Now Available: Amendments to the Consolidated, Community Living, and P/FDS Waivers Approved by CMS

ODP Announcement 22-061 is to announce that the amendments to the Consolidated, Community Living, and P/FDS waivers (hereafter referred to as the Intellectual Disability and Autism (ID/A) waivers) were approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) effective June 1, 2022.

The ID/A waiver amendments were submitted to CMS on January 3, 2022. Since that time, the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has been engaged in ongoing discussions with CMS. Substantive changes were approved as follows:

• Eligibility was expanded to include children with a developmental disability due to a medically complex condition. The Family Medical Support Assistance service was added to support the complex medical needs of these children. Provider qualification criteria were enhanced to ensure providers have the needed structure to support these children.
• Delivery of services while the participant is hospitalized is currently allowed through Appendix K flexibilities. Guidance regarding delivery of services while the participant is hospitalized is contained in the Operational Guide. This guidance should continue to be followed until otherwise notified.
• Homemaker services include infection control measures and intensive cleaning, such as cleaning medical equipment and disinfecting the home.
• Home accessibility adaptations support individuals to transition from an institutional setting to a private home (including a Life Sharing home) and clarify covered home accessibility adaptations due to changes in Medical Assistance.
• Transition to Independent Living payments were added to the Consolidated Waiver to support participants to transition from residential habilitation homes to Life Sharing or Support Living.
• Changes were made to residential qualification requirements to ensure that all residential providers are adequately prepared prior to delivering a service and prior to the provider going through ODP’s qualification process.

The following rates, as communicated in ODP Announcement 22-051, are also effective June 1, 2022, when authorized on an Individual Support Plan:

• Family Medical Support Assistance services;
• Medically Complex Life Sharing services in the Consolidated Waiver; and
• Transition to Independent Living payments in the Consolidated Waiver. Each full waiver application approved by CMS and the record of change document are available here.

ODP will be scheduling webinars soon to discuss the changes made in these approved amendments, as well as changes made to the July 2022 waiver renewals once they are approved by CMS. ODP will release a communication announcing the webinars when the waiver renewals are approved. Questions about this communication should be directed to the appropriate Office of Developmental Programs Regional Office.