From the Department of Human Services (DHS):

As you may know, on Monday, June 14, DHS submitted a preliminary spending plan to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that serves as a foundation for Pennsylvania’s planning efforts by outlining our principles and overarching priorities for expanding and enhancing home and community-based services (HCBS). The preliminary plan encompasses many of the stakeholder recommendations that have been made to date. The overarching priorities include:

1. Increasing access to Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS);
2. Enhancing HCBS provider payment rates and benefits;
3. Protecting the health and well-being of direct care workers and direct support professionals through the provision of supplies and equipment;
4. Recruitment and retention efforts to support the workforce;
5. Supporting caregivers;
6. Assistive technology and other supports to improve functional capabilities of persons with disabilities;
7. Supporting the transition of individuals to community-based living arrangements;
8. Investing in activities to address Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder treatment and recovery needs of Medicaid beneficiaries; and
9. Building HCBS capacity and rebalancing Long-term Services and Supports.

The Department of Human Services has already heard from many stakeholders about Pennsylvania’s plan to use the increased Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentages (FMAP) available under the American Rescue Plan, but for those who are unable to submit feedback via email, you are able to do so by participating in Wednesday’s virtual public comment session beginning at 10:00 am. To ensure all who register are able to speak, each individual will have 5 minutes to provide their feedback.

Click on this link to register for the session. You can click here to view Pennsylvania’s preliminary spending plan.

Thank you for your continued collaboration and for all you do to serve Pennsylvanians.