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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released guidance on the Omnibus COVID-19 health care staff vaccination interim final rule that was published on November 5, 2021. The emergency regulation helps safeguard health care workers and the people they serve from COVID-19 and its variants for all individuals seeking care. This is done by imposing requirements regarding vaccinations for eligible staff at health care facilities participating in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
This guidance provides important information on implementation as well as guidelines to assess and maintain compliance with the COVID-19 vaccination requirements for health care workers at facilities participating in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has outlined its plan to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to strengthen the workforce and assist Adult Day Services (ADS) providers. This plan is in response to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), which provides a temporary 10 percent 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.
The OLTL ARPA plan directs $46.5 million to Personal Assistance Service (PAS), Community Integration (CI), and Residential Habilitation (Res Hab) providers to assist with recruitment and retention of direct care workers. The plan directs an additional $13 million to ADS providers to strengthen ADS. To qualify for these payments, providers must have been in operation as of November 1, 2021.
OLTL sent letters to providers with details about the payments, including information about the approved use of and reporting on these funds. For reference, samples of the letters, a list of qualifying entities and payment amounts, and a blank copy of the Provider Attestation Form are available on the DHS Long-Term Care Providers page under the heading “American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funding.”
To receive a Strengthening the Workforce or Adult Day Services payment, providers must complete the OLTL Provider Attestation form and return via email or fax it to the OLTL Bureau of Finance at (717) 787-2145. Providers who return completed forms by January 7, 2022, will receive payment in February 2022.
Strengthening the Workforce Payments
Strengthening ADS Payments
Acceptable Uses of ARPA Funding
ARPA funding must be used for things such as sign on bonuses, retention payments, COVID-19 related leave benefits and paid time off, vaccination incentives, or the purchase of personal protective equipment and testing supplies. Additionally, ADS providers can use the funding for retrofitting adult day centers, expenses to re-open the centers, and expenses to develop alternative models to provide ADS.
Questions about this information should be directed to the OLTL Provider Helpline at 800-932-0939.
Message from the Department of Human Services (DHS):
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 20, 2021
Department of Human Services Discusses Spending Plan for Home and Community-Based Services Enhanced Federal Funding to Support Mental Health Services, Children
Harrisburg, PA — Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) today highlighted Pennsylvania’s spending plan for approximately $1.2 billion in enhanced federal Medicaid funding made available to states through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). This funding will support Medicaid’s home and community-based services (HCBS) system throughout the commonwealth, which helps seniors, people with disabilities, children with complex medical needs, and many other groups safely live in their community among their family and peers. This funding will strengthen Pennsylvania’s home and community-based services system by allowing more Pennsylvanians access to critical services in their communities and supporting service providers that perform this work every day.
“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the professionals who care for our most vulnerable, including children, seniors, people with disabilities, and those needing mental health services,” said Acting Secretary Meg Snead. “This enhanced funding through the American Rescue Plan Act will allow employers to recruit and retain skilled workers and allows them to plan for the future to provide training, certification, technology access, and much more.”
DHS received conditional approval of its spending plan on December 1 from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. On today’s call, DHS outlined how funding will be used through the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), and the Office of Medical Assistance Programs (OMAP).
“When we invest in the caring workforce, Pennsylvania benefits both socially and economically,” said Acting Secretary Snead. “Having care provided in your own home or within your community allows family caregivers to be part of the workforce themselves and it allows those needing home and community-based services to stay safe, healthy, and to thrive.”
More information about Pennsylvania’s home and community-based services spending plan is available on DHS’s website.
RCPA continues to meet with DHS advocating for members on the spending plan and distribution strategies to ensure the workforce issues are front and center of the plan. If you have any questions, please contact your RCPA Policy Director.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved the Office of Long-Term Living’s (OLTL) Community HealthChoices (CHC) Waiver amendment. The amendment is effective January 1, 2022.
The changes in the approved amendment include:
Questions about the 2022 CHC amendment can be submitted electronically.
Deputy Secretary Ahrens presented an overview of the Office of Developmental Programs’ (ODP) plan that was conditionally approved by the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for use of the ARPA funds during a webinar on December 9, 2021. While the infusion of funds will be beneficial to the system of support in PA, RCPA staff will be carefully monitoring the details of the plans as they are released, particularly the rate refresh, and will continue to advocate for fiscal policies that will allow for stability in the service system.
Highlights include:
Visit the DHS web page to view the full spending plan.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released an MLN Matters publication reiterating how beginning January 1, 2022, payments will be reduced for physical therapy and occupational therapy services when they are provided in whole or in part by a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or an occupational therapy assistant (OTA). Members are encouraged to review the article to learn more, including information on the changes to payments due to the Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA) of 2018. The article also provides additional information on the payment reduction and the modifiers that will be required on the claims.