JBC-PEER Review

Really good bill I'm ready okay. Good morning everyone Welcome to this early peer review meeting that I think early glad to be here glad to be you chair this year for peer along with Michael harden. Colleague Senator Hill. We have a pretty hefty agenda you have been here by eight thirty so we're going to go and get this started up Senate here we have the thing like the. One thing I'd like to say is for those who come up and and speak on behalf of the please make sure we all understand it because there's some new people in this up in this meeting select by yourself really well I know we've got a long agenda one of the last one to get through with the date so thanks thank you and we have this Kathy submit on my left who is. The one the go to lady. We have a question that or not. So let's go ahead and get started. With a report thank you Mr chairman we're going to start with item B. are these are cash fund appropriation increase request these are request by agencies to increase their spending authority for line items that are supported by cash fund account all item be one page one is the letter from the FAA sending items over on page two is B. one this is the apers judicial retirement and they are requesting to increase their appropriation by one hundred thousand dollars this new spending authority will allow the system to use their new pension administration system to make response the direct deposit and previously those were done through warrant so the system is supported by investment income a contributions from employers and employees again that's a hundred thousand dollars cash appropriation request for judicial retirement the second one on the tape this is the a a depart of Education Division of career and technical education they're requesting an increase an appropriation of four hundred and eighty five thousand dollars they had new spending authority that allow them to develop a career and technical education courses for high school student this is a grant that they received from inter G. and so again that's career read and technical education four hundred eighty five thousand dollars on page three Division of higher education this is a request to establish a new line item a hundred ten thousand dollars in appropriation The New spending authority will allow the hi read to continue to work on upgrades to the Arkansas department of higher education student information system and the funding for this work came from the previous rainy day fund dress transfer again that the hundred ten thousand dollars in a new established line item and then. In on page four is the Arkansas tobacco control they are requesting an increase of a hundred thousand dollars they have job requested new spending authority will allow them to provide ongoing system maintenance for their records management system updated programming with needed adjustment and support is provided from tobacco asset for cure forfeiture fund again that's a hundred thousand dollars those Mr chairman or the cash fund appropriation increase request today thank you at the are there any questions. The Committee. For the motion. Okay with no objection the the stand approved. The chairman the next group is items the these are approval items for the committee most of the items on today's agenda would be review items but we have three now that'll be approval items the on page C. one is the letter from DFA these are various temporary appropriation increase request it's where agencies need to increase appropriation for a line item supported by revenue sources other than the cash fund which we just did and the middle miscellaneous federal grants which will be coming at so the first one on C. one eight this is the department of public safety state crime lab they're requesting to increase appropriation by two hundred fifty thousand dollars they note in their letter that they have new spending authority will allow them medical examiners to a contract with for up forensic pathologist to conduct autopsies on non criminal cases by using employee are contracted employees they'll be able to get caught up on some case load and will conform with national standards and retain their credit ation so um this is again approval item for the subcommittee a state crime lab two hundred fifty thousand dollar appropriation increase. Yeah read the questions. On this we need a motion. Okay a motion by Senator Elliott and second by Senator Hill All in favor. Any opposed okay I'll stand approved. Mr chairman the next one is on C. one B. is another approve a lot of this one is for the department of labor and licensing they're requesting an increase in appropriation by fifty thousand dollars The New spending authority for them will allow the department to provide shared services among the home inspectors H. back and professional geologist Board you'll notice on the letter it points out the amount of the fifty thousand dollars that would go to each of the three board again this is another approval items and subcommittee. Are there any questions from committee. Approval. The motion Elliott second. Okay second all in favor let me know within a any opposed items standard for. The last one Mr chairman of approval items is the two of these are shared services appropriation transfer request. The letter from the FAA is on the first page on the next page is a letter of prior approval of these appropriation transfers and then on the third page of this section is the item that says the department of labor and licensing you need a second. They're requesting to transfer four hundred forty thousand dollars an appropriation from operating expenses line items in various divisions to their shared services appropriation section and according to special