53-1-611. Evaluation of proposed medicaid block grant and acceptance of grant. (1) As part of its refinancing duties, the department of public health and human services shall evaluate the proposed medicaid block grant and report its findings with respect to the criteria in subsection (2) to the legislative finance committee at each regular meeting of the committee. At the end of the interim, the department shall provide a copy of or a link to the last report provided to the finance committee to the legislature in accordance with 5-11-210.

(2) The department shall use the following criteria in its evaluation of the proposed medicaid block grant compared to other medicaid funding alternatives from which the state may choose:

(a) total cost to the state over the life of the block grant and during each year of the block grant compared to the state cost of maintaining medicaid eligibility and service levels funded by the legislature during the current biennium;

(b) types of flexibility;

(c) advantages and disadvantages; and

(d) policy choices that may occur.

(3) (a) The legislative finance committee shall review and analyze the department's findings and make a recommendation to the governor and to the department with regard to acceptance or rejection of the block grant if the state is required to make a decision as to whether to accept or reject the block grant prior to the next regular convening of the legislature.

(b) The governor shall consider the recommendation of the legislative finance committee and provide a written rationale to the committee if the recommendation of the committee is not followed.