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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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The correct date for the November Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Subcommittee meeting will be held Wednesday, November 12, 2025. Please disregard the previous communication sent on October 1, 2025. The meeting will be held as a webinar with remote streaming only, from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm.

If you need an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter and/or another accommodation, including an alternative method for submitting questions or comments about meeting topics, please send an email no later than October 17, 2025, so an ASL interpreter or other accommodations can be scheduled.

Register here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Remote captioning and streaming services will be provided. If you require these services, please visit this remote captioning and streaming services link.

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COMMITTEE CONCEPT

The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) Advisory and Grievance Committee is currently accepting applications, and they need representation from Service Coordinators (SCs). While OLTL has received applications from other stakeholder groups, no applications have been submitted by SCs, who have a perspective essential to the committee.

The committee will meet virtually every quarter to:

  • Discuss self-direction and Public Partnerships (PPL) services under the OBRA waiver and Act 150 program;
  • Evaluate program grievances; and
  • Share and review feedback from participants, common law employers, and direct care workers.

Committee membership is designed to reflect a diverse group of Pennsylvanians. Having SCs on the committee is critical to ensuring well-rounded discussion and decision-making. Applications are due by September 19, 2025. If you applied before July 20, 2025, please submit a new application, as previous applications were not received due to a technical issue.

Use this link to apply!

If you have questions or need assistance completing the form, please contact PPL at 877-908-1750. Thank you for considering this opportunity to share your expertise and ensure that SCs’ voices are represented.

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The PA Office of Medical Assistance Programs (OMAP) issued a new Bulletin that applies to personal assistance and community habilitation services under the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) and the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP). The key changes from earlier guidance include:

  • Providers 85% Compliance Requirement Effective January 1, 2025: Providers must ensure at least 85% of EVV records are verified without manual edits.
  • Starting January 2026, DHS will issue alerts to fee-for-service providers whose manual edits exceed 15% in the prior quarter. Managed care organizations (MCO) will also receive lists of noncompliant providers for follow-up.
  • Providers failing to meet the 85% thresholds for two consecutive quarters will be required to submit corrective action plans. Continued noncompliance may lead to sanctions, potentially including loss of license.
  • FMS and Participant-Directed Models are also responsible for EVV compliance. Persistent noncompliance can result in termination from participant-directed service models.
  • Additional Resources: DHS EVV Guidance and Handbook now available.
  • Compliance Reports are available on the Sandata platform. The reports allow providers to identify the non-compliant visit dates, participants, and caregivers to initiate internal corrective action.

If you have any questions, contact Fady Sahhar.

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ADvancing States, which represents the nation’s 56 state and territorial agencies on aging and disabilities as well as long-term services and supports directors, has partnered with the Department of Health Policy and Management at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health to create a first-of-its-kind online training program to support our nation’s Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) program workforce. The initial Foundational Leadership in HCBS: Building Expertise to Better Support People in their Homes and Communities certificate program launches in September 2025.

The core training sessions deliver essential curriculum covering HCBS systems, policies, and operations — everything participants need to enhance their effectiveness and advance policy advocacy in this critical sector. Fewer than 20 spots remain in the September pilot session, and there will be another session offered in January 2026. The course fee is $600 for government and non-profit employees and $1300 for corporate employees. Group registration opportunities are expected to be available for the January 2026 session.

Quick Registration Links:

The course is offered exclusively online and is self-paced so learners can set their own schedules, but the course will require the equivalent of about two hours per week for 10 weeks. Participants will learn more about populations utilizing LTSS, the organizations and individuals providing LTSS, and the varied sources of funding for LTSS, with a focus on HCBS, plus key policy areas, including the Older Americans Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Medicare, Medicaid, and the processes by which individuals access services. Please view the Course Overview and Syllabus for additional details about course topics and learning objectives.

Sign up using the links above; for questions about the HCBS Certificate program, contact Annie Kimbrel via email.

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Effective September 1, 2025, there is a rate change in the OBRA Waiver and Act 150 Program for the monthly Financial Management Services (FMS) procedure code W7341. The new FMS monthly ongoing rate is $101.43, starting with the September 1, 2025, date of service.

Home and Community Services Information System (HCSIS) service plans are being updated to reflect the September 1 effective date. Service Coordinators do not need to make any service plan updates for this rate change, as an HCSIS system-wide update is being deployed to make the necessary service data rate updates on the impacted service plans.

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Long-Term Living Provider Inquiry Line at 800-932-0939, Option 2, Monday through Friday from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm or 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm.

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