Revised Audit Protocols for the Long Term Home Health Care Program

On Friday, Nov.14, LeadingAge NY and other associations had a conference call with the NYS Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) to review and comment on draft audit protocols for the Long Term Home Health Care Program (LTHHCP). The protocols will cover service dates prior to Dece. 31, 2012. OMIG will review the dates of the other home care audit protocols and get back to the associations.

The majority of LTHHCP audit protocols stayed the same. In a couple protocols, the references to regulations were updated or changed to mirror the personal care  protocols. Proposed wording in one protocol was to take a less restrictive view, another included changing from 120 to 180 days for completions of the DMS-1 and clarifying language and timeframes on supervisory visits when a patient is receiving skilled and non-skilled services.

All of the associations expressed concern about the same audit protocols being used for Medicaid fee-for-service home care and home care provided through managed care contracts. OMIG stated that they will look at the issue and continue to engage the associations in this discussion.

Contact: Cheryl Udell, cudell@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8871