Arizona 2024 2024 Regular Session

Arizona Senate Bill SB1618 Introduced / Fiscal Note

Filed 04/02/2024

                    Fiscal Note 
 
 
BILL # SB 1618 	TITLE:  developmental disabilities; treatment plans; billing 
SPONSOR: Wadsack 	STATUS: Senate Engrossed 
PREPARED BY: Chandler Coiner  
 
 
Description 
 
The bill, as engrossed by the Senate, would require the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) within the 
Department of Economic Security (DES) to develop and implement a verification system for person-centered service plans 
and behavioral treatment plans for DDD clients. It would also require DDD to implement an independent review process 
for monthly residential billing statements and require certain information be included in each statement.  
 
Estimated Impact 
 
We estimate that the bill's provisions relating to a person-centered service plans verification system and a residential 
billing independent review process could increase DES administrative costs on an ongoing basis. There may also be one-
time costs for DES to update its residential billing statement systems. However, DES has not yet responded to our request 
for its estimate of the bill's fiscal impact. As a result, we are unable to determine the magnitude of the increase. 
 
Analysis 
 
The person-centered service plan is what DDD case managers currently use to assess the needs of DDD members and 
determine the necessary services and supports for a member to reach his or her goals. Case managers engage with 
members and their families to gather information and incorporate members' desires, preferences, and needs into each 
individualized service plan. Under this bill, each service plan would need to include a section that assists providers in 
identifying and defining "what works and does not work for each client."  
 
The bill would require DDD to implement a verification system for its person-centered service plans and behavioral 
treatment plans. The verification system would "ensure information accuracy and consistency" of the service plans. The 
bill would also require DDD to implement an independent review process for members' residential billing statements, in 
addition to requiring certain information be included on these statements. 
 
We anticipate there may be administrative costs associated with implementation of both the person-centered service 
plan verification system and the residential billing independent review process. However, we cannot determine the 
magnitude of the costs without a response from DES. The cost would depend on the specific processes the agency 
implements to carry out the requirements of the bill.  
 
Local Government Impact 
 
None 
 
 
4/2/24