language of this is provided for each agencies and to eliminate duplication of services including without limitation administration human resources procurement communications fleet operations and information services so that is the request that they're making four hundred forty thousand dollars for department of labor licensing. Are there any questions from committee. Not on the motion. Motion the second. Okay all in favor let me know with a nine is so. Mr chairman the next one item D. these are budget classification transfer request these are request where the agency is wanting to transfer among their five categories of maintenance in general operation of in the event of certain line item does not have enough spending authority for an expected dispense another line item in their method of member she's me out maintenance and operation has access or spare appropriation they can come here and quest to up transferred some of those appropriations back and forth so on the one is the first one all this one is the department of public safety the Division of Arkansas state police are on this one and your in your packet that particular chart is incorrect so you should have a chic laying there that night sale this one is for a request to transfer a hundred fifty thousand dollars to operating expenses they're taking fifty thousand dollars from conference and travel and a hundred thousand dollars from professional the to move to operating expenses so that they can purchase tactical equipment so we have the corrected page there for you and that's what we'll be filed with that report how do you to is the department of inspector general they're wanting to request a transfer of twenty thousand dollars for professional fees to operating expenses and they know that their transfer will accommodate an extra and unexpected expenses related to workload demand from Kobe. All D. three. This one is. A commissioner of state lands requesting your transferred seven hundred fifty thousand dollars from professional fees to operating expenses. This transfers due to cancellation and rescheduling of tax delinquent property auctions and so they had to send out ninety five thousand letters via certified mail so they're needing to move that from professional please to operating expenses. Those are the budget classification transfer request. These are the lions Mr chairman okay. Us to have a question Senator Elliott. Since. All right thank you Mister chair could you repeat number one R. D. one please again. Is that may Senate please Hans okay this one is department of public safety division of Arkansas State Police and so they want to buy some tactical equipment and what they need to do or what they're requesting to do is to transfer a hundred and fifty thousand dollars of two operating expenses they would take fifty thousand dollars from their conference and travel line item and a hundred thousand dollars from their professional fees line item move it to the operating expenses line item so they can use it to purchase tactical equipment one that they provided us had the of money coming and going from the wrong place okay so I've got I've got the correct to cheat now see of so the what's listed here the motion protectors impact gloves that that's a complete itemization of what they're going to use the money for could wait can we assume that's the complete list. Thank you senator we're getting a nod from the audience that yes yes it is okay all right thank you. That's it Mr thank you Senator hammer you're recognized thank you Mr the question is going to be on. C. two restaurants three to remove it did you see to the to. And then hammer I'm sorry I can't hear you Sir what would you say C. two C. to occur. The. All right we are in the past to see Mr. Yes the question I would like to ask a question about the money that was moved from the various divisions over to the shared services paying. Okay there anyone here from labor licensed and they couldn't answer I know do the covered a lot of agencies aren't here today so uh. Okay would you like to come forth and recognized so rector the Rev. Yes Sir can Anderson chief information officer for labor licensing. Recognized. And what was your question again center and I'm looking on it's it's page one it is. Department of labor licensing attachment one appropriation transfer listing where from seventeen different divisions funds it looks like we're transferred over to the shared services pain Division. If me with that page yes okay I'm just curious the the dollar amounts that were transferred. What you see up what what is the reason the rationale or justification for the various amounts that were moved over there are like itemized breakout list that we can get our hands on to see if like in the case of the barber examining board to move seven thousand over can we get a break out of what that seven thousand accounted for yes our CFO can provide that it mainly is proficiencies instead of riding twenty two checks to cover rent we could wrap one. To do that but we will certainly provide that. Okay to the body okay I'd like to get that on all those they're seventeen of look like to see how that money was broken out and so I can get to the justification why the money was moved over please yes Sir thank you thank you Mr. Thank you senator are there any other question. If there's no other question these items stand review. The next group of we're going to do is section II these are miscellaneous federal grants of these would be when agencies need to request an increase in spending authority for federal grant of resulting from an unanticipated federal grant awards and on eighty one is the first one of this is the department of public safety Arkansas crime information center there requesting six hundred ninety six thousand sixty dollars to spend federal funds they received a grant from the department of justice to locate and complete open record dispositions and improve criminal history hardware of this particular grant to reward is four six hundred ninety six thousand sixty dollars they are required to provide ten percent state funding their ten percent matches coming from General Revenue and go toward personnel that's the first one the second one eighty two this is the department of health is requesting a million five hundred eighty one thousand two dollars to spend federal funds they got a grant from the CDC the pilot plan and implement cobit nineteen vaccination services a hundred percent of federally funded also on the six will later on see the same type of thing done as a supplemental us to additional funds for that same service eat three is the department of health requesting two hundred thirty thousand seven hundred ninety one dollars in appropriation to spend federal funds and established two positions as well they received a grant from the bureau of justice assistance or the prescription drug monitoring program a hundred percent federally funded on this one there are two positions in the personnel subcommittee of JVC will review those two positions for the titling great at a later date when they meet up with that is the request for the department of health. Number four US department of correction division of community corrections they're requesting a hundred fifty nine thousand eight hundred seventy three dollars an appropriation to spend federal funds they have a grant to provide substance abuse treatment prepare for successful re integration medication assistant treatment trauma and life skills curriculum and a number of other services this item requires a thirty two percent match from the agency they have salary in match coming out G. R. to help with that grant all number five is the Department of Human Services division of county operations they're requesting seven hundred ninety thousand nine hundred forty six dollars in appropriation to spend federal funds they have a grant from the USDA to provide snap employment and training services this is a hundred percent federally funded number eighty six this is the supplemental to the other one that I spoke about for the department of health this one is for a million sixty three thousand six hundred thirty six dollars just been federal funds it's another grant for the state each state to implement code nineteen backs and ation Services hundred percent federally funded number seven department of commerce Economic Development Commission the requesting twenty six million three hundred eighty seven thousand nine hundred fifty four dollars to spend the federal funds they receive from a block grant from HUD to provide flexible source of funding that can be used to pay costs that are not covered by other sources of assistance that benefit persons of low and moderate income this item is a hundred percent federally funded number eight is disability termination FOR Social Security Administration they're requesting eight million ninety thousand dollars they received a grant from social security to cover increased caseload they were able to hire a hundred and fifty five new employees that have been working for the past six months they have now an estimate what they're needing to cover this this item is a hundred percent federally funded. And the number nine and number ten these are two of that work referred to this subcommittee by JBC about for the education department the education department has asked that the committee pass over the and we've been asked to refer this back to JBC to be dealt with in that committee Mr chairman those are all the you met Jeez miscellaneous federal grants on today's agenda. Thank you at the I see we have several Questions in the queue so senator hill you're recognized for a question. You know you're you're like you Bills things out there okay. Okay. Yeah you read in this my thank you Mr chairman so just a couple quick questions thank you both for the department of health one is that we could just get a quick overview on eighty two. I would appreciate that just understanding what were. What we're doing senses that I guess this code with vaccination children and then on eighty three that program and I guess it's something the public discussion personnel but at the funding that's there or the tune thirty thousand is that going to be re occurring when we establishes two positions demand despite the fed's you know re upping that grant is a one time grant and reliable positions moving forward what we're looking to there so my questions are on to produce good overview and then the three on what's the plan and for those positions moving forward and we anticipate federal funding stay in place thank you. Sorry Mr care the light is not turning. It's on. Okay thank you and Stephanie Williams chief of staff Arkansas department of health. And M. for the questions related to immunizations the funding was awarded for support of the vaccines for children program and also for credited response our federal funding to date has been sufficient for the vaccine for children program so we have reserve this funding to focus on code good response so we actually don't intend to use this funding for vaccine for children it is strictly okay Cathy I'm sorry to interrupt you could you speak into the microphone bring your mass that something's going to. Yes Sir my apologies I'm so used to iron it and so I'm sorry senator Dismang let me let me repeat that the the funding for this particular immunization or could have been used for the vaccine for children program but our funding has