The following information was obtained from the November 18 issue of the Texas Register:
Public Notices
HHSC will hold a public hearing on December 7, 2011, at 9 a.m. to receive public comment on proposed NF payment rates for State Veterans Homes, to be held in the Rate Analysis Conference Room of the Health and Human Services Commission, Braker Center, Building H, located at 11209 Metric Boulevard, Austin. See the Texas Register for details.
The Texas Board of Nursing proposes new 22 TAC §217.22, Special Accommodations. Related forms can be found in the Special Accommodations Form (PDF). For more information, see the Texas Register.
Proposed Rules
HHSC proposed to amend §358.439, Guardianship Gees, in Chapter 358, Medicaid Eligibility for the Elderly and People with Disabilities, which would clarify that HHSC may deduct a guardianship fee up to an amount set by the court from the recipient’s total countable income in determining co-payment. See the Texas Register for more information.
The Board of Nursing proposed to amend §217.19, Incident-Based Nursing Peer Review and Whistleblower Protections, and §217.20, Safe Harbor Peer Review for Nurses and Whistleblower Protections. Among other things, the changes would define “peer review” as the evaluation of nursing services, the qualifications of a nurse, the quality of patient care rendered by a nurse, the merits of a complaint concerning a nurse or nursing care, and a determination or recommendation regarding a complaint. For more information, see the Texas Register.
Adopted Rules
HHSC adopted new §355.7105, Reimbursement Methodology for Supervised Independent Living, which describes the rate methodology for the SIL service. HHSC also adopted an amendment to §355.8241, Medicaid reimbursement methodology for chemical dependency treatment facilities, which updates rules and removes outdated references.
Finally, HHSC adopts an amendment to §355.8600, Medicaid Reimbursement for Ambulance Services, which changes the methodology used to set ambulance services rates for governmental ambulance providers to allow for cost reconciliation and cost settlement based on total allowable Medicaid costs in response to the change in the state plan.
See the Texas Register for details about each new rule.
- On DADS’ Behalf
HHSC adopted the repeal of Subchapter C, §§8.51 – 8.63, Life-Sustaining Treatment, in Chapter 8, Client Care–Mental Retardation Services. For more information, see the Texas Register.