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Authors Posts by Fady Sahhar

Fady Sahhar

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Fady is responsible for policy and regulatory matters related to Physical Disabilities and Aging, with primary focus on personal assistance, employment services, and service coordination. Emphasis is placed on engaging the Office of Long-Term Living and the Community HealthChoices Managed Care Organizations, coordination of care with Behavioral HealthChoices MCOs, and collaborations with other advocacy and provider associations. Fady is also the President / CEO of ProVantaCare, an RCPA-affiliated company focused on contracting with MCOs, and is the President of XtraGlobex, a consulting firm focused on Value-Based Payment contracting. He brings extensive experience in the advocacy and operations of human services providers in physical disabilities and aging, from his role at Liberty Resources, Inc., and his service with a number of nonprofit services providers. He earned an MBA in Marketing from The University of Tennessee and a PhD in Organizational Leadership from Capella University.

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On June 30, 2020, the continuity of care period for long-term services and supports in the Northeast, Northwest, and Lehigh/Capital Regions ended. Community HealthChoices (CHC) is now fully implemented across Pennsylvania.

This may prompt questions from CHC participants on:

  • A change to their service provided due to the managed care organization (CHC-MCO) ending their contact with a provider.
  • A change in service coordinator due to their CHC-MCO ending its contract with a service coordination entity.
  • A change to the amount, duration, or frequency of service they are receiving.

A CHC-MCO must alert the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) in writing of its intent to terminate contracts with a provider and services that a provider provides 90 days before the termination’s effective date. Procedures to address the termination’s impact on participants should be in place and participants must be notified in writing 45 days before the effective date.

OLTL will continue to monitor notification requirements, service plan changes, service denial notices, complaints, and grievances despite the continuity of care period ending. CHC-MCOs will be held accountable for meeting notification requirements to ensure participants are properly informed and continue to receive necessary services without unexpected disruption.

Participants with questions or concerns about changes to services or service delivery should contact their CHC-MCO. If questions remain, after talking with their CHC-MCO, participants can contact the OLTL at 1-800-757-5042.

Due to COVID-19, exceptions may apply under limited circumstances. Please refer to the “Transition Plan to Phase Out Temporary Changes to the Community HealthChoices 1915(c) Waiver” issued by the Office of Long-Term Living.

For more information on continuity of care, please view the fact sheet here.

CHC is now live across Pennsylvania. Make sure you and your coworkers have the information you need about CHC. Take our 30-minute online training.

If you have other questions about CHC, view our comprehensive question and answer document.

CONTACT:  If you have any questions, please visit www.HealthChoices.pa.gov or submit comments electronically to RA-PWCHC@pa.gov.

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As a follow up to the Bulletin published on 6/11/2020, OMAP and DHS held a public meeting emphasizing the continuing conversion to EVV, for all Personal Care Services (PCS) in the OLTL and ODP waivers, as well as the OMAP Fee For Service PCS.

Highlights:

  • The conversion to EVV for all Personal Care Services continues and is not impeded by the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
  • The target is for all providers to be utilizing EVV by October 1, 2020
  • After November 20, 2020, non-compliant shifts will not be paid
  • The presentation outlines specific error codes and remedies to clear denials
  • Manual adjustments will be part of identifying pattern non-compliant providers

The enrollment and certification process can take up to 12 weeks. It is critical to initiate the process if your agency provides PCS and does not currently use EVV.

The recording of this session can be found here.

Future public meetings are scheduled:

  • July 30: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
  • August 28: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
  • September 25: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
  • October 23: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Additional information can be found here.

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Attached is the presentation made by Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) leadership at the MAAC meeting on 6/25/2020.

Highlights:

  • Appendix K updates and extensions – due out by end of this week
  • Nursing Home and PAS funds distribution will incorporate an allowance of March 2020 occupancy rates
  • Guidance will include MCO directions for updating consumer person centered plans
  • CARES Funds distribution by July 8 – no additional action needed by providers
  • Providers will receive a Remittance Advice and Gross Adjustment Direct Deposit notification
  • Personal Care Home providers need to provide information on the DHS website to receive funds

Discussion continues on telehealth and applications of technology platforms in OLTL services.

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On June 27, 2020, the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) will be implementing a change to the Enterprise Incident Management (EIM) System by adding document upload functionality.

Attached is an overview of the change that was made to EIM, including screenshots and explanations of the changes. There is also a reference guide.

If you have any questions regarding this email or the attachments, please contact the OLTL EIM resource account.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2020

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Aging today released a survey for the general public and community stakeholders to provide input on the department’s strategies and priorities as part of the process of completing a State Plan on Aging for 2020–2024.

The brief survey asks respondents to prioritize services and quality-of-life issues that are most meaningful to them in ensuring age-friendly communities across the commonwealth over the next four years. Adults aged 60 and over are strongly encouraged to take the survey. It is available in English and Spanish on the Department of Aging’s website now through June 21 and can be completed on a computer, tablet, or smart phone.

Anyone who may not have internet access and is interested in taking the survey can call the department at 717-783-1550. The individual should leave their contact information and indicate they want to participate in the ‘State Plan on Aging Community Survey.’ A department staff member will call them to complete the five-minute survey over the phone.

“The survey is user friendly and the Department of Aging hopes to have community members, consumers of services, caregivers, and advocates give us their input. We truly value the feedback that we receive in order to craft a plan that continues to prioritize the needs and services of older Pennsylvanians now and in the future,” said Secretary Robert Torres.

The State Plan on Aging is designed to help Pennsylvania meet the objectives of the Older Americans Act and will be submitted to the Administration for Community Living (ACL) containing a vision and direction for Pennsylvania’s network of aging services. The Department of Aging is required to submit a plan every four years, with the next plan due by Oct. 1, 2020.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jack Eilber: 717-214-7510 or jeilber@pa.gov.

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Register here to attend the RCPA Physical Disabilities & Aging (PD&A) Division meeting, which will be held Thursday, June 18, 2020 at 10:00 am.

This meeting will include an introduction with Jamie Buchenauer, the new Deputy Secretary of the Office of Long-Term Living. Also included will be a presentation on the Educational Support and Clinical Coaching Program (ESCCP) by Wilmarie Gonzalez, MLTSS Quality Director. Representatives from the managed care organizations (MCOs) and OLTL will be participating and can respond to your questions and concerns. The agenda is available here.

One of the items on our agenda is a discussion of the waiver provisions and relaxed regulations during the COVID-19 public health emergency (Appendix 1135K), and to provide input to OLTL and the MCOs about provisions to be maintained during the balance of 2020, and ones for consideration for waiver amendments for 2021. In preparation for this discussion, we ask that providers complete this short survey. Please complete the survey by close of business on Friday, June 12.

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The Department of Health (Department) has received questions regarding the operation and management of home care, home health care, and hospice agencies in relation to the COVID-19 health emergency. This additional information is provided to help you understand and operationalize the guidance provided by the Governor and the Secretary of Health as well as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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