Direct Support Worker Training Reimbursement Act

II 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION S. 4943 To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide enhanced Federal matching payments for direct support worker training programs, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES DECEMBER 1, 2020 Mr. KING introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide enhanced Federal matching payments for direct support worker training programs, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Direct Support Worker 4 Training Reimbursement Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. MEDICAID FUNDING FOR DIRECT SUPPORT WORK- 6 ER TRAINING PROGRAMS. 7 Section 1903 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 8 1396b) is amended— 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:38 Dec 08, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4943.IS S4943 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 2 •S 4943 IS (1) in subsection (a)(2), by adding at the end 1 the following new subparagraph: 2 ‘‘(F) for calendar quarters beginning on or 3 after January 1, 2021, an amount equal to 75 per- 4 cent of so much of the sums expended during such 5 quarter for direct support worker training programs 6 described in subsection (bb) (including the costs for 7 eligible direct support workers (as defined in such 8 subsection) to complete such programs); plus’’; and 9 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub- 10 section: 11 ‘‘(bb) DIRECT SUPPORT WORKER TRAINING PRO- 12 GRAMS.— 13 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A direct support worker 14 training program described in this subsection is a 15 program approved by the State under which eligible 16 homecare workers are provided with— 17 ‘‘(A) training in the core training com- 18 petencies for personal or home care aides de- 19 scribed in section 2008(b)(3)(A); and 20 ‘‘(B) opportunities for education, training, 21 and career advancement. 22 ‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE DIRECT SUPPORT WORKER.— 23 The term ‘eligible direct support worker’ means a 24 personal or home care aide (as such term is defined 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:38 Dec 08, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4943.IS S4943 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 3 •S 4943 IS in section 2008(b)(6)(C)), a direct support worker, 1 a home health aide, a nursing assistant, or a direct 2 support professional who— 3 ‘‘(A) has at least 30 percent of the work- 4 er’s direct support client volume (as estimated 5 in accordance with a methodology established 6 by the Secretary) attributable to individuals 7 who are receiving medical assistance under this 8 title; or 9 ‘‘(B) is employed by an agency that is a 10 provider of direct support services that has at 11 least 30 percent of the agency’s direct support 12 client volume (as so estimated) attributable to 13 such individuals.’’. 14 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:38 Dec 08, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S4943.IS S4943 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS