43-536. Child care reimbursement; market rate survey; adjustment of rate; participation in quality rating and improvement system; effect.

In determining the rate of reimbursement for child care, the Department of Health and Human Services shall conduct a market rate survey of the child care providers in the state. The department shall adjust the reimbursement rate for child care every odd-numbered year at a rate not less than the sixtieth percentile and not to exceed the seventy-fifth percentile of the current market rate survey, except that (1) nationally accredited child care providers may be reimbursed at higher rates, (2) an applicable child care or early childhood education program, as defined in section 71-1954, that is participating in the quality rating and improvement system and has received a rating of step three or higher under the Step Up to Quality Child Care Act may be reimbursed at higher rates based upon the program's quality scale rating under the quality rating and improvement system, and (3) for the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2017, such rate may not be less than the fiftieth percentile or the rate for the immediately preceding fiscal year and for the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2018, such rate may not be less than the sixtieth percentile for the last three quarters of the fiscal year or the rate for the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2016.

Source:Laws 1995, LB 455, § 20; Laws 1996, LB 1044, § 174; Laws 1997, LB 307, § 69; Laws 1998, LB 1073, § 28; Laws 2003, LB 414, § 1; Laws 2007, LB296, § 123; Laws 2011, LB464, § 1; Laws 2013, LB507, § 14; Laws 2017, LB335, § 1.

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