DADS issued an information letter is to inform Financial Management Services Agencies (FMSA) and Consumer Directed Services (CDS) option employers of the change in exemptions related to the wage and hour requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) released by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). This change will be effective January 1, 2015. The DOL announced on October 7, 2014 that it would delay enforcement actions against employers who fail to comply with the new rule until June 30, … [Read more...] about Impact of Department of Labor Companionship Exemption on Financial Management Services Agencies and Consumer Directed Services Employers
Contract and Fiscal Compliance Monitoring Tools for Community Living Assistance and Support Services Providers
Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) has completed the conversion, from Microsoft Word to Excel, of the contract and fiscal compliance monitoring tools for Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Case Management Agencies (CMAs) and Direct Service Agencies (DSA). Go to http://www.dads.state.tx.us/providers/communications/2014/letters/IL2014-65.pdf for more info. Benefits to using the Excel based contract and fiscal compliance monitoring tools include: · Use of … [Read more...] about Contract and Fiscal Compliance Monitoring Tools for Community Living Assistance and Support Services Providers
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and First Aid Certification Requirement in the Medically Dependent Children Program
CPR requirement rule (For more info go to http://www.dads.state.tx.us/providers/communications/2014/letters/IL2014-63.pdf): new Title 40 Texas Administrative Code, Part 1, Chapter 51 rule amendment effective September 1, 2014. The rule requires unlicensed service providers providing respite and flexible family supports to be certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid. The Department of Aging and Disability Services will delay compliance monitoring for unlicensed service … [Read more...] about Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and First Aid Certification Requirement in the Medically Dependent Children Program
Clarification of Billing Process for Pre-Enrollment Assessment Activities
The Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) is issuing this letter to clarify the correct method a Case Management Agency (CMA) must bill for a pre-enrollment assessment of an applicant seeking to enroll in the Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) program. For more info visit http://www.dads.state.tx.us/providers/communications/2014/letters/IL2014-64.pdf A partial assessment occurs when the CMA completes Form 3657, Pre-Enrollment Assessment, as part of … [Read more...] about Clarification of Billing Process for Pre-Enrollment Assessment Activities
Changes in Procedures for Completing Form 3071, Individual Election/Cancellation/Update and Form 3074, Physician Certification of Terminal Illnessancellation/Update and Form 3074, Physician Certification of Terminal Illness
Changes to Form 3071, Form 3074, and coinciding instructions are (for more info go to http://www.dads.state.tx.us/providers/communications/2014/letters/IL2014-50.pdf): • Form 3071, the SETTING (box 5) currently reads “ICF/ID-RC. This has changed to ICF/IID denoting Intermediate Care Facility for Individuals with an Intellectual Disability • The individual or responsible party is required to sign Form 3071 when ELECTION is the form Type and when the individual or responsible party chooses to … [Read more...] about Changes in Procedures for Completing Form 3071, Individual Election/Cancellation/Update and Form 3074, Physician Certification of Terminal Illnessancellation/Update and Form 3074, Physician Certification of Terminal Illness
Consumer Directed Services Budget Rate Changes for Medically Dependent Children Program
Direction to Financial Management Services Agencies (FMSAs) on updating Consumer Directed Services (CDS) employers’ budgets to include the new payment rate, effective September 1, 2014, for Medically Dependent Children Program (MDCP). The approved Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) rates can be found at https://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/Rad/long-term-svcs/index.shtml. Service Authorization Changes The rate change for MDCP requires a service authorization change. By December 1, 2014, … [Read more...] about Consumer Directed Services Budget Rate Changes for Medically Dependent Children Program
Texas Health System Well Prepared to Deal with Ebola Threat
The State Health Commissioner states that The Ebola virus doesn't live particularly long once outside the body and can be killed with standard hospital disinfectants. But it’s scary because we've seen the heartbreaking images from impoverished countries in West Africa overwhelmed by Ebola. We are right to be concerned about a disease taking a humanitarian toll on places that lack the resources to prevent its spread. Ebola is one of the many diseases that state and national public health … [Read more...] about Texas Health System Well Prepared to Deal with Ebola Threat
Use of nonspecific International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes for “debility” and “adult failure to thrive” as principal diagnoses for Medicaid Hospice certification.
The purpose of this letter is to inform Medicaid Hospice providers, effective October 1, 2014, the use of nonspecific diagnosis ICD codes for “debility” and “adult failure to thrive” will no longer be acceptable as the principal diagnosis on Form 3071, Individual Election/Cancellation/Update, for Medicaid hospice certification. In the August 7, 2013 publication of the Federal Register, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule: Medicare Program; FY2014 … [Read more...] about Use of nonspecific International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes for “debility” and “adult failure to thrive” as principal diagnoses for Medicaid Hospice certification.
DADS Provider Alert regarding coding of ADLs
Improper Coding for MDS Item G0110 Could Cause Changes to RUG Values Nursing facility and skilled nursing facility providers must use the proper activities of daily living (ADL) coding when completing column 1 of item G0110 on the MDS 3.0 assessment. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) staff have announced that improper coding could cause changes to RUG values during Medicaid reviews. While neither federal nor state rules specifically … [Read more...] about DADS Provider Alert regarding coding of ADLs
Discontinuation of Service Categories in the Texas Home Living Program
The purpose of this information letter is to inform Texas Home Living (TxHmL) program providers and local authorities the two service categories for the TxHmL Program: the Community Living Service Category and the Technical and Professional Supports Service Category, were discontinued effective September 1, 2014. The TxHmL Program rules at Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Title 40, Chapter 9, Subchapter N, have been amended to reflect the deletion of all references to and requirements … [Read more...] about Discontinuation of Service Categories in the Texas Home Living Program