General Appropriations Act 2021 SB 2500 General Appropriations Act 2021 and SB 2502 Implementing the 2021-2022 General Appropriations Act by Senate Appropriations Committee, PASSED. The bills, respectively, are Chapters No. 2021-36 & 2021- 37 Laws of Florida, effective July 1, 2021. The 2021 Florida Legislature funded a total budget of $101.5 billion [$36.3 billion General Revenue; $65.2 billion Trust Funds], with reserves of more than $6 billion. It is an increase of $9.2 billion from the 2020-21 budget. The increase includes $6.9 billion in aid used to forestall Medicaid cuts and to enhance educational funding. Although this budget anticipates receipt of $10.5 billion in federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) stimulus funds, it is not included in the $101.5 billion budget. The Legislature outlined how $6.7 billion of those funds will be spent in the "back of the bill" which is technically appropriated for the current fiscal year.
American Rescue Plan Act: Coronavirus State & Local Fiscal Recovery Fund
On March 11, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L. 11-2), which established the $362 billion Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. Of this total, $65.1 billion is provided in direct aid to counties and additional $1.5 billion for public lands counties. Florida stands to receive $10.5 billion of those federal funds.
Impacts from the General Appropriations Act Include:
Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long Term Care (SMMC LTC): SMMC LTC will receive a funding increase of $173.7 million. The program funds LTC services to low-income disabled adults and elders who need nursing home level of care. SMMC LTC services may include, among others, adult day care, assisted living, caregiver training, hospice services, medical equipment, respite care and various therapies. The SMMC LTC program limits slots for eligible service recipients. As of April 29, 2021, 79,633 Medicaid applicants were on SMMC LTC waiting lists. Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative (ADI): ADI services will receive an increase of $6,786,548 to serve 582 waitlisted individuals. ADI serves individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other memory disorders and their families. ADI respite services for families include in-home and adult day care, emergency and extended care (up to 30 days) and support services. An additional $1,750,000 will fund a rate increase for persons currently receiving services from a CCE, a non-Medicaid program, received $7,292,592 in funding to serve an additional 865 persons. CCE provides community-based services to help functionally impaired elders, ages 60+, live in the least restrictive and most cost-effective environments to forestall or prevent nursing home placement. CCE services include: adult day care, adult day health care, case management, companionship, consumable medical supplies, counseling, escort, emergency alert response, emergency home repair, home delivered meals, home health aide, homemaker, home nursing, information and referral, legal assistance, material aid, medical therapeutic services, personal care, respite, shopping assistance, transportation, and other community-based services. Home Care for the Elderly (HCE): specialized Alzheimer’s adult day care center. Community Care for the Elderly (CCE): HCE will not receive a funding increase. HCE provides care for non-Medicaid individuals, ages 60+, in family-type living arrangements. Eligible recipients must have incomes and assets meeting the Institutional Care Program standard and must be at great risk of nursing home placement.
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