been sufficient for that program so we reserve this funding for cobit respond specifically. You're recognized. Thank you Mr chairman and so I mean how is the response going so far with vaccinations do we anticipate getting some additional vaccinations in state and you know what I mean I I I see the charts the state we still have some slow movement in regards to a couple of the providers but but how are we doing on it and and and what we anticipate in the coming months as far as vaccinations commence date is so that the positive for us so far has been that we do have to approve back scenes and we are receiving both of those vaccines here in the state the frustrating part is that are allocation is small but the supplies is a slow and steady trickle with we have consistently been receiving about the same amount every week the supply chain which was a big concern particularly with the files are faxing has proved to not be a significant concern all of the vaccine it's been received in the state so far as been viable we haven't lost any vaccine in the cold chain and we consistently get about eight thousand it it's usually around eight thousand five hundred doses of the foster product each week and eight thousand five hundred doses of the Madonna product each week for our first dose of both of those vaccines and then we also get another shipment this for the second dose it's just a small supply it's about a third of what we need orders for this week thank we received a request that the files are product comes in trays at nine hundred seventy five this is we receive nineteen treys each week we receive requests for sixty six trace is so the demand at this point is is far greater than the supply we did receive a sufficient quantity allocated for the folks that were prioritized in category one eight which were a long term care residents and staff and our hospital staff and. And then our medical community unfortunately the uptake in those groups is less than we would hope and so we had additional vaccine many providers wanted to go ahead made to be one we made the decision to move to be one with partially that back saying that was not you was allocated for at one et but not used so we do have that back saying we're now able to make available to our folks in the one starting with those seventy and over and our teachers but the supply will hopefully continue to be slow and steady we don't have any indication at this point that the federal law meant is going to change what we do know that there to vaccines that are expected to be approved in March the first is the Jansen product it's scheduled to be reviewed by the FDA the first week of March and then the AstraZeneca vaccine is scheduled to be reviewed in mid March and indications at this point or that both of those will be approved so we know that product those products are being produced and that is what into the pipeline potentially in March between now and then we are working with you mention that this this loan move the slamming is the long term care program has been a little bit slower to me it's broken into two parts the there are independent pharmacies here in Arkansas that Sir part of the long term care group and then there are some long term care facilities that were served under the federal contract and those are broken out separately on the graphic that we share each day in CVS and Walgreens are to to pharmacy providers there is actually they were allocated more vaccine and then we think they they should have been allocated they're aware that they have potentially extra dose is we're working with them right now to determine exactly how many extra does is and how much of that could be shifted. And given if they are community provider when you expect to have that resolved because I mean it's it's pointless to have vaccines on the shelves or in the freezers or or whatever it is I mean and not being utilized looks like that's that's been slow from day one or their work their response to the administration's been slow from day one and it goes back and forth the thing from. The blame is shared all the way around and given pretty liberally so let me wonder how long do we have to wait and went when you we expect those vaccines can actually get it pokes as arms and and kind of get through this I guess we have with CVS and Walgreens so we made great progress with Walgreens last week I think we've identified the number of doses there we're just doing the final confirmation and both of those those groups are given second does this this week and then if there is there's a catch up that they also have to do for work maybe employees that were not able to receive the vaccine or residents that it now decided to receive the vaccine so hopefully within the next two weeks they'll complete their their second those clinics and we may be able to start reallocating the Walgreens product quicker two weeks is what we're anticipating on reallocation I would say Walgreens is happening quicker than that probably this week and next week bill starship in Any excess that they've identified that inventory I'm not exactly sure on the timeline with CBS well I mean I would say is released a bunch of fun for taxing roll out an awareness and everything else we got vaccine set on the shelves that's were were failing and so that we can advertise and encourage and do everything we can but if the vaccines are available and were and not being utilized that's for the problem is or whatever we can do to create haste with those entities that have an essentially slowed up the process for whatever reason I hope that we can get that reconciled yes then again at my other question is just on the a two additional positions to interest. M. the federal funding I believe