ICF/ID Program Cost Considerations During Pandemic

The situation across the Commonwealth is evolving day to day, and no one is sure how long or how severe the impact will be. As you are primarily focused on the care of the people you serve and doing everything to meet their individual needs, AZTAC staff wanted to remind you that it is also important to monitor the associated costs that might increase during a pandemic. Fortunately, the ICF/ID program has a longstanding regulatory process by which you can request additional funding for such increased costs.

Now is the time to be sure you are tracking these costs. Following are some suggestions to think about in case you need to submit a request for a waiver (of the standard interim rate) for additional funding. Documentation is very important toward receiving approval of your request. Having all of your information well documented and compiled in one place will 1) enable you to determine if you need to submit a request; and 2) the information will enable you to clearly describe the issues, your efforts, and the costs in your narrative justification. If you submit a waiver request for additional funding, you will need to document your costs both before and after the impact of the Coronavirus. You will only be able to ask for the increase in costs, not necessarily the full costs, above and beyond what you are already funded for.

(reprinted with permission from AZTAC. The full article from AZTAC is available here.)