Indiana 2025 2025 Regular Session

Indiana House Bill HB1391 Introduced / Fiscal Note

Filed 04/04/2025

                    LEGISLATIVE SERVICES AGENCY
OFFICE OF FISCAL AND MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS
FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
LS 7677	NOTE PREPARED: Apr 3, 2025
BILL NUMBER: HB 1391	BILL AMENDED: Apr 3, 2025
SUBJECT: Services for the Aged and Disabled.
FIRST AUTHOR: Rep. Clere	BILL STATUS: CR Adopted - 2
nd
 House
FIRST SPONSOR: Sen. Goode
FUNDS AFFECTED:XGENERAL	IMPACT: State
DEDICATED
XFEDERAL
Summary of Legislation: (Amended) CHOICE Program: This bill amends the definition of "community
and home care services" for purposes of Community and Home Options to Institutional Care for the Elderly
and Disabled Program (CHOICE).
This bill prohibits the Division of Aging (Division) from requiring a CHOICE provider to be certified under 
the Medicaid program or a Medicaid waiver program. It creates an exception for a provider of certain
services. It requires an Area Agency on Aging (AAA) to prioritize CHOICE funding to identify specified
individuals and provide community and home care services to these individuals. It requires the Office of the
Secretary of Family and Social Services (FSSA), in negotiating reimbursement rates for CHOICE services,
to consider the location and availability of service providers.
Medicaid Diversion Pilot Program: This bill authorizes FSSA to establish a Medicaid Diversion Pilot
Program to evaluate the effectiveness of home modification and telehealth enhanced chronic care services
provided by specified AAAs in reducing Medicaid expenditures.
Level of Care Assessments: This bill allows FSSA, a managed care organization that has contracted with the
Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning, and a person who has contracted with a certain managed care
organization or the FSSA to contract with an AAA to provide and receive reimbursement for a level of care
assessment for the: (1) Health and Wellness Medicaid waiver; (2) Traumatic Brain Injury Medicaid waiver;
and (3) risk based managed care program for the covered population.
AAA Report: This bill allows FSSA to study and prepare a report containing recommendations for realigning
and consolidating the AAA planning and service areas.
Effective Date: Upon passage; July 1, 2025.
Explanation of State Expenditures: (Revised) CHOICE Program: The bill’s provisions affect
expenditures, services, reimbursement, and providers within the CHOICE Program. The bill will increase
HB 1391	1 CHOICE claims, yet any increase in expenditures resulting from the newly negotiated rates, expanded service
offerings for individuals with dementia, access to additional providers, and the optional Medicaid Diversion
Pilot Program, must be within the amount appropriated to the CHOICE Program. The CHOICE Program was
appropriated $48.8 M per year for FY 2024 and FY 2025.
The bill impacts workload for the FSSA, including FSSA’s Division of Aging, to negotiate reimbursement
rates and update requirements regarding the selection of providers for the CHOICE Program. It also requires
the AAAs to prioritize program funding for specific purposes such as identifying at risk individuals and
provide them with community and home care services. These requirements should be able to be implemented
using existing staffing and resources.
(Revised) Medicaid Diversion Pilot Program: Subject to FSSA approval, the bill allows for the
establishment of the Medicaid Diversion Pilot Program to evaluate the effectiveness of home modification
and telehealth enhanced chronic care services. If established, the pilot program will be administered by the
Indiana Association of Area Agencies on Aging in collaboration with the Notre Dame Wilson Sheehan Lab
for Economic Opportunities, will be implemented in two AAA service areas. Any increase in CHOICE
expenditures resulting from the pilot program may be mitigated by reduced expenditures for the state
Medicaid program; however, any increases in CHOICE expenditures must be within the amount appropriated
to the CHOICE Program. Any net change in overall state expenditures resulting from the pilot program is
indeterminable.
Level of Care Assessments: Currently, level of care assessments are conducted by an AAA until July 2025.
At that time, responsibility for completing level of care assessments will be transferred to Maximus (the
state’s enrollment broker). This bill allows an AAA to enter into a contract to continue conducting level of
care assessments.
AAA Report: The bill allows, but does not require, FSSA and the AAAs, in consultation with the Division
of Disability and Rehabilitative Services Advisory Council, the CHOICE Board, and the State Commission
on Aging, to issue a report to the Legislative Council regarding recommendations for realigning and
consolidating the AAA planning and service areas. This should be able to be implemented using existing
staffing, resources, and meeting schedules.
Additional Information: The CHOICE Program is administered through Indiana’s AAAs and provides home
and community-based services to assist individuals in maintaining their independence in their own homes
or communities. CHOICE Program applicants must be at least 60 years of age or have a disability, must meet
specific asset/resource requirements, and must be found to be at risk of losing their independence (usually
indicated by difficulties with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, walking, transferring, or
using medications). CHOICE Program funds may not be used if other funding such as Medicare or Medicaid
is available to meet the individual’s needs.
There are a total of 15 AAAs in Indiana covering 16 geographic regions. The AAAs serve as the primary
access point for: home and community based waiver programs, the Older Americans Act, the Social Services
Block Grant, and the CHOICE Program. The AAAs also serve as the primary provider of case management
services for Medicaid members receiving state plan long-term care services and those participating in the
state’s Aged and Disabled waiver program.
Explanation of State Revenues: 
HB 1391	2 Explanation of Local Expenditures: 
Explanation of Local Revenues: 
State Agencies Affected: Family and Social Services Administration; Division of Disability and
Rehabilitative Services Advisory Council; CHOICE Board; State Commission on Aging.
Local Agencies Affected: 
Information Sources: PeopleSoft Financials data; 
https://www.in.gov/fssa/da/community-and-home-options-to-institutional-care-for-the-elderly-and-disabled; 
https://www.in.gov/fssa/da/files/AAA_Map.pdf;
https://www.in.gov/pathways/provider-frequently-asked-questions/#How_will_enrollment_work_for_clie
nts_not_currently_in_a_waiver__but_may_be_eligible_for_waiver_services_.
Fiscal Analyst: Jason Barrett,  317-232-9809.
HB 1391	3