this is a three year grant so we do anticipate funding for the next three years and obviously will continue to work to make sure that secure. Thank you senator Senate he'll. We're quite a few questions in the queue I want to follow the one thing it does Senate did mine just kind of talked a little bit I have actually heard it we have been doing some doses away from the covered vaccine from some healthcare professionals can you elaborate on that the wastage report that are reviewed last week the volume of doses that were wasted was very very small it was less than one percent of our overall allocation I think it was seventy eight doses and there were a variety of reasons for that some were you know of all got broke in or a syringe was drawn up and then the needle broke and there was wasted we haven't identified that as a significant concern but obviously your point is well taken any wastage is unacceptable and certainly and not what we want. but at this point that's been very minimal. Senator hammer you're recognized. Thank you Mr picking up on the same subject to grant to reporters dealing with the covert vaccine distribution and I know Sir there's advertising in there and array of different things how do you proportionally decide how to spend the money because it would seem that we would want to make sure that it's the purchasing of the vaccine actual getting it out because a lot of pharmacies have waiting list as long as twelve hundred and advertising you know seems to create anxiety out there that thank ten one couple show up got really mad at the pharmacist because they were like number thirteen they thought they could to show up. So how are you gonna make the most bang for the Buck out of money in order to get the vaccine actually into the arms of the people. So thank you M. senator eight the The vaccine is actually provided by the federal government so we don't have to purchase the vaccine which is which is a positive and the media campaigns are being targeted to primarily those that don't feel comfortable with the vaccine are hesitant to receive the vaccine and and so it's basically to to help people understand that adequate testing was done on these vaccines even though it moved it at quite a fast pace that they're safe so there is a small portion of for media and and both of these awards and I'm sorry let me the other thing I wanted to mention is we will be coming before this body next month or at the next peer with an additional request we received additional funding from the city state at which will be the major focus of the vaccine response and that funding I believe is is roughly twenty seven point two million so quite a sizeable Board for state response when we estimated the need for a robust vaccine deployment campaign here in Arkansas we estimated it at twenty nine million so the federal estimate was just about the same as ours so we will be coming forward with additional additional request to support private response not just these two words would you bring the detailed plan with you yes Sir so we see how that the status this just says you have a plan but it help we could see what plan is that actually go over and then the last question is this evidently there were some strike force grant money and some agreements made in some pharmacies have not been reimbursed that money yet do you know when that money might be will be getting to the pharmacies it should be saying the road agreement you're referring to is in agreement with that the Arkansas pharmacy association and and and that's one through the review and approval process now buying good faith have done this work and done it quite well and so we we hope to have payment to those groups saying and these are the pharmacies that did the vaccine shipment deployment to our hospitals okay thank you thank you Mr. Thank you senator Senator Elliott you're recognized. That number. Okay I have a question about ET eighty six I know you mentioned the mobile mobile coverage strike teams are those. Who where do they go. And it's a whole other targets SO the target could be a variety it could be local communities that don't have the capacity to to organize a community event it could be a business it could be a variety of settings it could be a school district we have utilized them you know the the the term strike teams is name we've actually we've done community events for flu vaccine for years and so it's the same concept it's not really anything new it's just that we're doing it for covert vaccine and obviously you know you have to plan the events differently now in the time because of it with spacing and all these different things and there's also an observation time that you have to building and for it to monitor and people for fifteen minutes after they're vaccinated but but the concert it's basically the same as utilizing a team to go in and get flu shots is it is it a matter of a request or is the health department looking around the state and in recognize and these are underserved areas where that are hard to reach what it's both we're having request for strike teams we're identifying areas where we think a strike team would be appropriate you know our county judges and county EM they're great partners in this because you know they've done flu vaccine clinics and worked with our local health unit staff for years so we do have some of them that have already raised the issue of that I would like to do these mobile advance are already doing mobile ambience so it's a combination we also know that some of the employer groups it may be best to go on site that might be the easiest way for employees to access instead of haven't to potentially take time off work you know it just like with our health care