The Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations (JCA) met June 12 to address several issues, including an update on the state employee health insurance from Commissioner Laurie Gill, Bureau of Human Resources.
Gill shared that the FY19 reserve fund is estimated at $6.05M and noted a trend that prescription drug costs have been increasing at a faster rate than medical claims. During the 2018 legislative session a 1.2 percent salary increase was allocated to state employees to help offset insurance premiums and changes to the employee health plan, staying in line with the goal set by the JCA.
Secretary Kim Malsam-Rysdon, Department of Health, and William Snyder, Director of Medical Services, Department of Social Services, reviewed the Medicaid “received through” policy state general fund savings. Malsam-Rysdon also reviewed with the JCA the work of the Healthcare Solutions Coalition, while Snyder discussed the updates after this year’s legislative session, including $3.3M savings through April, and a recent care coordination agreement signed between Black Hills Dialysis/Dialysis Management Group and Indian Health Service. Snyder also reviewed the next steps of the 100 percent federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) policy.
Bureau of Finance and Management Commissioner Liza Clark reviewed budget transfers and year-end general fund revenues and expenditures, followed by a review of a legislative program evaluation by Legislative Research Council staff.
