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ARPA

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has announced a 3% increase to all Early Intervention service rates from the previously published 2022/23 fee schedule.

Through the 2022/23 budget, a permanent rate increase of 3 percent for Early Intervention Services was enacted. This rate is in addition to the 3% increase funded through ARPA-IDEA previously published rates for 2021/22 and 2022/23. The Fee Schedule includes the 3% rate increase.

The funding must be used to enhance, expand, or strengthen IDEA and HCBS services. In 2021/22, OCDEL used the combined federal funds (ARPA-IDEA Part C & HCBS FMAP increase) to support the rate increase announced for fiscal year 2021/22 across all rates for Infant/Toddler Early Intervention services.

The Fee Schedule also includes the new Place of Service code for Tele-Intervention for Early Intervention. When providing services to a child and family by Tele-Intervention, the provider must identify the Place of Service for Tele-Intervention on the billing claim in PROMISe. The Place of Service for Tele-Intervention for Early Intervention is 02. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), for the purposes of Medicaid, defines telemedicine as the use of two-way, real time interactive telecommunications technology that includes, at a minimum, audio and video equipment as a mode of delivering healthcare services.

NEXT STEPS:

  1. Infant/Toddler programs should share this announcement with all of their Early Intervention providers.
  2. Infant/Toddler programs and providers should review the MA Bulletin 99-22-02 for further information.
  3. Infant/Toddler Early Intervention programs and providers can use the updated 2022/23 fee schedule rates for services delivered on and after July 1, 2022.
  4. Early Intervention claims filed prior to this announcement with eligible dates of services may be resubmitted as a claims adjustment at the time and expense of the Early Intervention provider. Timely filing requirements must be abided by at all times with no exceptions or exemptions.
  5. Infant/Toddler Early Intervention Providers shall update any guidance and billing protocols around place of service Tele-Intervention 02. Providers will need to begin to bill using the 02 Tele-Intervention Place of Service code as of July 1, 2022.
  6. Infant/Toddler Early Intervention Programs will need to have a process in place to review the Place of Service 02 when analyzing provider billing.

If you have any questions, contact OCDEL or RCPA Children’s Policy Director Jim Sharp.

ADvancing States and our partners with the ARPA HCBS Technical Assistance Collective are proud to release two papers that provide information about state efforts and activities under their American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) HCBS spending plans. Through the generous support of The SCAN Foundation, The John A. Hartford Foundation, The Milbank Memorial Fund, and Arnold Ventures, the TA Collective operated two Affinity Groups (AG) to support states, facilitate information exchange, and share innovations, promising practices, and other strategies to expand and enhance their HCBS programs.

One AG focused on HCBS Workforce Shortages and state efforts to increase worker compensation and to improve training and education activities, while the other AG was dedicated to incorporating enabling technology into state HCBS programs. Each paper provides an overview of the issue, a summary of the discussions and ideas presented, examples of state innovations, and a discussion of future activities, challenges, and considerations as states continue to address these issues.

Visit here to read more.

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) has launched a web page detailing the Behavioral Health Commission for Adult Mental Health. Among other information, the page includes a list of the 24 commissioners, dates for upcoming commission meetings (which are open to the public for both in-person and remote participation), and an email address for those interested in attending the meetings.

The commission will next meet at 1:00 pm, September 1, in Dauphin County at a location to be determined.

Act 54 of 2022 established the Behavioral Health Commission for Adult Mental Health as an interdisciplinary body comprised of leadership from state agencies, communities around Pennsylvania, and the behavioral health field as well as individuals with lived experience with behavioral health.

The legislature appropriated $100 million of American Rescue Plan Act funding for adult mental health programs. Per Act 54 of 2022, no funding shall be expended until enabling legislation is enacted by the General Assembly. The Commission shall produce a report with funding recommendations.

Visit the BH Commission for Adult Mental Health website.

The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) issued the following notice regarding the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) one-time payments for personal care homes (PCH) and Assisted Living Residences (ALR):

Background Info:

Governor Wolf signed Act 54 of 2022, which allocates $26.767 million of federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for payments to nursing facilities (NF), personal care homes (PCH), and assisted living residences (ALR). To qualify for the one-time payment, a facility must be in operation as of July 1, 2022.

These one-time ARPA funds must be used for COVID-19 related costs not otherwise reimbursed by federal, state, or other sources of funding. OLTL will send a letter with details about the payments, including information about the approved use of and reporting on these funds. An Act 54 Facility Acceptance Form must be completed by September 2, 2022.

Additional information on Act 54, payment amounts and approved use of this funding will be available at the DHS Long-Term Care Providers page.

PCH/ALR Payments:

  • ARPA PCH/ALR Payment #1 — Licensed Occupancy
    • The total funds available for a one-time ARPA payment to PCHs and ALRs pursuant to Act 54 (ARPA PCH/ALR Payment #1) is $24,090,000. Each PCH/ALR Payment #1 is calculated by the dividing the census of the PCH or ALR, as determined by the most recent DHS inspection on or before July 1, 2022, by the total census of all PCHs and ALRs, including those with a special care designation, as determined by the most recent DHS inspection on or before July 1, 2022, to obtain a facility-specific quotient for each PCH and ALR. Each facility’s quotient is multiplied by $24,090,000 to determine its payment amount.
  • ARPA PCH/ALR Payment #2 — Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Residents Served
    • The total funds available for a one-time ARPA payment to PCHs and ALRs pursuant to Act 54 (ARPA PCH/ALR Payment #2) is $2,677,000. Each ARPA PCH/ALR Payment #2 is calculated by dividing the number of individuals for whom the PCH/ALR received a state SSI payment as in March 2022, divided by the total of all PCH’s/ALR’s individuals for whom a state SSI payment was made in March 2022, to obtain a facility-specific quotient. Each PCH’s/ALR’s quotient is multiplied by $2,677,000 to determine its payment amount.

