A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO THE Department of Health and Human Services, DIVISION OF MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, TO DEVELOP A PILOT PROGRAM TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM FOR ALL‑INCLUSIVE CARE FOR THE ELDERLY (PACE) IN THE SOUTHEAST AND WESTERN AREAS OF THE STATE.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Medical Assistance, shall develop a pilot program to implement the Program for All- Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE).  One pilot site shall be planned for the southeastern area of the State and the other pilot site shall be planned for the western area of the State. The Division shall design the pilot program to access federal Medicaid and Medicare dollars to provide acute and long‑term care services for older patients through the use of interdisciplinary teams.  When implemented, services provided through the PACE pilot program may include physician visits, drugs, rehabilitation services, personal care services, hospitalization, and nursing home care.  The PACE pilot program may also offer social services intervention, case management, respite care, or extended home care nursing.  
SECTION 2.(a)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Medical Assistance, the sum of one hundred twenty‑three thousand one hundred fifty‑six dollars ($123,156) for the 2004‑2005 fiscal year.  These funds shall be used to support two positions in the Division of Medical Assistance to develop the pilot programs in accordance with Section 1 of this act.  These funds may also be used to contract for actuarial analysis as part of the development of the pilot programs.
  SECTION 2.(b)  The Department of Health and Human Services shall report to the House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services on March 1, 2005, on PACE pilot program development.  The report shall include services proposed to be offered under the pilot program, administrative structure of the pilot program, number of Medicare and Medicaid eligible recipients anticipated to receive services from the PACE pilot sites, and the projected savings to the State from PACE pilot program implementation.
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2004.  Nothing in this act obligates the General Assembly to appropriate funds to implement the PACE program statewide.