Information Letters for Hospice and CLASS Providers

DADS released two information letters: Hospice providers – billing instructions update: DADS informed hospice providers that they will use modifier U4 in the Modifier 4 location, along with Modifier U3 (Level of Care 1) in the Modifier 2 location, on the Medicaid Institutional Claim when billing hospice services for residents of State Supported Living Centers [...]

Texas Register Updates: Life Safety Code Inspection, March 15 Hearing

The following information was obtained from the February 19 issue of the Texas Register: Proposed Rules HHSC proposes to amend Subchapter B, Definitions, §19.101, concerning definitions; Subchapter D, Facility Construction, §19.330, concerning construction and initial survey of completed construction; and new §19.220, concerning expedited life safety code and physical plant inspection fees, in Chapter 19, [...]

Medicaid Payment Rates for Clinical Laboratory Services

Apologies for the late notice. HHSC will hold a Medicaid payment hearing tomorrow at 1:30 p.m., to receive comment on proposed Medicaid payment rates for Clinical Laboratory Services. The hearing will be held in the Lone Star Conference Room of HHSC, Braker Center, Building H, located at 11209 Metric Boulevard, Austin, Texas. This information appeared [...]

Texas Register Updates: HCS, Medicaid MCOs, Etc.

The following was obtained from the February 12 issue of the Texas Register: Proposed Rules HHSC proposes on behalf of DADS to amend Subchapter L, §2.553, concerning definitions; §2.554, concerning eligibility; §2.556, concerning MRA’s responsibilities; §2.559, concerning minimum qualifications; §2.562 concerning review process; new §2.555 concerning funding service coordination; and the repeal of §2.555 concerning [...]

Texas HHSC Proposes Medicaid Cuts

The Dallas Morning News reports that nursing facilities could see a two percent Medicaid cut if Texas Health and Human Services Commissioner Tom Suehs’s proposed reductions go through. To deal with a potential budget shortfall, Governor Rick Perry, Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst, and House Speaker Joe Straus asked HHSC to reduce Medicaid spending by five [...]

Information Letters and News Alerts: Hospice, CDSA Providers

DADS released two information letters and news alerts. Medicaid Hospice Providers: DADS clarified its Continuous Home Care (CHC) requirements at 40 TAC, Chapter 30 Medicaid Hospice Program, §30.54 Special Coverage Requirements and informed hospice providers of problems identified during annual CHC reviews that result in recoupment of CHC payments. An excerpt: “Recoupment Process…Based on the [...]

The Political and Bureaucratic "Class" Thrives While YOU Suffer

Your excellence counts for nothing as they line their own pockets: “Pay for performance? Fuggeddaboutit! Congress keeps its automatic pay increase, and taxes, inflation, deficits, and the national debt all rise. Down Independence Avenue, Health and Human Services (HHS) bureaucrats get automatic pay raises and universal “outstanding” performance ratings. (Footnote: take a laptop with you [...]

Information Letter and News Alerts: DADS Removes Proof of Time Requirement

CBA, ICM HCSSAs, CWP HCSSAs, MDCP, PHC, FC, and CAS: After these providers shared concerns about a revision to the HCSS-CBA/ICM, HCSS-CWP/CBA, MDCP, and PHC/FC/CAS monitoring tools — which required that when attendant orientation occurred on the same day as the attendant’s first date of service delivery, DADS would require documentation of the time of [...]

Texas Register Updates: HCS, TxHmL, Board of Nursing

The following information was obtained from the February 5 issue of the Texas Register: Public Hearing and Notices HHSC will hold a public hearing on February 23, 2010, at 1:30 p.m., to receive public comment on proposed requisition fees that will provide payments to providers for the cost of acquiring dental services for consumers in [...]

Obama to Boost Medicaid Funding

While the president’s health care reform bill likely won’t pass anytime soon, he’s trying to beef up funding for programs like Medicaid, raise quality of care, and decrease Medicare fraud in his FY 2011 federal budget. He’s proposed an additional $25.5 billion in emergency Medicaid funding for states. (Source) Last month, Republican Scott Brown defeated [...]

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