STATUS OF HCS RATES!

by | Jun 3, 2022

Status of HCS Rates as of June 3rd  2022

Provider Rate Updates for HCS and TxHmL Providers

In early May, HHSC identified missing or incorrect rate keys for some Home and Community-based Services and Texas Home Living providers.

On May 11–12, HHSC completed updates to rate keys for these HCS and TxHmL providers based on rates published on the Provider Finance website.

Read the full alert.

After confirming rates with Provider Finance and paid claims on the R&S Report, contact the TMHP LTC Help Desk at 800-626-4117, Option 1, then Option 7, if you have additional questions.

https://pfd.hhs.texas.gov/sites/rad/files/documents/long-term-svcs/2022/2022-hcs-awards.pdf

Status of HCS Rates as of January 17th, 2022

HCS and TxHmL Day Habilitation Rates, Respite Rates and Other Concerns

  • The Public Health Emergency (PHE) was renewed until April 16, 2022, and
  • Clarification:  The HCS & TxHmL rates posted on HHSC’s webpage listed as Effective March 1, 2022 to Current. are a bit confusing
The Public Health Emergency (PHE):  https://aspr.hhs.gov/legal/PHE/Pages/COVID19-14Jan2022.aspx
HCS Day Habilitation (DH) & Respite Rates:  Some members have inquired about the HCS rates posted on HHSC’s website at:  https://pfd.hhs.texas.gov/sites/rad/files/documents/long-term-svcs/2022/03-01-2022-hcs-rates.pdf
This is a bit confusing according to those who have viewed it already, since the rates posted are the same as the 2020 rates.  Such is further confusing when only the DH and Respite rates note an effective date of March 1, 2022 and the statement at the bottom of the DH rate pages reads:  Effective March 1, 2022:  DH includes in-home and out-of-home. Some have questioned whether this statement means that the COVID add-on rate is ending March 1 – a date that contradicts the statement on the LTSS Rate home webpage:   https://pfd.hhs.texas.gov/long-term-services-supports .
The temporary COVID-19 rate increases were effective April 1, 2020, and are estimated to conclude at the end of the federally-declared public health emergency (PHE). The PHE is anticipated to end on March 16, 2022, unless the PHE is withdrawn before this date or extended. The official PHE notifications can be viewed here.
The TxHmL rates can be viewed at:  https://pfd.hhs.texas.gov/sites/rad/files/documents/long-term-svcs/2022/03-01-2022-txhml-rates.pdf
This action does not impact the current COVID add-on rate for the provision of in-home DH in HCS.  As noted in the above italicized paragraph, the PHE has been renewed.  Unfortunately, HHSC inadvertently erred in its statement that the PHE is now “anticipated to end on March 16th”.  PHEs are renewed on a 90-day basis, meaning that HHSC needs to correct this statement to read that the PHE is anticipated to end on April 16 unless withdrawn before that date or extended.

 

Please contact the Rate Analysis Department’s Customer Information Center at (512) 424-6637 or by email at RAD-LTSS@hhsc.state.tx.us should you have any questions regarding the information in this document.

May 25th, 2020

COVID-19 Temporary Rate Increases for In-Home DH in the HCS Programs:  Effective April 1st, 2020

The payment rate add-ons for the HCS waiver only apply to providers delivering in-home day habilitation services to persons with intellectual disabilities or related conditions residing in three or four-bed group homes and receiving Supervised Living or Residential Support Services. These rate increases will apply to the current day habilitation rates so that providers delivering services in group homes can maintain hourly direct care staff wages due to reduced client-to-staff ratios.

Per 355.205 – Emergency Rule for Emergency Temporary Reimbursement Rate Increases and Limitations on Use of Emergency Temporary Funds for Medicaid in Response to Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), HCS providers receiving increased funding associated with add-on payments for COVID-19 must submit an attestation affirming that the rate increases will be used only in the manner prescribed above. HCS providers who receive add-ons but fail to complete the required attestation will be subject to recoupment of the associated payment add-ons. The attestation form can be here. Please utilize Chrome (Preferred Browser), Firefox or Safari.

The temporary COVID-19 rate increases were effective April 1, 2020, and is estimated to conclude at the end of the federally-declared public health emergency (PHE). The PHE is anticipated to end on July 15, 2022, unless the PHE is withdrawn before this date or extended. The official PHE notifications can be viewed here.