The following information was obtained from the March 23 issue of the Texas Register:
HHSC adopted amendments to §355.105, General Reporting and Documentation Requirements, Methods, and Procedures; §355.112, Attendant Compensation Rate Enhancement; §355.308, concerning Direct Care Staff Rate Component; §355.503, Reimbursement Methodology for the Community-Based Alternatives Waiver Program and the Integrated Care Management-Home and Community Support Services and Assisted Living/Residential Care Programs; §355.505, Reimbursement Methodology for the Community Living Assistance and Support Services Waiver Program; and §355.5902, Reimbursement Methodology for Primary Home Care.
Sections 355.105, 355.112, 355.308, 355.503, 355.505, and 355.5902 establish cost reporting requirements and reimbursement methodologies for various long-term services and supports programs administered by the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS). HHSC, under its authority and responsibility to administer and implement rates, is adopting these rules to: 1) formalize certain existing practices; 2) clarify due dates for consolidated cost reports; 3) change how entities request that their cost reports be aggregated for purposes of determining compliance with Attendant Compensation Rate Enhancement (the Enhancement) spending requirements; 4) eliminate the requirement that all contracts in an aggregated group participate in the Enhancement at the same level; and 5) allow providers subject to a recoupment for failure to meet Enhancement spending requirements on a specific Attendant Compensation Report, and providers subject to recoupment for failure to meet Direct Care Staff Rate staffing and/or spending requirements on a specific Staffing and Compensation Report, to, in certain situations, request that HHSC recalculate their recoupment after combining that report with the provider’s next cost report or Attendant Compensation or Staffing and Compensation Report, as appropriate.