The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared an update to communication ODPANN 24-085, which is intended to provide the hourly wage and benefits ranges for specific participant directed services (PDS) provided to participants utilizing the AWC FMS model effective October 1, 2024. Please note that the update is in red.
Please use this version of the announcement going forward.
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared ODPANN 24-085. The purpose of the announcement is to provide the hourly wage and benefits ranges for specific participant directed services (PDS) provided to participants utilizing the Agency With Choice (AWC) Financial Management Service (FMS) model effective October 1, 2024. Please view the announcement for details and information.
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared a list of current Agency With Choice (AWC) Financial Management Service (FMS) organizations that are available to support participants and surrogates who have chosen to self-direct some or all of their Participant Directed Services (PDS) using the AWC FMS model and are in the Consolidated, Community Living, or Person/Family Directed Support (P/FDS) waivers. Please view the announcement for additional information and to see the listing.
ODP Announcement 22-092 provides a list of current Agency With Choice (AWC) Financial Management Service (FMS) organizations that are available to support participants and surrogates who have chosen to self-direct some or all of their Participant Directed Services (PDS) using the AWC FMS model and are in the Consolidated, Community Living, and Person/Family Directed Support (P/FDS) waiver. Read the full announcement for details.
The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) collected public comments on the Agency With Choice (AWC) Request for Information (RFI) from March 11, 2022, through March 25, 2022. After numerous requests from providers and associations (RCPA included), the public comments were posted on the Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Long-Term Care providers web page under the heading “Agency With Choice – Public Input.”
The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) recently released the Request for Information (RFI) to gather feedback regarding the implementation of Agency With Choice (AWC) services for the participants of Medical Assistance (MA) managed care programs, the 1915(c) MA home and community-based services (HCBS) waiver program, and a state-funded program.
Through these programs, eligible participants receive long-term services and supports (LTSS) and other benefits, depending on the particular program. Specifically, this RFI seeks information to assist OLTL in determining how it may improve options for LTSS participants to self-direct their services in the Community HealthChoices Program (CHC), OBRA Waiver, and the state-funded Act 150 Attendant Care Program through the procurement and implementation of AWC.
Through this RFI, OLTL is seeking to become more aware of and knowledgeable about current efforts to increase opportunities for self-direction and feedback on the implementation of AWC through a potential, future procurement. OLTL encourages interested parties, including vendors and stakeholders, to provide feedback in response to this RFI or any part of it. An interested party may respond to all or any of the specific questions or topics included in this RFI.
RFI responses are due by12:00 pm on March 25, 2022. Responses must be submitted electronically with “OLTL Agency With Choice RFI” in the email subject line. While OLTL does not intend to respond to questions or clarifications during the RFI response period, interested parties and individuals may submit administrative questions related to this RFI electronically using “OLTL Agency With Choice” in the email subject line. OLTL may or may not respond based on the nature of the question.
ODP Announcement 22-026 is to announce that the proposed Fee Schedule Rates and Department-Established Fees for Consolidated, Community Living and P/FDS Waiver services, as well as the Community Intellectual Disability Base-funded program were published at 52 Pa.B. 102 (January 1, 2022).
The Department received comments from 134 stakeholders regarding the proposed changes to the Fee Schedule Rates and Department-Established Fees. After reviewing the comments on the proposed rates, the Department determined that an increase to the Fee Schedule Rates for the Agency With Choice Financial Management Services monthly administrative fee from $285.28 to $311.68 was necessary to cover staff wages and the costs of implementing participant directed services in accordance with requirements in the approved Waivers.
No other changes were made to the rates as a result of public comment.
ODP Announcement 22-024 is intended to provide the hourly wage and benefits ranges for specific Participant Directed Services (PDS) provided to participants utilizing the AWC FMS model, effective March 1, 2022.
ODP updated the data used in establishing rates, which impacted the hourly wage and benefits ranges effective March 1, 2022. The high end of the hourly wage and benefits ranges either increased or remained the same.
These wage and benefit ranges will be used to pay SSPs and to support claims processing in the Provider Reimbursement and Operations Management Information System (PROMISe™) in electronic format by the AWC FMS organization. This communication will only be updated when changes occur to the information contained within.
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has issued updated provider agreements that must be completed and returned to ODP by May 1. All providers of Waiver Services in Pennsylvania, including Supports Coordination Organizations (SCO) and Agency With Choice (AWC), must sign and return the ODP IDA Waiver Provider Agreement. Each waiver provider only needs to submit one provider agreement for the legal entity, regardless of the number of services provided or the number of service locations operated by the legal entity.
The provider agreement is essentially the same as the current agreement with the addition of the Community Living Waiver, with an effective date of January 1, 2018, and the addition of condition number two. Condition number two states that the provider agrees “To comply with the approved waiver; including all standards enumerated in the service definition(s) which the Waiver Provider will be rendering, provider qualification requirements and other requirements established by the Department as outlined in the approved waivers.” The letter that was sent to providers from Deputy Secretary Nancy Thaler can be found here.
