- (c) The office of the secretary shall establish a work group of interested stakeholders to assist in the development and implementation of the waiver described in subsection (a). The governor shall appoint the members of the work group and include providers of assisted living services as members of the work group.
As added by P.L.160-2026, SEC.7.