Table of Contents:
- General Assembly Moving Budget and Significant Legislation this Week
- DDD Payment Extensions: CDS & CILA
- Please Complete: COVID-19 Emergency Request
- State Employment Leadership Network (SELN) Report & Survey
- IDPH SIREN: Support Persons in Health Care Facilities
- HFS Unveils New IM+CNS Provider Portal
- New Telehealth Billing Procedures for Fee-For-Service Reimbursement
- HFS Notice on 90-day Supply of OTC Covered Products
- Additional Detail Regarding Temporary Prior Approval Requirement Changes Related to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
- HFS Notice States the COVID-19 Testing Is Free for Illinois Residents
- FMA Offers PPP Clinics for Nonprofits
- Nonprofit Virtual Roundtable: How to Increase Your Fundraising Virtually
GENERAL ASSEMBLY MOVING BUDGET AND SIGNIFICANT LEGISLATION THIS WEEK
Members are aware the legislature has taken steps to advance an FY20 supplemental, FY21 budget, BIMP, 2020 election code changes, worker’s compensation and unemployment insurance changes, and telemedicine codification this week. We’re expecting the legislature to be in session today and into tomorrow as well. Members should look for additional updates from our team today and tomorrow on budgetary and substantive changes of note. (Contact: Josh Evans)
DDD PAYMENT EXTENSIONS: CDS & CILA
IDHS- DDD has released a communication to notify the provider community that CDS sites will remain closed through the end of the fiscal year. Providers who have communicated their PPP application and results to the Division will continue to receive retainer payments through June 30th. Additionally, Director Stark has indicated CILA providers will continue to receive the 60D 10% per-diem increase will also continue through June 30th. This increase is not subject to the same PPP provision. (Contact: Beth Owens)
PLEASE COMPLETE: COVID-19 EMERGENCY REQUEST
HFS has asked for the distribution of the following request, to be completed by the close of business today:
HFS is requesting your help in disseminating the information below and attached request form to your provider membership. We strongly urge them to review the request, complete the request form and return to us (at the specified email address below) by close of business TODAY, Friday, May 22, 2020.
States can request federal funding participation (FFP) for emergency situations, as described in CFR 45 subpart 95.624. The Department of Healthcare and Family Services will attempt to obtain such funding for the IDPH contact tracing registry, telehealth, remote monitoring and remote check-in needs. The Department will submit a request for enhanced federal funding participation for the purchase of equipment and software particularly with regard to telehealth services and remote monitoring to promote technology-enabled healthcare and enhance access to medical and behavioral health services. We need your assistance and are asking, specifically, what items and services your providers could immediately use to improve current conditions.
Please complete the linked form, prepopulated form and return with your requests no later than COB on Friday, May 22, 2020. Please email requests to hfs.ehrincentive@illinois.gov. (Contact Dan Frey)
STATE EMPLOYMENT LEADERSHIP NETWORK (SELN) REPORT & SURVEY
The IDHS-DDD released a report from SELN today that identifies findings and observations from their visit to Illinois in early December. The report summarizes the results of the entire review process as “Key Findings” and suggests opportunities for improvement in “Potential Focus Areas.” The SELN team will conduct follow-up meetings with DDD to identify priority outcomes and develop effective implementation strategies on the state’s selected areas of focus.
In one of the follow up activities, SELN has developed an employment survey, specific to Illinois providers, to collect data on individuals with DD who are, or were, employed in integrated employment, including individual competitive integrated jobs and group supported jobs. This survey should be completed by providers and will provide the Division of Developmental Disabilities a snapshot of the impact of COVID-19 on individual’s employment status to inform and support planning and resources. (Contact: Beth Owens)
IDPH SIREN: SUPPORT PERSONS IN HEALTH CARE FACILITIES
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) released an announcement on 5/15/20 that clarifies that health care facilities (including hospitals) should allow patients with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities or cognitive impairments to be accompanied by a support person determined to be essential to their care. Persons with disabilities should be provided reasonable accommodations that afford meaningful access to information and an equal opportunity to benefit from the treatment. Individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) may require accommodations in a health care facility that include permitting the presence of a support person, such as a guardian, family member, caregiver, or paid support worker, provided that essential precautions can be taken to contain the spread of infection. (Contact: Beth Owens)
HFS UNVEILS NEW IM+CNS PROVIDER PORTAL
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services has published a new website for the IM+CANS Provider Portal. You may view the new page here.
