CMS publishes new rules for Medicaid-funded Home and Community Based Services

CMS, (The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services), the federal agency that regulates Medicaid, has published final rules on Home and Community Based Services (HCBS). The rules affecting people with developmental disabilities and the settings that may be eligible for continued HCBS funding remain controversial, but they are better than the rules proposed back in 2012.  Much of the responsibility for defining "community" settings that are eligible for funding Home and Community Based Services has been shifted back to the states, but they will require the approval by CMS of amendments to state plans.

We will all need to pay attention to Michigan's plans to implement the new CMS rules and make sure that everyone who wishes to have a say in how the State approaches new requirements is informed and ready to respond.

This is from the Michigan Department of Community Health:

CMS has placed links to several important items regarding the new rule defining HCBS settings at http://www.medicaid.gov/hcbs, including:

·         The text of the Final Rule
·         An Information Bulletin on the Final Rule
·         A press release announcing the Final Rule
·         Four factsheets:
o   An overview of the regulation
o   Changes to 1915 (c)
o   Changes to 1915 (i)
o   Summary of Key Provisions

The site also announces the dates and times of two Webinars open to the general public:
 

• January 23, 2014: 1:00pm - 3:00pm  Public Webinar on HCBS Final Rule
• January 30, 2014: 1:00pm - 3:00pm  (repeat) Public Webinar on HCBS Final Rule

Thank you,

Lori Mitchell
Community Practices and Innovations Section Secretary
Division of Quality Management & Planning
Bureau of Community Based Services
Department of Community Health
Lewis Cass Building, 5th Floor
Lansing, MI 48913
Telephone: (517) 335-3032
Fax: (517) 241-2969
Email: MitchellL10@michigan.gov