providers are teachers it's easier for us to go to them and make available then them taken time off and and coming into a local health unit for seven as a part of this of this campaign of. Where can we get printed materials for people who are not online not you know don't have a great access to internet service that we have so we we do have training is in this we're printing the vaccine information sheets that are required to be given with the vaccine and then also for supplemental materials I don't have a great answer on the distribution pipeline other than through our local health units but we do have an eight hundred number and if someone needs assistance or would like to have information sent to them what we should be able to meet that requested by call into our eight hundred number well I'm actually talking there is community that Stephanie and that community is not well connected and I'd like to get a group of folks and get material from the department of health to let people know what's happening because people literally on islands of no information and so it in cases like that are the materials I could pick up and go to those communities yes ma'am yes ma'am we do have materials that are available now we also were at developing additional materials we've been working with you I miss office of health literacy and we also have and all the materials translated into Spanish and Marshallese okay I'm asking how do I get it do I need to come up health department get it or how do I get it where do I get so our our local health units M. and we can also mail information and and so those would be the two primary places right now all right okay thank you very much. Thank you hi miss Williams for a couple of months I've asked about and clinics being able to administer vaccines to their patients and I've asked this for a couple of months of the health department why did you make the decision to not engage with primary care providers. So there's not been a decision not to engage and there's there has been an additional effort to enroll pharmacies to be providers in your mind or standing from discussions with Dr Delahaye you know the planning team felt like pharmacies were an important component that had been under utilized up until this point because there are pharmacies that sometimes there are open at different hours than our medical provider so it's not an either or it's it's a both end and building capacity so any provider that is qualified in wants to enroll in the program if they're not already enrolled cannon role to be a vaccine provider of the of the cobit baxeen me ask you about that so yes so as some have filled out paperwork but they have to sign affidavits that they will not charge however pharmacists are charging so why is there a difference and with the strike teams isn't just one group of providers are getting paid or are a hospital's getting paid to administer this from my understanding they are not and as well as clinics are not getting paid but pharmacist are so I'd like to understand why you made a decision not to To allow that and on the strike teams I mean you have personnel within clinics that have done this also time and time again why are you not utilizing those those other groups who had who do know their patients and know who are those that are at high risk based on the years in the history of dealing with those people. So why why was their decision not to go that route and to exclude people so the intention is not to exclude anybody the decision that was made early on was based on the property Group One A. B. and hospitals and medical providers and emergency response workers and long term care and the fact that when we began the planning process we knew that the older cold storage was going to be an issue and that we likely would have the foster vexing first so you know the pharmacies that have been reimbursed to date or the pharmacies that have delivered them to the hospitals that didn't have the capacity to provide old cold storage and handle the vaccine any provider that enrolls to give the kind of a vaccine does have to sun that they will charge for the vaccine but they can still charge for an administration. there's an administration fee for the first does which is around sixteen dollars and there's an administration fee for the second those that's actually higher in its I think around twenty twenty eight dollars and that's consistent yes ma'am and so the so they can charge them for the administration of the vaccine that just can't charge for the vaccine itself okay and there there's a clinic in Northwest Arkansas or it's actually a large system of clinics that have the capacity that have that were willing to purchase anything but they were cut out of the discussion and I believe they're in the failed bill Northwest Arkansas area and have not been able to be a part of the and I mean again I questioned why that decision was made any provider and that is having an issue with the coming enrolled feel free to direct them to me I would love to talk with them and help and help them we do have a backlog of providers that we're getting enrolled into the system we have additional staff that have been added to augment this and to try to get people in the to the pipeline as quickly as possible of course many of the medical providers are already enrolled in the program so so they don't need to go through that stat but we are absolutely going to need every single provider that's interested in giving this back same as we move forward three these phases you know it's slow right now but as we receive more vaccine hopefully will be able to provide it to to all of the clinics that are interested in giving it and have you know excellent coverage throughout the