The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) released one provider and four information letters:
- Continuing Education Clock Hours — Nursing Facility Administrators (NFA)
In a letter to Nursing Facilities, DADS provided guidance and clarification about updated rules governing NFA continuing education. From the letter:
Effective June 1, 2009, under the amended NFA rule at Texas Administrative Code, Title 40, Part 1, Chapter 18, §18.35, DADS will accept no more than 34 clock hours of National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB)-approved self-study courses toward the required 40 clock hours of continuing education.
- Revisions to Form 3671-2, Individual Service Plan (ISP), and Form 3671-C, Nursing Service Plan
DADS informed Community Based Alternatives (CBA), Home and Community Support Services Agencies (HCSSA), Integrated Care Management (ICM) Waiver HCSSAs, STAR+PLUS Waiver HCSSAs, CBA/ICM/SPW Adult Foster Care providers, and CBA/ICM/SPW Assisted Living/Residential Care providers about modified Forms 3671-2, ISP, and 3671-C, Nursing Service Plan. For more information, download the letter.
- Clarification on the Requirement for the Heimlich Maneuver for all Direct Care Workers and/or Habilitation Attendant Staff
In a letter to Deaf Blind with Multiple Disabilities (DBMD) providers, Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) providers, Case Management Agencies, and Direct Service Agencies, DADS clarified its requirement for direct care workers and habilitation attendants in the DBMD and CLASS programs to be trained in the Heimlich maneuver. Download the letter for more information.
- Notice of Activities to be Conducted Under the Authority of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) by Medicaid Integrity Contractors (MICs)
An excerpt from the information letter to all DADS Medicaid providers:
Through the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA), CMS has established the Medicaid Integrity Program, the first comprehensive Federal strategy to prevent and reduce fraud and abuse in the joint Federal/State Medicaid program and to provide effective support and assistance to States to combat Medicaid fraud and abuse…The DRA requires CMS to hire contractors, collectively known as MICs for the initiative. The obligation of a MIC pursuant to its contract with CMS-Medicaid Integrity Groups (MIGs) is to perform reviews of providers furnishing items and/or services through Medicaid in order to identify potential inappropriate or unnecessary Medicaid expenditures and potential fraud, waste and abuse through data analysis. The MIC performs risk assessments of Medicaid data including, but not limited to, claims for payment under Title XIX and in accordance with the State’s Medicaid laws, regulations, and policies.
Download the two-page letter for details.
- Delay of Home and Community-based Services (HCS) Enrollments
DADS informed HCS and Intermediate Care Facility for Persons with Mental Retardation providers that enrollments into the HCS waiver program have been greater than DADS anticipated. Consequently, DADS must delay the enrollment of persons currently authorized, but not yet approved for enrollment in HCS and receiving HCS program services, to ensure the waiver target is not exceeded, effective May 6. You may download the letter here.
