Bernadine Craft

The speaker states that the bill is for the benefit of children.

The lawmaker urges consideration for the project because she believes it is related to historic coal mining and has been partially funded by the legislature since 2008.

The lawmaker urges support for the bill because it allows individuals on Medicaid waivers to access additional services and supports not covered by their limited waiver budgets, helping them remain in the community.

The lawmaker supports restoring Medicaid expansion to provide immediate coverage while a study is conducted. She argues it benefits the economy, businesses, and hospitals by capturing federal funding currently lost.

The lawmaker supports the bill because it allows rural health care districts to expand into critical access hospitals without undergoing a cumbersome two-election process, ensuring continuity of services and eligibility for federal grants.

The lawmaker explains that updating statutory references is necessary to maintain compliance with federal requirements and prevent the loss of significant funding for programs like vocational rehab and youth services.

The lawmaker explains that the bill grants rural health care districts the same authority as hospital districts to create a level playing field for healthcare in rural areas. They note that converting existing districts into hospital districts is too cumbersome because it requires multiple elections.