Home Care Cost Report Launches
The Department of Health (DOH) has issued a Dear Administrator Letter (DAL) announcing the resumption of the launch of the Home Care Cost Report for certified home health agencies (CHHAs), licensed home care services agencies (LHCSAs), and fiscal intermediaries (FIs) for the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP). This report replaces the previous Personal Care Cost Report and the non-hospital-based CHHA Cost Report. DOH is making available several training initiatives to educate providers on submission of the reports.
DOH has informed LeadingAge NY that the reports are due for submission on Oct. 31, 2020. This gives providers approximately five months to carry out training and completion of the report. Note that all of the training will be virtual moving forward, with some sessions recorded for providers and consultants.
Initial training sessions are as follows. The comprehensive training schedule is attached to the DAL. Please note that you do not need to preregister for these two sessions. In fact, if you do, you may receive an error code. Just utilize the link at the time of the event.
Home Care Cost Report Relaunch Session
Date: May 27, 2020 Time: 2 P.M.
WebEx Link: https://e-meetings.verizonbusiness.com/nc/join.php?i=PWXW1353805&p=8974716&t=c
Home Care Cost Report Initial Statewide Outreach Session
Date: June 2, 2020 Time: 2 P.M.
WebEx Link: https://e-meetings.verizonbusiness.com/nc/join.php?i=PWXW1353839&p=8974716&t=c
Please note that the DAL states that this report is required to be submitted by those agencies that receive Medicaid reimbursement related to personal care, CDPAP, and CHHA funding streams. The DAL states that Assisted Living Program (ALP)-only agencies, private pay-only agencies, and hospital-based CHHAs do not need to complete the report.
To be clear about the above exclusions, DOH has indicated that ALP LHCSAs that serve only their residents will not have to complete the report. However, if an ALP LHCSA serves Medicaid patients in the community, in addition to its residents, then the ALP LHCSA will have to complete the full report regarding costs for both components of its LHCSA. Some of the previous in-person training initiatives indicate that DOH also clarified that LHCSAs serving only Nursing Home Transition and Diversion (NHTD)/Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) waiver participants are not required to complete the report. LeadingAge NY will pursue this and other questions further. DOH will be releasing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) as the process moves along. Please let us know if you have questions or need clarification on any issues.
The statewide outreach session listed above will be recorded and modeled after the in-person sessions held around the state in February and early March. Expect to receive login credentials on June 3rd, as the DAL indicates. Also attached is a schedule and chart of additional training sessions. DOH has also indicated that it will be offering hands-on support to providers.
Please review our previous Intelligence articles here and here for background on the report and the issues we have advocated for thus far. We have asked the Department to be cognizant moving forward of pressures on providers during the COVID-19 State of Emergency.
Please contact LeadingAge NY if you have any questions or concerns.
Contact: Meg Everett, meverett@leadingageny.org, 518-929-9342