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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 28, 2020

Harrisburg, PA – Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar announced today that the Department of State will provide accessible write-in ballots to voters with disabilities who request one.

“These ballots will allow blind and low-vision voters to vote privately and independently in Tuesday’s primary,” Secretary Boockvar said. “We are committed to increasing accessibility for voters with disabilities and implementing a long-term solution for accessible ballots for the November election and beyond.”

U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson issued an order on Wednesday mandating that the department offer an accessible write-in primary ballot for voters with disabilities who request one.

To obtain an accessible write-in ballot, an individual must:

  • Be an eligible Pennsylvania voter who applied for an absentee or mail-in ballot by the May 26, 2020, deadline and has not yet submitted their voted ballot.
  • Submit an email request to ra-awib@pa.gov  for the accessible write-in ballot by 8 p.m. on May 29, 2020. Include in the email the voter’s full name, date of birth and address where registered.
  • Complete an accessible declaration electronically sent to them by the department and authenticate the declaration with a valid Pennsylvania driver’s license, a valid Pennsylvania state personal identification number or the last four digits of the voter’s Social Security number.

The department will electronically transmit via email to the requesting voter: (1) an accessible write-in ballot; (2) an accessible declaration form; (3) accessible instructions; (4) an accessible candidate list for the voter’s election district; and (5) a write-in envelope.

Using their screen reader software, voters with disabilities can then vote in the privacy of their own homes, print their voted ballot and return it to their county elections office. Their county must receive their voted ballot by 8 p.m. on June 2.  A postmark is not sufficient.

MEDIA CONTACT: Wanda Murren, 717-783-1621

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The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) issued a notice to announce a procedure code change for Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy (CRT) Services within the OBRA Waiver. Due to 2020 Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) updates, the procedure code for CRT in the OBRA Waiver is changing from 97127 SE (which was end-dated as of May 25, 2020) to 92507 SE (effective May 26, 2020).

The service definition and units of service will remain the same. OBRA Waiver Cognitive Rehabilitation Providers will be required to utilize “92507 SE” for claims submitted with dates of service 5/26/2020 forward for Cognitive Rehabilitation. The “OLTL Home and Community-Based Waiver Services Rates” sheet has been updated to reflect the change.

Another automated system update is scheduled to occur in HCSIS on 5/29/2020 to add the new “92507 SE” code so it is available for selection onto OBRA Waiver FY 2020-2021 service plans. Service Coordinators (SC) will need to manually add the new service code “92507 SE” onto OBRA Waiver FY 2020-2021 service plans. OLTL’s Participant Services Review Unit within the Division of Fee- For- Service (FFS) Operations will be working directly with impacted OBRA Waiver Service Coordination Entities (SCE) to address any additional FY 2020-2021 service plan updates.

Members that have billing questions regarding this procedure code change or wish to receive the new rates sheet in an alternate format should contact the OLTL Provider Inquiry Unit or 800-932-0939.

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The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) is committed to serving vulnerable populations every day and protecting individuals receiving services in a facility licensed by DHS. On March 30, we issued guidance for entities licensed by the following DHS program offices:

  1. Office of Developmental Programs (ODP)
  2. Office of Children, Youth and Families (OCYF)
  3. Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL)
  4. Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS)
  5. Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL)/Bureau of Human Services Licensing (BHSL)

In the March 30 guidance, we indicated that DHS will not be conducting any annual renewal inspections until Governor Wolf lifts the current Proclamation of Disaster Emergency for COVID-19 or until such other time set by DHS. However, licensing staff continued to investigate incidents and complaints.

Beginning May 28, DHS will resume annual renewal inspections in alignment with the Governor’s plan to re-open parts of the state. Information about the phases for re-opening can be found at the following link: https://www.governor.pa.gov/process-to-reopen-pennsylvania/.

All DHS program offices listed above will resume annual renewal inspections for counties that transition to the “green” phase. OCYF, OCDEL, ODP and OMHSAS will also start some annual renewal inspections for all counties that have transitioned to the “yellow” phase.

Licensing staff from all program offices will continue to investigate incidents and complaints statewide.
DHS is also considering conducting some annual renewal inspections remotely through virtual means.

More information about this will be forthcoming prior to any use of remote inspections. Please contact your Regional Program Office with any questions you may have.

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