state so anything lately want all providers so anyone who could have the patience to do restaurant team and that have to be a pharmacist the the hospital it could be it could be in any group of providers could conformist right team and our hospitals able to charge administrative yes ma'am I believe they are okay if you'll it'll just double check that for me and get that to me I would appreciate. Thank you. Thank Senate just reminder with that here by eight thirty and we still have some things in the gender so we have a couple questions in the queue I know that the vaccination issue if if if if if the there to all of us to where you would all kind of not familiar with how this this process is going so it's a pretty big topic right now for all of us so as you mentioned the eight thousand the eight thousand a week. A they were getting in and and vaccinations of you that eight thousand. For the first the first television the second of which is sixteen thousand altogether just eight thousand information about it so I'm sorry let me repeat that yes we have the two products the foster product it's about eighteen thousand eighteen thousand five hundred doses of that product and then eighteen thousand about eighteen thousand five hundred doses of the Madonna product and we get that each week for what they call the problem does or the first does and then we also get a shipment which you know once once it was time for the people that were vaccinated first to begin receiving second doses we began getting what they called the based allotment so the based allotment is about the same it's about eighteen thousand roughly of the files or in a little over eighteen thousand of them and are not and that comes now each week also for that second base does occur could you get us something on the the mobile events because the going back to within a alley with asking because we do you know about a lot of smaller communities in my district that have forty residents and that mobile unit would be perfect mobile then be perfect for it for facilities like that so if you can give us some information on how to who we need to contact to get to get those mobile events to our district I appreciate it yes Sir okay of represented the you're recognized. The with the director the the. It on the queue. Okay. All right center hammer you have another question. It is the. Sure. On the administration fee of heard that some that there's a wide range of what you ministration feet that's being charged up to seventy five dollars per shot can you look at that and is there a standard fee that's supposed to be getting charged regardless wherever this M. A. I'll be happy to look at that and I have the the CMS rate for I think Medicare and Medicaid is as I stated it's just over sixteen dollars for the first as in around twenty it's a little over twenty eight dollars for the second does so if if people are charging more than that be happy to check into that for those fees set by the feds anybody charging above that are the committee to criminal activity by charging more than those rates or is that just free market those are the CMS rates I'm not sure about the the the regulation of fees that that might be charged five and to other entities or the public okay and then center ridge point I've been contacted by establishment in Northwest Arkansas about how many they if they had the vaccine how many hundreds they can do at a time so do you think that in the plan for which were appropriating additional money for that's going to open up those avenues to where a place like maybe mana up there Northwest Arkansas that has a large population concentrated. They would be in the next level to be able to get access to the vaccine yes Sir we want to go ahead were enrolled in now we are anticipating more vexing moving forward and we want to enroll any provider that that wants to give this fact saying we want to get them in the queue and get them enrolled as quickly as we can okay lasting on the drug on the PDMP the money is being allocated for that that's a pretty hefty chunk of money and it just says you're hiring two positions is all that money to pay for those two salaries or other other things associated with that there may be a small there's a small amount for for. For travel and office expenses but the bulk of that is four and the two salaries one of the positions is a pharmacist and then the other is it a GSO seven position so it's it's basically a In the pharmacy positions are are typically you know if there that's a professional position so salary be higher so the majority of that funding is for salaries yes or thank you Mr. Only make one more man to be a comment more than anything else I was in a pharmacy in the rock last week in three elderly ladies in front of me they were wanting to get on the list to take a shot and they were all three toed you have to go online and sign up and all three of them said to give me a call. He and I said we will call you on this you have to go online they said we can't go online we don't know how to do that we need to work on this and that that that just really get me wrong last week these three ladies were turned white in nothing put on the list my pharmacy within sight fifteen miles of here that's not near as far as it was I'm so use that so that was but we need to work on that you need to talk to distribute on the pharmacy side of it or entity people they are most vulnerable right now and we are neglecting them because they do not know how to operate a computer. Thank you of. We have about within about ten minutes remaining in if we don't make it through the Janet Day will or will meet try to meet. Meet after a JBC if not we'll meeting Thursday at seven thirty again but I I I had a