Office of Long-Term Living Seeking Public Input on Draft Transition Plan for Bringing Waivers into Compliance with HCBS Regulations

Friends –

New federal regulations for Medicaid home and community-based services are now in effect.  These regulations require Pennsylvania to ensure that its Medicaid home and community-based waiver services are provided through a person-centered planning process and provided in appropriate, integrated settings.  Information on the federal regulations can be found here.

Pennsylvania is required to develop a transition plan to bring each Medicaid waiver into compliance with the new Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) regulations.  All Medicaid home and community-based services must comply with these new regulations.  This includes services in the following Medicaid waivers:  Aging, AIDS, Attendant Care, Autism, COMMCARE, Consolidated, Independence, OBRA, and Person/Family Directed Support.  Pennsylvania must submit the transition plan to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for approval after at least a 30-day public comment period.

The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has released a draft transition plan for bringing the Aging, Attendant Care, and Independence Waivers into compliance with the HCBS regulations.  The draft transition plan can be found here.

OLTL is asking for public input on the transition plan.  Comments can be made on specific services that are not provided in appropriate, integrated settings.  You can also comment on local practices that do not comply with the new person-centered planning requirements.  Please take the time to comment on the transition plan and whether or not you believe it includes sufficient activities for OLTL to comply with the new HCBS regulations.  Every comment matters.

Comments should be submitted by June 13, 2014.  Comments can be submitted via email to RA-waiverstandard@pa.gov or by regular mail to: Department of Public Welfare, Office of Long-Term Living, Bureau of Policy and Regulatory Management, Attention:  John Esposito, P.O. Box 8025, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105-8025.  You can also send a copy of your comments to Francis McCullough, Associate Regional Administrator, at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Suite 216, The Public Ledger Building, 150 South Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106 but be sure to send your original comments to the Department of Public Welfare at the email or mailing address above.

Please contact Kelly Whitcraft, Policy Coordinator for the Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania, at kwhitcraft@drnpa.org or 800-692-7443, extension 323 with any questions.

Thank you,

Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg
1-800-692-7443
www.drnpa.org