PCHs and ALRs must complete the Facility Acceptance Form by August 26, 2022. Checks will be issued and mailed in the order in which DHS receives the Facility Acceptance Forms.

Act 54 of 2022 requires the ARPA funding to be obligated by December 31, 2024, and spent by December 31, 2026, or returned to the commonwealth. Additionally, these funds must be used for COVID-19 related expenses. Providers must keep documentation to prove that these funds were used for their response to the COVID-19 pandemic in case of an audit. Any person or entity accepting an ARPA payment agrees to provide documentation to DHS, upon request, for purposes of determining compliance with Act 24 requirements. Instructions on expenditure reporting will be provided at a later date.

The Department of Human Services (DHS) recommends that providers consult their accountants or attorneys for further clarification on acceptable uses of ARPA funding. DHS encourages providers to review guidance for eligible expenditures on the U.S. Department of the Treasury website in their Compliance and Reporting Guidance.

Any questions about this information or the Facility Acceptance Form should be sent to PW, OLTL COVID Payments.

ODP Announcement 22-088 reports that ODP is seeking public comment on the proposed initiatives specific to programs and services for individuals with an intellectual disability and/or autism (ID/A) for which ARPA funds will be used.

ARPA provides a temporary 10% increase to the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for certain Medicaid expenditures for home and community-based services (HCBS). The funding must be used to enhance, expand, or strengthen HCBS beyond what is available under Medicaid programs, including ODP’s waivers.

ODP is proposing additional initiatives in the following areas:

  • Data Management Enhancements;
  • Targeted Program Recovery; and
  • Expansion Supplemental Payments.

Interested persons are invited to submit written comments regarding the proposed ODP ARPA initiatives. Comments should be addressed to: Department of Human Services, Office of Developmental Programs, Division of Provider Assistance and Rate Setting, 4th Floor, 625 Forster Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120.

Comments may also be submitted to the Department via email using the subject header “ODP ARPA Initiatives.” Comments received by 11:59 pm on August 19, 2022, will be reviewed and considered for final implementation.

ODP Announcement 22-083 announces that Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) providers with approved ARPA Grant applications should use the following survey to request reimbursement for expenses incurred. Reimbursement for Technology Grants may consist of one progress payment and one final payment. Reimbursement for Training/Credentialing and Business Associate Grants may include up to two progress payments and one final payment.

Prior to beginning the survey, providers should ensure that supporting documentation (paid invoices, cancelled checks, accounting records, etc.) is available and scanned into a PDF format. These documents will need to be attached at the end of the survey.

Providers should generally expect to see payments a few weeks following ODP’s review of submitted information.

Please access the survey here. Contact Rick Smith for technical questions or issues.

ODP Announcement 21-031: UPDATE highlights that the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) provides a temporary 10% increase to the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for certain Medicaid expenditures for home and community-based services (HCBS). The funding is to be used to enhance, expand, or strengthen HCBS beyond what is available under the Medicaid program.

On June 3, CMS notified states that they have an additional year to use funding made available by ARPA, expanding eligible expenditures to March 31, 2025. To provide guidance about the process for providers to request one-time payments and address staff training, credentialing, and business associates programs for employment, the application deadline for this initiative has been extended to October 31, 2022.

Providers interested in applying will complete and submit the Staff Training, Credentialing, and Business Associates Programs for Employment Supplemental Payment Application and submit via email to Rick Smith. Applications will be accepted through October 31, 2022.

The Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has announced a funding opportunity under an approved Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) spending plan that will provide American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to HCBS providers. The purpose of the funding is for the implementation of quality improvement (QI) projects to improve the services available to HCBS participants through the Community HealthChoices (CHC) and OBRA 1915(c) waivers. This opportunity focuses on supplementing activities in a manner that improves and strengthens the quality of HCBS services. The use of the ARPA funding, however, is limited to those activities that supplement rather than supplant the existing services.

DHS will provide funding of up to $40,000 per approved request submission and approve funding on a one-time basis to each qualified provider. DHS will review and approve submissions in the order in which they are received until the total funding allocated has been exhausted. Members are encouraged to submit their requests as soon as possible.

Funding will only be provided for the following improvement projects:

  • Supplemental activities to address the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). For example, SDOH activities may include:
    • Activities to address affordable and accessible housing (rent, room, and board are not allowable expenditures under this funding opportunity);
    • Activities to improve access to competitive integrated employment for participants. This may include access to benefits counseling or remote technology to support employment;
    • Activities to improve or enhance transportation for CHC and OBRA participants; and
    • Activities to alleviate food insecurities for participants.
  • Purchase of remote support technology by providers. This can include provider technology initiatives that improve service transparency and quality assurance, such as providing direct care workers with access to tablets and software that support in-home documentation of participant conditions and other related care needs.
  • Payment for the development and implementation of enhanced training for direct care workers, Medical Assistance (MA) providers, or both. This may include enhanced training on infection control practices, such as the development of videos and online modules to address best practices in infection control. This may also include training for professional development. For example, this funding may be used to promote training or coursework related to the professional advancement or development for direct care workers.
  • Purchase and implementation of new software and technology for electronic health records or quality/risk management functions. This includes funding for providers to contract with a Health Information Organization. Having access to electronic health care records enables HCBS providers to connect with local hospitals and physicians and ensure real-time communication between the HCBS provider and the participant’s medical providers.

Additional information, including the HCBS Quality Incentive Funding Request Form, is available on the DHS Long-Term Care Providers web page. Questions should be sent via email to OLTL.