Agency for Health Care Administration, Medicaid

 

AGENCY FOR HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION

Medicaid

Proposed Amendments to Florida’s Home and Community Based Waivers and Preliminary Transition Plan for implementing Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Final Rule CMS 2249-F

The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) is seeking public input on the Preliminary Transition Plan to implement HCBS Final Rule CMS 2249-F.

BACKGROUND

The new Federal HCBS rule finalized January 10, 2014, defines requirements for: person centered planning in service plan development; home-like environments for residential settings in assisted living facilities and other residential settings; and community inclusion of program recipients. The rule describes and aligns home and community-based settings across programs authorized under Section 1915 (c), (i) and (k) Medicaid authorities and establishes five-year renewal cycle. The rule also increases public notification requirements for waivers and other amendments to CMS approved program documents.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS:

The Agency will be amending or renewing all home and community based waivers to come into compliance with the new rule. The waivers will be amended as follows:

1915(b)(c) Long-term Care Waiver

The Agency will submit an amendment to increase the number of individuals who can be served in the upcoming fiscal year. The program will be amended to allow plan members to; participate in person-centered care planning; permit choices of personal schedules and visitation for persons receiving services in assisted living settings and other residential settings not owned by the plan member; and encourage plan member inclusion in local community events.

1915(c) Model Waiver

The Agency will amend the Model waiver to update the quality performance measures to bring this waiver into compliance with the new rule.

1915(c) Project AIDS Care Waiver

The Agency will amend the Project AIDS Care waiver to include an updated enrollment process, updated acuity level determination and updated quality performance measures in order to bring this waiver into compliance with the new rule.

1915(c) Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injury (TBI) Waiver

The Agency will amend to the TBI waiver to increase the number of recipients eligible to enroll in the waiver and include updated quality performance measures.

1915(c) Adult Cystic Fibrosis Waiver

The Agency will amend the Adult Cystic Fibrosis waiver to update the quality performance measures to bring this waiver into compliance with the new rule.

1915(c) Familial Dysautonomia Waiver

The Agency will request a renewal of the Familial Dysautonomia waiver for an additional five years. During the renewal the Agency will be updating the quality performance measures to bring this waiver into compliance with the new rule.

1915(c) DD Individual Budgeting Waiver

The Agency will be submitting an amendment to the DD Individual Budgeting Waiver to increase the adult training service rate and quality performance measures to bring this waiver into compliance with the new rule.

1915(i) HCBS State Plan Service/Redirection

This state plan service was approved as of March 2013 and no further amendments are required at this time.

Public Notice and Public Comment Period: June 25, 2014 – JuLY 25, 2014

The Agency will conduct a 30-day public notice and comment period prior to the submission of the proposed amendment request to Federal CMS. The Agency will consider all public comments received regarding the proposed amendment request and the Preliminary Transition Plan. The 30-day public notice and public comment period begins June 25, 2014 and ends July 25, 2014. This public notice and public comment period is being held to solicit public input from recipients, providers and all stakeholders and interested parties on the development of the proposed amendment requests to Florida’s HCBS Waivers as well as comments on the Preliminary Transition Plan.

The Preliminary Transition Plan can be viewed on the Agency’s website at the following link: http://ahca.myflorida.com/Medicaid/hcbs_waivers/index.shtml.

To submit comments by postal service or internet e-mail, please follow the directions outlined below. When providing comments regarding the proposed amendment or the Preliminary Transition Plan, please have ‘HCBS Preliminary Transition Plan’ referenced in the subject line. Mail comments and suggestions to:

Agency for Health Care Administration

Attention: HCBS Waivers

2727 Mahan Drive, MS #20

Tallahassee, Florida 32308

E-mail your comments and suggestions to: [e-mail].

If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact us using the Florida Relay Service, 1(800)955-8771 (TDD) or 1(800)955-8770 (Voice). For more information, you may contact: Sophia Whaley at [phone] or email: [e-mail].