Pennsylvania Previews Master Aging Plan
Melissa Dehoff
Melissa Dehoff is responsible for all medical rehabilitation and brain injury service issues. Ms. Dehoff attends multiple state-level meetings to advocate on behalf of members on brain injury and rehabilitation issues and is a member of the Department of Health Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Board.
CHC-MCO Resource Document Now Available
CMS Call Regarding End of COVID-19 PHE Scheduled for April 25
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will be hosting an informational National Office Hours call on April 25, 2023, at 3:30 pm. The call will focus on the ending of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) that will take place on May 11, 2023, and will help providers, facilities, and people with Medicare prepare. CMS leaders and expert staff will present an overview of the effects of the PHE’s ending on the current waivers and flexibilities and then answer questions.
In preparation for this webinar, CMS encourages participants to review the following resources to determine what questions remain that will support your efforts after the end of the PHE:
- What Do I Need to Know? CMS Waivers, Flexibilities, and the Transition Forward from the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency;
- The Current Emergencies web page; and
- The Coronavirus Waivers and Flexibilities web pages.
Speakers:
- CMS Leaders from the Office of the Administrator, Center for Medicare, and Center for Clinical Standards and Quality
- CMS Subject Matter Experts on Medicare policy and PHE-related waivers and flexibilities
RSVP — Register Here
After registering, a confirmation email will be sent containing information about joining the call. When you select the link to join the call on April 25, you will see a message stating that the host will allow you to join the event momentarily. Please continue to wait at that screen until the CMS team opens the call and admits everyone.
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TBI Advisory Board Meeting Planned for May 5, 2023
The Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Advisory Board, established under section 1252 of the Federal Traumatic Brain Injury Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. § 300d-52), will hold a public meeting on Friday, May 5, 2023, from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm. The meeting will be held in person at the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network, which is located at 6340 Flank Drive, Harrisburg, PA, in the Cambria Conference Room.
Meeting materials will be sent out before the meeting and will also be available on the TBI Board’s website as well as the meeting location. Questions regarding the meeting should be directed to Nicole Johnson.
The Department of Health’s (DOH) Head Injury Program (HIP) strives to ensure that eligible individuals who have a traumatic brain injury receive high quality rehabilitative services aimed at reducing functional limitations and improving quality of life. The TBI Board assists the DOH in understanding and meeting the needs of persons living with TBI and their families. This quarterly meeting will provide updates on a variety of topics, including the number of people served by HIP. In addition, meeting participants will discuss budgetary and programmatic issues, community programs relating to traumatic brain injury, and available advocacy opportunities.
For additional information or for persons with a disability who wish to attend the meeting and require an auxiliary aid, service, or other accommodation to do so, contact Nicole Johnson, Division of Community Systems Development and Outreach, (717) 772-2763. For speech and/or hearing-impaired persons, contact V/TT (717) 783-6514 or the Pennsylvania Hamilton Relay Service at (800) 654-5984.
LTSS Subcommittee April 18 Meeting Handouts Now Available
The Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Subcommittee convened their bi-monthly meeting on April 18, 2023. The agenda, handouts, and presentations are available for members to view below:
Members are encouraged to take time to review the presentation on the development of the Master Plan for Aging and Disabilities (MPAD), which is being overseen by Kevin Hancock, Special Advisor to the PA Secretary of Aging. Also included is a presentation from the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL).
CMS Hospital/Quality Open Door Forum Planned for April 18, 2023
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will conduct the next hospital/quality initiative open door forum on April 18, 2023, at 2:00 pm. Agenda topics include:
- Announcements & Updates;
- Upcoming Wage Index April PUF;
- FY 2024 IPPS/LTCH PPS Proposed Rule; and
- FY 2024 IPF PPS Proposed Rule.
To participate by phone, dial 888-455-1397.
Reference Conference Passcode: 4325849
Instant Replay: 866-415-8391, Conference ID: No Passcode Needed
Instant Replay is an audio recording of this call that can be accessed by dialing 866-415-8391 beginning one hour after the call has ended. The recording expires after April 21, 2023, 11:59 pm ET.
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CMS Issues FY 2024 IRF PPS Proposed Rule
Late yesterday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the fiscal year (FY) 2024 inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system (IRF PPS) proposed rule.
The proposed rule includes a 3.7 percent payment increase, compared to the 3.9 percent payment update that CMS finalized for FY 2023. This payment update reflects the effects of the proposed IRF market basket update for FY 2024 of 3.0 percent, which is based on the proposed IRF market basket increase factor (3.2 percent), productivity adjustment (0.2 percent), and outlier payment increase (0.7 percent).
** Please note that these figures are subject to change in the final rule if updated forecasts become available, which typically occurs.
CMS is making a number of changes to the Quality Reporting Program (QRP), including the future addition of a discharge function score measure and patient-level COVID vaccination measure as well as a modification of the current healthcare personnel COVID-19 vaccination measure to reflect the latest vaccination recommendations.
In addition, CMS is proposing to allow hospitals to open a new IRF unit and begin being paid under the IRF PPS at any time during the cost reporting period (rather than the current restrictive enrollment rules). The proposed rule does not address any of the COVID-19 PHE waivers, including the three-hour rule and virtual team conferences, nor does it include any further discussion of the expanded transfer policy (to include certain discharges under the care of home health) that was the subject of a Request for Information (RFI) in last year’s rule.
A more detailed and extensive summary of the proposed rule will be forthcoming.
The proposed rule will be published in the Federal Register for April 7, 2023. Comments on the proposed rule will be considered until 5:00 pm on June 2, 2023. For additional information, CMS also released a fact sheet.
Transition Plans Released to Phase Out Temporary Changes to CHC Waiver, OBRA, and Act 150
The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has released the transition plans that outline how the Appendix K flexibilities will be phased out on May 11, 2023, with the end of the Public Health Emergency. The transition plans apply to the Community HealthChoices (CHC) Waiver, OBRA Waiver, and Act 150 program.
Since March 6, 2020, the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has been operating under an Appendix K Emergency Preparedness and Response amendment that was approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Appendix K allowed temporary changes to the CHC Waiver, OBRA waiver, and Act 150 waiver in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.
Effective May 11, 2023, OLTL is discontinuing the emergency flexibilities noted in the attached guidance and is returning to pre-emergency operations. Providers should make any changes that are necessary to resume normal operations and be in compliance by May 11, 2023. Service Coordinators have been instructed to work with participants and providers to ensure a seamless transition to normal operations.
The transition plans have been updated to reflect the new expiration date for the flexibilities. In addition, as a general note, resuming pre-emergency waiver operations means the following:
- All assessments, including the comprehensive needs assessments and reassessments, must be conducted face-to-face;
- Service Coordinators must monitor participants and Individual Services Plans (ISPs) through face-to-face contacts; and
- ISP meetings and development must be conducted face-to-face.
Questions about this information should be directed to the OLTL Provider Helpline at 800-932-0939.
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