53-6-1604. Reporting. (1) Contingent upon legislative appropriation, the department of public health and human services shall develop a report to document the adequacy of current medicaid rates compared to reported medicaid service provider costs at least once every 4 years.

(2) The report must consider the following data sources in the development of rate adequacy:

(a) medicaid service provider cost report information submitted as required in 53-6-1603;

(b) claims data;

(c) United States bureau of labor statistics data;

(d) internal revenue service data;

(e) United States department of agriculture data;

(f) United States census bureau data

(g) peer state comparisons; and

(h) any other relevant regional and national data considered appropriate by the department.

(3) The report must provide information to support a biennial or supplemental budget request as necessary to adjust medicaid service provider reimbursement rates to ensure rate adequacy.

(4) The department shall provide the report at least once every 4 years to the office of budget and program planning, the children, families, health, and human services interim committee, and the interim budget committee in accordance with 5-11-210. The first report is due by September 1, 2026.

(5) In accordance with the Montana Procurement Act, the department may contract with a cost-based reporting expert to assist in completing subsections (1) through (4).