Provider update: September 4, 2020

To:  ADvantage and SPPC Service Providers

Subject:  Member Signatures

Date:  September 4, 2020

Please be advised of the following language received from Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS):

Requirement to Obtain Beneficiary and Provider Signatures of HCBS Person-Centered Service Plan

Pursuant to section 1135(b)(1)(C) of the Act, CMS is granting authority to permit the state to temporarily waive written consent required under home and community based service programs under 42 C.F.R. §441.301(c)(2)(ix) for 1915(c) waiver programs, 42 C.F.R. §441.725(b)(9) for 1915(i) HCBS state plan programs, and 42 C.F.R. §441.540(b)(9) for 1915(k) Community First Choice programs that require person-centered service plans receive written consent from beneficiaries and be signed by beneficiaries and all providers responsible for its implementation and permit documented verbal consent as an alternate.

Duration of Approved Waivers

Unless otherwise specified above, the section 1135 waivers described herein are effective March 1, 2020 and will terminate upon termination of the public health emergency, including any extensions. In no case will any of these waivers extend past the last day of the public health emergency (or any extension thereof).

This means that ADvantage and State Plan Personal Care are now accepting documentation of Members' verbal consent on service plan agreements.  Please do not send any PQs in regard to this at this time, as we are developing a process to address all member plans that still have conditioned lines in relation to member signatures.  We are also revising our forms to allow providers a way to document member consent.

Information on process changes will be sent out next week.

Thank you.

AGING SERVICES | MEDICAID SERVICES UNIT

ADvantage Administration | State Plan Personal Care

Office: 918-933-4900 | CareLine: 800-435-4711