Table of Contents:
- IARF Advocacy Month Starts Monday!
- IARF Testifies Before Medicaid Working Group on FY20/FY 21 Budgets and Substantive Legislation
- HFS Updates Ambulatory Procedure Lists
- Illinois Medicaid Billing Codes for Virtual Healthcare Expansion Released
- CMS Issues Approval of Illinois’ State Plan Amendment for COVID-19
- HFS Issues Third Notice Resolution Process and Portal effective 02/28/2020
- Survey for Direct Support Professionals During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- IDHS-DDD Announces Payment Extensions for CDS & CILA
- Final Guidance for Providers of Home & Community Based Services on Recovery Rebates
- Foothold Technology Extends Deadline to Submit Art Contest Entry
- Compliance Matters: An HR Webinar from The Horton Group
- Final Open Forum Call with Foothold Technology Next Week
- NADSP COVID-19 Webinar Recordings Available
IARF ADVOCACY MONTH STARTS MONDAY!
The month of May brings with it new challenges this year as regular session has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. IARF is attempting to engage legislators from our remote locations to put forward our stories and requests for adequate funding for I/DD and BH services. Though we must recognize the impact the pandemic is having on the state’s fiscal situation, we must also showcase our work and the need now, more than ever, for adequate financial investment from the state. More information will be coming out on Monday, so please be on the lookout for that schedule, instructions, and materials. (Contact Dan Frey)
IARF TESTIFIES BEFORE MEDICAID WORKING GROUP ON FY20/FY21 BUDGETS AND SUBSTANTIVE LEGISLATION
Yesterday, IARF testified before the Illinois General Assembly in a virtual, bi-partisan and bi-cameral Medicaid Working Group. IARF advocated in support of our requests for the state’s FY 20 and FY 21 budgets, as well as substantive items IARF is requesting in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic. IARF requests of the legislature, at this juncture, can be seen in the following documents:
IARF General Assembly FY20 and FY21 Budget Requests
IARF General Assembly Substantive Legislation and Regulatory Relief
The Medicaid Working Group consisted of key members of the Illinois General Assembly, Legislative Staff, as well as senior leadership from both DHS and HFS. The purpose of the meeting was to gather advocate requests as the legislature comes together to craft a spending plan and provide regulatory relief for providers who are facing difficulties as a result of COVID-19. As always, IARF will continue to advocate for our membership before all government officials. (Contact: Luis Andrade)
HFS UPDATES AMBULATORY PROCEDURE LISTS
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services has posted Updated Ambulatory Procedures Lists. Long-term EEG-related procedure codes 95700 and 95705-95716 have been added to the Ambulatory Procedures Listing effective January 1, 2020. You may view the updated lists by clicking here. (Contact Dan Frey)
ILLINOIS MEDICAID BILLING CODES FOR VIRTUAL HEALTHCARE EXPANSION RELEASED
Illinois Medicaid COVID-19 Virtual Healthcare Expansion Billing Codes - please see link for full document. (Contact Dan Frey)
CMS ISSUES AN APPROVAL TO ILLINOIS’ STATE PLAN AMENDMENT FOR COVID-19
This time-limited state plan amendment (SPA) responds to the COVID-19 national emergency. The purpose of this amendment is to cover the new optional group for COVID testing, suspend the resource test in determining eligibility for certain eligibility groups, add presumptive eligibility (PE) for certain eligibility groups, suspend premiums for certain individuals, expand telehealth, extend all prior authorization for medications by automatic renewal without clinical review or time/quantity extensions, allow the state to make exceptions to its published Preferred Drug List if drug shortages occur, and increase certain payment rates. The SPA was approved on April 24 and is retroactive to March 1. Click here for the whole SPA. (Contact Dan Frey)
HFS ISSUES THIRD NOTICE RESOLUTION PROCESS AND PORTAL EFFECTIVE 02/28/2020
This notice is third in a series of notices regarding the implementation of the new provider MCO resolution portal. As of 02/28/2020, all providers are submitting unresolved complaints with an MCO via the new secure web-based Provider Resolution portal. The new link to the Resolution Portal may be found on HFS’ Care Coordination Webpage, or may be accessed directly from the HFS Managed Care Provider Resolution Webpage. Click here to view the entire notice. (Contact Dan Frey)
SURVEY FOR DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
