Updates – Of Many Kinds (But all Medicaid Related!)

March 02, 2021

• The eagerly anticipated Memo to extend the flexibilities under Appendix K is still unpublished (waiting for final approval from CMS).  BUT, when it is published it will extend flexibilities to 6 months after the end of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) with the following exceptions:
  • Personal Care, Respite & Companion providers for individuals over the age of 18 will no longer be permitted to delay their criminal background checks (Ends April 30th)
  • With limited exceptions and with proper precautions in-person, visits will be required for supervision, newly enrolled members, a member with significant changes, and DD Waiver Case Management (Begins May 1st)
  • Personal care/personal assistance services by parents of children under 18 and spouses will not be allowed  (Ends August 1st)
  • Allowance for CE, CC and In-Home to be provided virtually (Ends August 1st)
  • Other flexibilities remain until further notice. 

[The above is for guidance only, we do not have a copy of the final Memo, but recognize that we are getting too close to the previously announced end date for planning purposes!]

 

• Hazard pay for personal care, respite and companion workers has been delayed (for some) again – agencies began receiving funding to make payments on February 19th, but it is not consistent in roll out, so some have received and some have not – direct callers to hazardpay@dmas.virginia.gov for answers!
• COVID Relief Funds for Residential and Day Services are also slowly coming out – as of March 1:
  • 72 of 152 of the Residential payments had been processed and 47 of the 88 Day Support payments for Round 1 had been mad, others are “in review” or are awaiting more information.
  • DMAS continues to accept applications for Round 2; it is not clear the intent of the General Assembly in showing a “clawback” of the excess funding, so the approach is to keep accepting applications until given firm direction.
• A raft of correspondence came out today on BRAVO [It began as “Transformation,” then “Redesign,”  “Enhancement,” and now “Behavioral Health Redesign for Access, Value and Outcomes (BRAVO)”].  Too much for this post, but we will discuss on the call later this week.  Just pay attention, services beginning in July may require a new license and given the frequent delays in processing service modification (even with priority status), it will be necessary to submit any needed paperwork the DBHDS as soon as possible for a July 1st start date!