Dear Members,
Some of you may have noticed recent changes in your payments for Primary Home Care (PHC) and/or Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) attendant services. Near the start of each state Fiscal Year, HHSC posts updated attendant rate enhancement information for participating providers. An overview of this enhancement for community care providers is available on HHSC Rate Analysis’ Long-term Services and Supports website. Providers must enroll each year to participate.
In mid-October, HHSC sent awards letters to participating providers and posted the SFY 2019 rate awards levels to their website. Providers may use their contract number to check the 2019 awards list to see the level(s) for which their agency has been approved, as well as any limitations.
HHSC specifically notes:
For state fiscal year 2019, additional rate enhancement levels awarded above pre-existing levels were limited by available appropriations. Providers requesting to increase their enhancement participation level were awarded enhancements up to level 1, the highest level within the scope of appropriations for this purpose. Providers participating at or above level 1 in SFY 2018, and did not have an imposed limitation, will maintain the previous year’s enrollment status.
Awarded enhancement levels will not be entered into the Claims Management System until after your first billing cycle of the new state fiscal year. If your awarded enhancement level is different from your current enhancement level, this will result in retroactive rate adjustments for any September 2018 claims paid before your new level is entered into the system.
Additional enhanced attendant care compensation enrollment and training information is available on the HHSC Rate Analysis website.
For questions about this rate enhancement program or your 2019 enrollment status, please contact the LTSS Customer Information Center (CIC) at (512) 424-6637, or by email at rad-ltss@hhsc.state.tx.us.
As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at heather@tahch.org for further information or assistance. Thank you!