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Medicaid

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Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey, the Chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, will be introducing new legislation on the floor of Senate titled “The Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Relief Act of 2023.”

The HCBS Relief Act of 2023 would provide dedicated Medicaid funds to states for two years to stabilize their HCBS service delivery networks, recruit and retain HCBS direct care workers, and meet the long-term service and support needs of people eligible for Medicaid home and community-based services. States would receive a 10-point increase in the federal match (FMAP) for Medicaid for two fiscal years to enhance HCBS. Funds could be used to increase direct care worker pay, provide benefits such as paid family leave or sick leave, and pay for transportation expenses to and from the homes of those being served. The additional funds also can be used to support family caregivers, pay for recruitment and training of additional direct care workers, and pay for technology to facilitate services. The funds can help decrease or eliminate the waiting lists for HCBS in the states.

The HCBS Relief Act of 2023 will be introduced during the fourth week of October with a House companion bill expected to be released in the near future. Please join RCPA in supporting this critical piece of legislation to create a viable and sustainable pathway for HCBS.

If you have any questions, please contact your respective RCPA Policy Director.

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As part of its commitment to advancing health equity and access to care for underserved populations, CMS released a set of resources addressing the needs of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) living with and cared for by aging parents or guardians. The release includes resources for state Medicaid and partner agencies to provide new or additional support to adults living with I/DD and their caregivers as they age and experience life transitions.

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Message From the Department of Human Services
June 8, 2023

Harrisburg, PA — The Shapiro Administration today announced it has completely eliminated a backlog of Medicaid provider enrollment and revalidation applications, paving the way for more health care providers to become part of the Medicaid program, and giving Medicaid recipients more options for care. This announcement follows news in late April that the Department of Human Services (DHS) had already reduced the provider backlog by 75 percent within Governor Shapiro’s first 100 days in office.

As of January 2023, there was a backlog of more than 35,000 provider applications and revalidation applications that were more than 30 days old. Within the first 100 days of the Administration, the number of waiting applicants was reduced by 75 percent to under 8,500 applications, and that backlog has now been entirely eliminated.

“Pennsylvania is fortunate to have so many caring, high-quality health care providers and professionals who want to be part of the Medicaid program and care for some of our most vulnerable friends, neighbors, and loved ones,” said DHS Acting Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh. “I want to thank them and DHS staff who worked so diligently on this issue. They have helped to ensure that Medicaid recipients in the Commonwealth can continue to get the care they need and deserve.”

By federal law, organizations are not able to offer care to patients under the Medicaid program unless they are enrolled providers. In addition, DHS must revalidate Medicaid service providers every five years. Any backlogs in processing applications means that providers who want to offer services to Medicaid recipients cannot do so until their applications are approved.

The Medicaid program in Pennsylvania serves more than 3.7 million people, including children, seniors, and people with disabilities. Recognizing the scope of the backlog and its impact on Pennsylvanians, the Shapiro Administration and DHS staff and leadership acted quickly to address it, removing roadblocks to processing applications quickly and cutting red tape.

Read the full announcement here. If a member has not been notified of the status of a pending enrollment or revalidation, please contact your RCPA Policy Director.

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Message from ANCOR:

ANCOR has been working diligently to review the proposed Access Rule, Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services, assess its impact, and propose ways to strengthen access to community-based services. Please join us on Tuesday, June 6, from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EDT for our second Members-Only Briefing on the Access Rule.

Please register in advance for Tuesday’s Feedback Forum.

During Tuesday’s Members-Only Briefing, the GR team will review:

  • How the Access Rule proposes to address direct care compensation, standardize systems of reporting, and engage stakeholder input;
  • ANCOR’s strategy to respond to the Access Rule;
  • How you can help us assess the impact and submit comments.

In addition to Tuesday’s briefing, we want to hear from you, in your own words, what impact the proposed rulemaking may have on your organization’s ability to provide services.

Please respond to this 10-question survey by Friday, June 9 at 11:59 pm PDT.

We remain committed to keeping you informed and providing you with the tools you need to offer comments and insight into the proposed rules. Thank you for everything you do each day, and we hope to see you on Tuesday at 1:00 pm EDT.

Shannon McCracken
Vice President of Government Relations
ANCOR
606-271-3555

If you have any questions regarding this ANCOR message, please contact Carol Ferenz.

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