Effective September 1, the Texas Department of Aging and Disability (DADS) must delegate “the development of a permanency plan to a mental retardation authority (MRA), to a private entity other than an entity providing long-term institutional care, or to DADS personnel” for an individual under 22 receiving services or seeking admission to an institution.
DADS will delegate the responsibilities to the local mental retardation authority where the individual or his legally authorized representative lives. These changes amend Title 40 of the Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Chapter 9, which in turn implements Senate Bill (SB) 40 and House Bill (HB) 2579, 79th Legislature, Regular Session, 2005.
Attached to the letter is the relevant section of the code. You may download the 23-page document here.
In a letter to nursing home providers, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission announced that claims submitted for non-emergency ambulance transport will require prior authorization. Facilities that don’t obtain such authorization will be liable for payment, effective for dates of service on or after September 1.
For more information on medical transportation, see 40 TAC ยง19.2320. Download the provider letter here.
