The following information was obtained from the January 24 issue of the Texas Register.
Public Hearings
HHSC will hold a public hearing on Thursday, February 13, 2014, at 1 p.m. to receive public comment on proposed rate increases in the CBA-HCSS waiver and associated CDS programs operated by DADS. HHSC will also hold a public hearing on Wednesday, February 19, 2014, at 1:30 p.m., to receive comment on proposed Medicaid payment rates for the 2014 Annual Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System Updates for Clinical Laboratory Services. Both hearings will be held in the Public Hearing Room of the Brown-Heatly Building, located at 4900 North Lamar, Austin. See the Texas Register for details.
Proposed Rules
HHSC proposed changes to the following sections:
Coordinated Planning and Delivery of Health And Human Services – §351.3, Purpose, Task and Duration of Advisory Committees, which would update the expiration date of two existing committees, the name of an existing committee, the work of two existing committees, and other changes.
Medicaid Health Services – new §354.1177, implementation of the EVV System, which would establish requirements applicable to contractors providing EVV services for Medicaid-enrolled providers and guidelines for Medicaid-enrolled providers required to use an EVV system.
Reimbursement Rates – §355.8441, Reimbursement Methodologies for Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Services, which would clarify rule language to indicate that Physician Assistants and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses who provide EPSDT will be reimbursed in accordance with the reimbursement methodologies for these provider types as described in existing sections.
Medicaid and Chip Electronic Health Information – new §356.202, Audit Review and Recoupment, which would explain that the audit review process is no greater than that which is described in 1 TAC §354.1450, and that HHSC may recoup overpayments made through the Texas Medicaid EHR Incentive Program.
Medicaid and Other Health and Human Services Fraud and Abuse Program Integrity – amend Chapter 371, Medicaid and Other Health and Human Services Fraud and Abuse Program Integrity, which would incorporate federal and state requirements by including enforcement provisions implementing federal HIPAA regulations contained in 45 C.F.R. Part 164 that consolidated the privacy, security, and HITECH regulations, and other changes.
Adopted Rules
HHSC adopted an amendment to §354.1416, Eligibility Criteria, which provides the Executive Commissioner with rulemaking authority and authorizes HHSC to administer the federal medical assistance (Medicaid) program in Texas. HHSC also adopted new §355.9070, Reimbursement Methodology for DSHS HCS – Adult Mental Health program, and amended the title of 1 TAC Chapter 355, Subchapter M, to establish a reimbursement methodology for the DSHS HCBS-AMH program. See the Texas Register for more information.