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Tags Posts tagged with "OBRA Waiver Amendments"

OBRA Waiver Amendments

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has made available for public review and comment the Office of Long-Term Living’s (OLTL) proposed waiver amendments to the following waivers:

The notices were released and will be published in the July 29, 2017 Pennsylvania Bulletin. Comments on the proposed waiver amendments submitted within 30 days will be reviewed and considered. They can be submitted to the Department of Human Services, Office of Long-Term Living, Bureau of Policy and Regulatory Management, Attention: Aging Amendments; Attendant Care Amendments; Independence Amendments; or OBRA Amendments (based on which waiver comments are being submitted), PO Box 8025, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8025. Comments may also be submitted to the Department via email. Use “Aging Waiver Amendments,” “Attendant Care Waiver Amendments,” Independence Waiver Amendments,” or ”OBRA Waiver Amendments” as the subject line depending on which waiver comments are being submitted.

DHS will be holding two webinars on the proposed waiver amendments. The dates and times of the webinars, including the call information, will be posted to the DHS OLTL Waiver Information website or by calling 717-783-8412.

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has announced the recent changes to the OBRA Waiver that have been approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Some of the waiver amendments include:

  • Adds five new employment-related service definitions that are replacing two existing employment service definitions. Five employment services have been added (benefits counseling, career assessment, employment skills development, job coaching, and job finding) (C-1/C-3).
  • Corrects the regulatory citation for an Outpatient or Community-Based Rehabilitation Agency provider type in the Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT), Speech and Language Therapy (SLP) service definitions (C-1/C-3).
  • Clarifies that Personal Assistance Services (PAS) are only available to individuals in the waiver 21 years of age and over. All medically necessary Personal Assistance Services for children under age 21 are covered in the state plan pursuant to the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit (C-1/C-3).

The complete service definitions and requirements are now included in an updated OBRA Waiver document. The effective date of these changes is February 1, 2017.

The OBRA Waiver PROPOSED rates for the new Employment Services have also been released. Questions regarding these rates should be directed to (717) 783-8412.