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From ANCOR:
Happy Friday, ANCOR Members! Two months after President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law, CMS finally released its guidance to states on the 10% FMAP bump dedicated to HCBS. We are still analyzing it carefully, but initially it appears that stakeholder input was carefully considered. Of immediate significance:
Below is an overall summary of the full guidance:
Since the beginning of the pandemic, ANCOR alongside our disability partners has worked tirelessly to address those needs – finding new ways to deliver services and increase capacity, ensuring the needs of people with disabilities have been considered at every step of the COVID-19 response, and ensuring that the magnitude of the needs are understood.
As a result of that advocacy, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) included several provisions to help address these unmet needs. One of them is a temporary, but significant, increase in federal funding for home and community-based services (HCBS). Specifically, states can receive a 10 percentage-point increase to the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) they receive for certain Medicaid expenditures for HCBS. This “FMAP bump” is available for one year, from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.
In a letter to State Medicaid Directors issued Thursday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provided states with guidance for receiving the funding. The letter provides more precise details, but services and activities can be provided through a variety of different Medicaid HCBS programs, and a wide variety of services and supports that both older adults and people with disabilities rely upon are eligible. For example, states can claim additional federal funds for:
Additional funding also can be used for a range of activities that help increase community living options. The following are just a few of the many examples described in CMS’ letter:
(Note that services paid for through administrative match, such as those offered through the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program and certain No Wrong Door program activities, are not eligible.)
An important condition for receiving this funding is that states cannot decrease their own funding of HBCS. In other words, states cannot use the additional federal funding instead of state funds; the funds must be used in addition to the state’s own investments. They also may not cut HCBS services during this time. That means states may not eliminate covered services or reduce the amount, duration or scope of those services. In addition, they may not impose stricter eligibility requirements for HCBS programs and services than were in place on April 1, 2021 or reduce provider payments.
***States can contact HCBSincreasedFMAP@cms.hhs.gov if they have questions about the services which can claim the increased FMAP.
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Shannon McCracken
Vice President of Government Relations
ANCOR
606-271-3555
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The Senate Aging and Youth Committee has announced an upcoming public hearing on Thursday, May 20, 2021 at 11:00 am. This public hearing will focus on the current status and needs of long-term care facilities one year after COVID-19. This hearing will be live streamed and will also be archived for future viewing.
The recording of the Finance and Reimbursement Committee meeting is available on the members only section of RCPA’s website, which is accessible here. The PowerPoint from the April 2021 Mercer/ODP webinar regarding Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/ID) budgets is available here.
For more information about the Employee Tax Credit program and Synergi, follow this link to the Synergi Partners RCPA landing page. You can also reach out directly to Jeff Walker or Clint Foster.
Today CMS released guidance to the State Medicaid Directors regarding the 10% increased Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage (FMAP) for certain Medicaid expenditures for Home and Community-Based Waiver Services (HCBS). States must use the funds to supplement and not supplant state funds expended for HCBS Waiver Services in effect as of April 1, 2021, and states must use state funds equivalent to the amount of federal funds attributable to the increased FMAP to implement or supplement the implementation of one or more activities to enhance, expand, or strengthen HCBS under the Medicaid program.
The purpose of this letter is to provide guidance to states on the implementation of section 9817 of the American Rescue Plan (ARP), as well as to describe opportunities for states to strengthen the HCBS system in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), increase access to HCBS for Medicaid beneficiaries, adequately protect the HCBS workforce, safeguard financial stability for HCBS providers, and accelerate long-term services and supports (LTSS) reform under section 9817 of the ARP.
This increased federal funding can help states increase community living options for people with disabilities, in accordance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12131–12134, as interpreted by the Supreme Court in Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1999), which requires public entities to administer services to individuals with disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs.
In addition, this letter updates Medicaid retainer payment policy for HCBS providers during the COVID-19 PHE.
The letter outlines additional guidance.
As part of RPCA’s ongoing effort with members and stakeholders regarding the Alternative Pay Arrangements/Agreements (APAs), we are asking members to complete this brief APA survey.
We respectfully request that the survey be completed as the APAs apply to your Drug & Alcohol, Children’s, and Adult Mental Health services continuum. The data we collect will be instrumental in our collective efforts with the Department of Human Services (DHS) and managed care organizations regarding strategic fiscal considerations, as the current APAs are set to end on Wednesday, June 30, 2021.
It has been requested we extend the survey date. The survey will now be available until close of business Thursday, May 20, 2021. Thank you, and if you have questions, please contact RCPA Director of Children’s Division Jim Sharp or your RCPA Policy Director.
The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) is pleased to share the 2020 Behavioral Health Telehealth Report, developed in collaboration with the OMHSAS Telehealth Steering Committee and Mercer Government Services Consulting. This report provides recommendations for the future of telehealth after the resolution of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. The work of the Steering Committee and other stakeholders has been and will continue to be vital in ensuring that the behavioral health needs of Pennsylvanians continue to be met. The report is available on the OMHSAS website.
If you have questions or feedback, please contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp. If you have questions regarding this report, please email OMHSAS directly.