Today,
the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the state
of Washington’s COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) section 1115(a)
demonstration, “COVID-19 PHE.” This approval
is the first section 1115(a) demonstration specifically intended to combat
the effects of COVID-19 in a state since the President Trump declared the
COVID-19 outbreak a national emergency on March 13th.
Under this demonstration, CMS is providing the state with section 1115(a)
waiver and expenditure authorities to assist them in delivering the most
effective care to their Medicaid beneficiaries in light of the COVID-19
pandemic.
In
addition to the section 1115(a)(1) waivers which allow the state to target
services on a geographic basis; provide flexibilities to vary the amount,
duration, and scope of services based on population needs; and to allow
Washington to triage access to long-term services and supports (LTSS) based
on highest need, the Agency is also providing the state with a variety of
section 1115(a)(2) expenditure authorities. Some of the notable
authorities CMS is providing Washington in its COVID-19 PHE demonstration
are:
- Allowing the state to receive
federal reimbursement for providing LTSS to beneficiaries, even if
they are not timely, updated in the plan of care, or delivered in
otherwise-allowable settings;
- Allowing for self-attestation or
alternative verification of individuals’ eligibility (income/assets)
and level of care (LOC) to qualify for LTSS to reduce administrative
burden for both the state and beneficiaries;
- Allowing the state to pay higher
rates to certain home and community-based service (HCBS) providers to
maintain capacity during the pandemic; and
- Allowing the state to make retainer
payments for many providers of habilitation and personal care services
to maintain capacity during the emergency.
- Allowing the state to make
retainer payments to many providers of personal care services and
habilitation services that include personal care as a component.
This
approval
is another leap forward in cementing CMS’s commitment to providing our
state partners with the resources they need during this national
pandemic. It is also another vital step that supports the broader
efforts of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. To keep up with the
important work that the Task Force is doing in response to COVID-19, please
visit: www.coronavirus.gov.
For a complete and updated list of CMS actions, guidance, and other
information related to the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit
the Current
Emergencies Website. Additionally, CMS has launched a
dedicated, Medicaid.gov,
COVID-19 resource page that will be continually updated with
relevant information for stakeholders.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment