';
Authors Posts by Richard Edley

Richard Edley

281 POSTS 0 COMMENTS
Dr. Richard Edley is the lead executive for RCPA and is responsible for all aspects of operations and direction for the association. His professional career began in 1988 and most recently he was president and CEO of PerformCare/Community Behavioral HealthCare Network of Pennsylvania, Inc., a national, full-service, behavioral health managed care organization.

0 2154

It is with mixed emotions that I announce that Robena Spangler will be leaving her position as Director of the RCPA Children’s Division. Mixed, as we are so appreciative of the accomplishments Robena has made in this role and on behalf of the members, but also glad for her in her continued career and professional growth. Robena will be assuming the role of Director of the Bureau of Children and Family Services within the Office of Children, Youth, and Families (OCYF), Department of Human Services (DHS).

Robena has had many accomplishments since joining RCPA, which include:

  • Diversification and growth of the division into all aspects of children’s services
  • Expansion of the Children’s Steering Committee to cover all ages and the full array of children’s services
  • Development of key work groups, including:
    • Children in Congregate Care with complex medical and behavioral health needs;
    • Early Intervention/Infant Mental Health;
    • School-Based Behavioral Services; and
    • Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS).
  • Led the partnership effort with Relias Learning to extend trainings to RCPA members
  • Improved cross-systems collaboration on behalf of RCPA members with ODP, OMHSAS, and OCYF

Robena’s final date with RCPA will be February 28 and she will assist RCPA in the transition during that time.

Please join me in congratulating Robena in taking on this exciting new challenge and opportunity and we look forward to working with her in this new role.

The opportunity to work with RCPA’s children’s services providers has been my pleasure and has taught me valuable lessons about promoting the interests of others and provided opportunities for professional growth. My passion for leadership was appreciated by some of the hardest working, most dedicated group of professionals in the field of human services. Thank you for your trust in me.” – Robena

– Richard S. Edley, PhD
RCPA President & CEO

0 1463

RCPA will be holding an Open Board/General membership meeting on Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm. This meeting is also available by webcast if you are unable to attend in person. If you were considering attending, please review the agenda and register here.

We look forward to your participation. If you have any questions, please contact Tina Miletic.

All Community HealthChoices (CHC) participants have access to emergency and non-emergency medical transportation.  Emergency medical transportation is provided by an ambulance in the event of a medical emergency. Non-emergency medical transportation can help participants travel to and from a medical facility, doctor’s office, hospital, clinic, pharmacy, or medical equipment vendors.

The attached fact sheet outlines transportation options and how transportation is billed and coordinated for CHC participants based on where the participant resides and the type of transportation needed.

CHC goes live January 1, 2019 in the Southeast. To learn more about CHC, take the 30 minute online training. If you have any questions, please visit www.HealthChoices.pa.gov or email RA-PWCHC@pa.gov.

A listserv has been established for ongoing updates on the CHC program. It is titled OLTL-COMMUNITY-HEALTHCHOICES, please visit the ListServ Archives page at http://listserv.dpw.state.pa.us to update or register your email address.

OLTL outlines the requirements for Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) roll out and the services impacted by it. EVV is required by Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) in the Community HealthChoices SW and SE roll out zones, effective January 1, 2019.

Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) Implementation Update:

The 21st Century Cures Act requires implementation of EVV for personal care services (PCS) and home health services.  For Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) waivers, including agency and participant-directed services, PCS includes:

  • Personal Assistance Services
  • Respite (unlicensed settings only)

As shared previously, the Department of Human Services (Department) will utilize an open system for EVV.  This means that providers who already have an EVV system will be able to use their existing systems to submit information to the Department’s EVV vendor.  The Department is using the existing PROMISe™ fiscal agent contract with DXC for EVV.

Providers who do not have their own EVV system will be able to utilize the Department’s system for compliance. Providers participating in Community HealthChoices (CHC) can also reach out to the CHC-MCOs they are contracted with to discuss potential opportunities to meet compliance requirements with the CHC-MCO- contracted EVV system, HHAeXchange.

For participant-directed programs in the OLTL waivers, the vendor fiscal agent, Public Partnerships, LLC (PPL), will be utilizing their EVV system, Time4Care, to satisfy EVV requirements.

EVV Implementation Timeline Reminder:

The 21st Century Cures Act requires implementation of EVV by January 1, 2019 for personal care services (PCS).  On July 30, 2018, the President signed a law delaying penalties for implementation to January 1, 2020 for PCS.  The requirement for implementation of EVV for home health services by January 1, 2023 has not changed.

This delay will allow Pennsylvania an opportunity to extend implementation activities and training, to make sure that providers are fully ready for the implementation of EVV.  The tentative plan for Pennsylvania’s implementation of EVV is:

  • January 2019 – PA guidance will be distributed
  • Spring 2019 – provider training will be offered with phased-in system use
  • Summer 2019 – full implementation of system

Additional information will be shared when it becomes available.  You may also look for information on our website.

For further questions regarding EVV, please email RA-PWEVVNotice@pa.gov.

0 2392

national-council-logo

At this point, you’ve probably heard about the move toward value-based payment (VBP) models.

The promise – better quality care at a lower cost. But, what does this mean for behavioral health providers? With all the uncertainty around if, when and how VBP will be implemented, what is the best way to proceed? And, what can you do to influence the policy decisions being made in your state?

Join the National Council on Thursday, November 15 from 2 to 3 p.m. ET for VBP: Adoption Rates, Policy Pitfalls and Provider Readiness to get the answers to these questions and more. During this webinar, speakers will discuss trends and current approaches in adopting VBP models, lessons learned from a state’s past and what behavioral health organizations can do to adopt a culture of value amid uncertainty.

Speakers:

  • Nina Marshall, Assistant Vice President of Healthcare Finance, National Council for Behavioral Health
  • Richard Edley, President and CEO, Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association (RCPA)
  • Echo Shumaker-Pruitt, Vice President of Quality Improvement and Data Analytics, The Mental Health Association of Westchester

Register today and walk away with concrete actions you can take to shape the policy discussions in your state and prepare for VBP.

The PROMISe Eligibility Verification System (EVS) enables providers to determine a participant’s Medical Assistance eligibility and scope of coverage. It is vital for providers to check EVS to verify a participant’s eligibility each time services are provided because a participant’s eligibility is subject to change. EVS methods, inquiries, and response formats will not change with the implementation of Community HealthChoices (CHC).

The attached fact sheet illustrates EVS return codes for participants enrolled in each of the CHC-MCOs and provides examples of the CHC-MCO participant identification cards. If you have any questions, please visit www.HealthChoices.pa.gov or email RA-PWCHC@pa.gov.