This IM+CANS Provider Portal is designed for the collection, management and analysis of data from the Illinois Medicaid Comprehensive Assessment of Needs and Strengths (IM+CANS) instrument. (Contact Dan Frey)
NEW TELEHEALTH BILLING PROCEDURES FOR FEE-FOR-SERVICE REIMBURSEMENT
HFS has released a clarification for Telehealth billing procedures for the Fee-For-Service Program. This clarification of billing instructions applies to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Rural Health Centers (RHCs), and Encounter Rate Clinics (ERCs) for fee-for-service (FFS) reimbursement of Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs), FFS reimbursement of virtual check-in and e-visit services billable during the COVID-19 public health emergency, and telehealth services. These instructions do not apply to claims for participants covered under HealthChoice Illinois managed care plans and the Medicare/Medicaid Alignment Initiative (MMAI) plans. You can take a closer look at those clarified procedures in full by clicking here. (Contact Dan Frey)
HFS NOTICE ON 90-DAY SUPPLY OF OTC COVERED DRUGS
HFS has released a notice detailing certain over-the-counter drugs temporarily covered in 90-day supplies due to the COVID-19 health emergency. You can view that notice by clicking here. (Contact Dan Frey)
ADDITIONAL DETAIL REGARDING TEMPORARY PRIOR APPROVAL REQUIREMENT CHANGED RELATED TO THE COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services is exercising regulatory flexibilities to help durable medical equipment (DME) providers and home health agencies combat and contain the spread of COVID-19. This notice is a follow-up to the informational notice dated April 6, 2020, and specifies prior approval changes for DME and home health providers effective March 1, 2020, until the termination date of the public health emergency, including any extensions. The information applies to prior approval requests for participants covered under fee-for-service as well as HealthChoice Illinois or MMAI plans. You can view the full notice by clicking here. (Contact Dan Frey)
HFS NOTICE STATES THAT COVID-19 TESTING IS FREE FOR ILLINOIS RESIDENTS
This week HFS released notice detailing that all Illinois residents should not be charged for any COVID-19 testing. You can view the specifics of that notice by clicking here. (Contact Dan Frey)
FMA OFFERS PPP CLINICS FOR NONPROFITS
Already have a PPP Loan? Now it's time to focus on making sure that loan gets forgiven. FMA is offering two live clinics and other on-demand resources to help nonprofits that have received PPP loans understand how to manage their PPP funds and navigate the SBA’s loan forgiveness process, including the newly released Forgiveness Application form.
- Clinic #1 – Managing Your Loan & Forgiveness 101 will include detailed guidance on how organizations can and cannot spend the PPP funds, how to properly account for and track the funds, what we know to-date about how forgiveness will be calculated, and what to expect from the forgiveness process. There are three opportunities to attend this clinic.
- Clinic #2 – Navigating the Forgiveness Process & Submitting Your Forgiveness Paperwork will cover the nuts-and-bolts of forgiveness calculations, documentation, and the processes for working with your lenders based on the latest SBA guidance. Stay tuned for clinic dates throughout June.
- On-Demand Resources are also available in FMA's PPP Toolbox, which includes regularly updated guidance, FAQs, a loan forgiveness estimator, revenue scenario planning tools, cash flow projection templates and tutorials, webinars, and more.
Beyond PPP: Regardless of whether you sought or received a PPP loan, the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing difficult decisions on many nonprofits. That’s why FMA has put together a third clinic, as well as other on-demand resources, focused on the principles of successful scenario planning.
- Clinic #3 – Beyond PPP: Scenario Planning will help nonprofits adjust their original strategic plans and budgets in the face of difficult, complex financial and human capital crises. There are two opportunities to attend this clinic.
NONPROFIT VIRTUAL ROUNDTABLE: HOW TO INCREASE YOUR FUNDRAISING VIRTUALLY
Join Horton’s Nonprofit Practice for a virtual roundtable discussion on the changes that are affecting this industry today. Are you struggling with fundraising? Then join The Horton Group as they interview Alyssa Conrardy from Prosper Strategies and she answers questions on how you can fundraise in this new environment and learn about best practices from others as they navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Nonprofit Virtual Roundtable: How to Increase Your Fundraising Virtually will be held on June 3rd at 11:00 am. Click here to register. (Contact: Maggie Henley)
