Video & Transcript Research : '8 C.F.R. 287.7'

Page 8 of 500
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

Interim Joint Committee on Natural Resources & Energy (7-2-26) - Reupload

Natural Resources & Energy

Transcript Highlights:
  • As most of you will remember, Senate Bill 8 made some changes to the Public Service Commission.
  • It would have It's for Senate Bill 8.
  • Um, the highest staff level we've had is 135, and we had gotten down to 65 um about 8 or 10 years ago
  • Um, the highest staff level we've had is 135, and we had gotten down to 65 um about 8 or 10 years ago
  • /c><01:07:43.400><c> years,</c> promoted this work for 8 years, promoted this work for 8 years, including
Bills: SB8
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • We have participated with KHBE, and I'll get to this in a minute, in serving Region 8, but outside of
  • this in a minute in reach<00:37:02.480><c> serving</c><00:37:02.880><c> region</c><00:37:03.280><c> 8<
  • <00:37:04.160><c> but</c><00:37:04.640><c> outside</c><00:37:05.359><c> of</c> reach serving region 8
  • but outside of reach serving region 8 but outside of the<00:37:05.920><c> Kentucky</c><00:37:06.320><
  • which is about 2.4 one is for region 8 which is about 2.4 [Music] [Music] [Music] and<01:04:02.880><c
Summary: The Medicaid Oversight Advisory Board met for its third meeting and approved the July 30 minutes. The chair outlined a full agenda covering the state-based marketplace versus the federally facilitated marketplace, connectors and navigators, presumptive eligibility, eligibility/enrollment/redetermination, and a rural health transformation update. Commissioner Lisa Lee and Assistant Director David Barry presented first on Kentucky’s state-based exchange, Connect, explaining that it is an integrated eligibility and enrollment system for Medicaid, CHIP, SNAP, TANF, child care, and qualified health plans. They reviewed Kentucky’s move from a state-based exchange to healthcare.gov in 2017 and back to a state-based marketplace in 2021, and said the system helps route applicants to the correct program and allows families to move more easily between Medicaid and exchange coverage as circumstances change. The presenters said the exchange is funded by carrier assessments on qualified health plans rather than general fund dollars, with costs allocated across programs based on use. They said Kentucky’s exchange fees are lower than the federal platform’s and that the state-based system provides local assistance through DCBS offices, connectors, and licensed agents in every county. Members asked about startup and operating costs, fee-setting, and whether any general fund dollars are used; the department said it would follow up with the CFO on fee details and said it was not aware of general fund support for exchange operations. Members also raised concerns about Medicaid eligibility verification and improper enrollment, while the department emphasized that the state system uses different questions than healthcare.gov and is designed to identify the correct coverage based on monthly Medicaid income and annual tax-credit income. The board also discussed enrollment trends, including a COVID-era spike during the public health emergency when disenrollments were largely paused, and current qualified health plan enrollment of more than 97,000 people on Connect. Commissioner Lee explained presumptive eligibility as temporary Medicaid coverage, noting it applies to pregnant women and hospital-based cases, with hospitals able to grant it and certain providers able to grant it to pregnant women. She said full eligibility is still determined within 30 days and that presumptive eligibility ends when full Medicaid eligibility is determined or at the end of the following month. The meeting then shifted to connectors, with representatives from Community Action Kentucky and the Kentucky Primary Care Association describing their statewide outreach network, local offices, and role helping residents apply for Medicaid, renew coverage, report changes, and navigate benefits; they said connectors do not determine eligibility but assist with applications, recertifications, and outreach events across the Commonwealth.