IL/News Alerts: Cost Avoidance Project, New MOA

NF, Hospice, ICF/IID:

DADS provided a status of the implementation of the Cost Avoidance Project. An excerpt:

Release 1: Implemented August 2012
This release implemented new operations processes for validating insurance information on file for Long Term Care (LTC) individuals at Texas Medicaid & Healthcare Partnership (TMHP). This release provides phone support to providers requiring assistance with Other Insurance (OI) information on file for individuals in their facilities.

Release 2: Implemented November 2012
This release implemented several changes to the Medicaid Eligibility Service Authorization Verification (MESAV).

– DADS and the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services have signed a new MOA, effective October 2012. Follow this link for more information.

–  DADS published proposed rule amendments to Title 40, TAC, Chapter 41, The Consumer Directed Services (CDS) Option, in the Texas Register on Friday, January 11, 2013.

The rule proposal:

• changes how criminal history checks for new hires and Designated Representatives are to be done;
• adds requirements for becoming a Financial Management Services Agency (formerly called Consumer Directed Services Agency);
• spells out what a Financial Management Services Agency must tell CDS employers during the face-to-face orientation;
• explains how often a Financial Management Services Agency must verify provider qualifications;
• requires a Financial Management Services Agency to function as vender fiscal/employer agents; and
• adds a requirement for guardianship verification, if there is a guardian.

See the news page for more information about these and other alerts.