This survey, for direct support professionals, is being conducted by the National Alliance of Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) in partnership with the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota. We would like to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on direct support professionals and identify the most effective ways to protect DSPs and the people they support. The results of this survey will be shared widely with policymakers, services providers, direct support professionals, families, and stakeholders. (Contact: Beth Owens)
IDHS -DDD ANNOUNCES PAYMENT EXTENSIONS FOR CDS & CILA
IDHS – DDD released communication on April 30th to confirm that CDS sites should remain closed and not resume services until the Division provides official notice to do so. For April, the Division will continue to provide payment for closed CDS programs only if the provider has completed the previously disseminated survey on PPP. For May, the Division currently expects that providers will apply for the PPP for services that have been suspended or severely limited. The same communication also informed Waiver-Funded CILA providers that the 10% 60D per-diem increased will remain in effect through May 31, with the potential for an additional extension. (Contact: Beth Owens)
FINAL GUIDANCE FOR PROVIDERS OF HOME & COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES ON RECOVERY REBATES
IDHS-DDD has posted an Information Bulletin: Final Guidance for Providers of Home & Community Based Services on Recovery Rebates. The CARES Act provided a refundable tax credit for 2020 to eligible individuals. The Internal Revenue Service will provide payments in 2020 as an advance refund of credit to eligible individuals. These payments are called “Recovery Rebates”. This IB provides guidance to providers on Recovery Rebates that are issued to the individuals they support. (Contact: Beth Owens)
FOOTHOLD TECHNOLOGY’S EXTENDS DEADLINE TO SUBMIT ART CONTEST ENTRY
Foothold Technology invites individuals supported by provider organizations to participate in an art contest series that will commemorate their company’s core values. A winner will be selected for each value, and Foothold Technology will purchase the artwork from the winning artist for $200. The winning artwork will be displayed prominently in Foothold's office, and the winning individual will also be highlighted on Foothold's website and in its client newsletter, Footnotes.
Submissions for the second core value, Collaboration, are being accepted until next Friday, May 8th. To view full contest details, click here or download the submission form here. Please reach out with any questions and submissions to elliot@footholdtechnology.com. (Contact: Maggie Henley)
COMPLIANCE MATTERS: AN HR WEBINAR FROM THE HORTON GROUP
A top concern of HR departments is how to effectively manage layoffs, furloughs, and recalls as a result of the pandemic. Join The Horton Group for their upcoming webinar on Wednesday, May 6th as Kara Govro, Senior Legal Editor, addresses the compliance aspects of layoffs, furloughs, and recalls to help employers navigate these difficult decisions.
During this 60-minute informational webinar, Kara will also answer your live HR questions about COVID-19 related issues impacting your small business.
The webinar will be held on Wednesday, May 6th at 11:00 am. Can’t make the live webinar? Register to receive a recording. Click here to register. (Contact: Maggie Henley)
FINAL OPEN FORUM CALL WITH FOOTHOLD TECHNOLOGY NEXT WEEK
Foothold Technology will host their final open forum next week. In their final forum, will have an open dialogue about how to market or showcase your organization during this time. With so many changes happening, organizations are looking for ways to share and communicate the great work they are doing now. This is for management and frontline staff. The intent with these open discussions is to just let people know Foothold is listening, give people an opportunity to exchange ideas, and perhaps we can help connect some resources from our unique position in the human service field. If you are interested in joining this open forum, please sign up here . It is on May 7th, 2020 at 12 PM. (Contact: Maggie Henley)
NADSP COVID-19 WEBINAR RECORDINGS AVAILABLE
Today, NADSP hosted Part Four of the webinar series The Role of the DSP and the Coronavirus. A recording of today’s webinar is now available along with recordings of other webinars from the NADSP on COVID-19. Click here to access these webinar recordings from NADSP. (Contact: Maggie Henley)
