Robert Beiswenger — Representative Beiswenger asks whether any disability subgroups or treatments are increasing faster than expected. The Director responds that there is not a specific rise in one area and later refers back to Beiswenger’s question while continuing the same explanation.
Megan Egbert — Representative Megan Egbert asked whether the state had considered investing more in lower levels of care to prevent people from progressing to higher-cost services that drive Medicaid spending. The Director then responded to that question, continuing the discussion of how lower-level care investments might affect Medicaid costs.
Lori McCann — Representative Lori McCann asks how disability service assessments are determined, who makes them, and how they are reviewed. The Director responds, beginning an explanation of the assessment and review process.
Monica Church — The director responds directly to Representative McCann's question about absorbing the contractor's work.
Marco Erickson — Representative Erickson raises a concern about safeguards and high levels of service tied to Liberty assessments, and the director responds directly, acknowledging the concern and discussing provider behavior in that context.
Marco Erickson — Representative Erickson says he has been asking for this authority for several years and cites a youth placement example to explain why it is needed. He then asks whether the language allowing transfers from any fund source means money can be moved into the fund from any source and whether the authority is limited to one-time use. The response frames the authority as intended for the one-off cases Erickson described, including the youth who had been in a hospital for over six months.
Sasha — Referenced as someone who can explain where the $24 million figure is coming from.
Sasha — The speaker said Sasha would not be getting 12 new staff embedded in a separate division.
Sasha — Mentioned as someone who signs and sells houses with attorneys for property recovery work.
Sasha O'Connell — Identified herself as the state Medicaid director and deputy director with the Department of Health and Welfare.
Dustin Manwaring — Representative Furman asked whether the requested transfer authority would also cover costs or placements involving youth in detention settings, including county jails. The director then responded to that question.
Dustin Manwaring — Asked whether the federal government gave states extra flexibility when reducing the SNAP match rate.
Steven Tanner — Was told the department would like to complete more review work before briefing the Legislature.
Brian Lenney — Was told the department would like to complete more review work before briefing the Legislature. The name appears to refer to Senator Lenney.
David Leavitt — Representative Leavitt asks whether the $14 million appropriation was meant to be a one-time item and notes it is being requested again, and the director confirms that it is. Representative Furman then asks follow-up questions about the estate recovery system contractor, including how much is recovered annually, where the recovered money goes, and the director’s explanation of the estate recovery program.
Dale Hawkins — Asked whether contract payment milestones are set by the department or by statute.
Kevin Cook — Was involved in creating the dedicated fund for MMIS and wanted milestones before payment.
Britt Raybould — Was involved in creating the dedicated fund for MMIS and wanted milestones before payment.
Jordan Redman — Asked whether the re-procurement is on hold pending litigation.
Jordan Redman — Asked whether improper payments would be included within program integrity.
Jordan Redman — Asked whether the $22 million Medicaid gap already accounts for $25 million from the Millennium Fund being sent to the General Fund.
Jordan Redman — The director answers his question about the Millennium Fund and Medicaid Stabilization Fund being accounted for.
Jordan Redman — The director is responding to a question about the fiscal-year impact of the SNAP request, likely from Representative Redman in the prior exchange.
Josh Wheeler — Representative Wheeler asks follow-up questions about the contractor procurement process for both the current contractor and the state recovery program contractor, then shifts to the expected timeline for recoveries to begin, including a best-case/worst-case estimate and whether results might be underway by next fall or winter.
Josh Wheeler — The director referenced Representative Wheeler's question about procurement timing.
Richard Cheatum — The chair asks whether Representative Stone has a question.
James Ruchti — Raised concern that contingency-based pay could create a bounty system and overly aggressive contractor behavior.
James Ruchti — Asked whether the contingency arrangement could encourage aggressive collection practices.
James Ruchti — Asked whether the department is looking at using AI internally to assist with the work.
Edward Hill — Representative Redmond engaged the department on payment integrity issues, first asking whether it was seeking a contractor to help address improper payments while the director responded with updated payment error-rate information. Redmond then followed up by asking what expertise the department hoped to hire for three Medicaid-focused positions.
Daniel Foreman — The speaker addresses the questioner as 'Representative Furman'; this appears to be a transcription error and may refer to Representative Foreman, but it is uncertain.