resident said represent eaves early but it happens I just can't see very well so you're recognized recommends. Thank you Mr chair not I want to parlay off what the senator he just ask I've had a number of my constituents senior citizens that have in my district that have have had that same experience is that the protocol put down by the department of health that an online form has to be filled out or is that just an individual protocol the pharmacies are putting in place. M. it's not a protocol that we have mandated that would be the individual providers decision to do online only this I appreciate the comment we we have heard this concerning expressed part of the funding that but we're asking for approval for today is to enhance our call center to provide that same support in seniors are one of the the groups that we know need assistance right now and that's not a long term solution to this issue but but we we've recognized the issue and I appreciate the comments today and will make sure that we are raising that to the attention of the pharmacy group and the other providers that we're working with appreciate comment miss Williams I don't see this is a funding issue I see it as a logistics issue and if we're putting additional steps that's hampering people from getting this back saying that now they've got a call a hotline the help of forms that's an injustice to to our constituents the second question if I have a follow the chair. Thank you There was a lot of priority put on one B. regarding our school districts my district has roughly fifteen hundred employees we had about a fifty three percent request rate on that so roughly about eight hundred employees who at the beginning of last week we're expecting to be able to get their vaccine that we we're sent a request from the department health how many vaccines we needed we ask for a hundred to meet those needs and our community was sent two hundred as of last night I have three pharmacies that are in that network to provide for our school employees who as of last night and still not even been told if they were gonna get vaccines this week how do we make such a party expression dropped the ball to put such a priority put the information out to the media that we're going to take care of our school employees last week and yet we're still at a twenty five percent effect on that and don't even know when they're going to get it and would also like to express on that how we're supposed to prioritize that and how is the school district's supposed to prioritize out of eight hundred which two hundred get their vaccine in which six hundred have to just sit back and wait. So I appreciate the issue that you've raised and it's a frustration for everyone wow the vaccine supply simply is not sufficient to provide every provider with the number of days is that by request we're trying to do our best to fairly distribute the vaccine across the state to all counties and to all priority groups hopefully the vaccine supply will increase center rather than later I think it's it's excellent that they're already doing their planning and have identified you know the number of staff that are interested in receiving the vaccine and the decisions that the employers have to mate regarding how to prioritize those those individuals are are difficult you know older teachers obviously would be a priority those of that are in contact in the classroom those staff should be vaccinated first versus you know someone who may not have as much direct contact with kids or large groups but they are difficult decisions and we recognize that but we will get through all of those all of those individuals in B. one it's just not going to B. as quickly as we would like. to question okay we will be meeting Thursday at seven thirty because we're not gonna but you know this this vaccination is just that you know is this something no so I appreciate all the questions and and I appreciate you Stephanie for being here to to kind of give them a little bit more in light inside limits on it Senator Elliott you're recognized. Mister chair I know we need to finish it so I'll just I wanted to know from the department of education or what their plan is and just type in this just sent back to Joint Budget if they do not plan to bring it back to here are not you just get this one a quick answer. Do you plan to bring it back to peer. By joint budget committee are you saying here are you talking the full committee. Okay you mean the budget chairs the Joint Budget Office okay thank you. Thank you center for to be a last question. You're recognized rather than for themselves. Thank you Mr chairman this is more of a comment I'm over here to your right. A plexiglass. I would I would suggest along with what Richard Evans was saying maybe we should be more cautious about what we say we're going to do until we know we can do it. Because when people hear it when our constituents here it on the news or media. And then it doesn't happen. It just makes us all look foolish and they have less and less respect. And they believe us less and less that what we say is actually going to happen so I would suggest that we be very cautious before we make a statement about what we're going to do relating to the vaccine and who were going to give it to until we know we can't that's all yes Sir. Thank you are working for the if if there thank you seventy appreciate you being. Are there any more questions in regards to the method of finance. Okay if not those items stand approved Uh we're going to have to adjourn and take up the remainder of the business on Thursday at seven thirty AM I appreciate everyone for getting up this early morning and dissipate in the meeting at this time the meeting is adjourned.