DEPARTMENT OF

SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES

(Aging and Long-Term Support Administration)

The following types of providers can provide long-term care services:

(1) Individual providers (IPs), who provide services to clients in their own home. IPs must meet the requirements outlined in WAC 388-71-0500 through 388-71-05909.

(2) Home care agencies, who provide services to clients in their own home. Home care agencies must be licensed under chapter 70.127 RCW and chapter 246-336 WAC and contracted with area agency on aging.

(3) Residential providers, which include licensed adult family homes and boarding homes, who contract with the department to provide assisted living, adult residential care, and enhanced adult residential care services (which may also include specialized dementia care).

(4) Providers who have contracted with the department to perform other services.

(5) In the case of New Freedom consumer directed services (NFCDS), additional providers meeting NFCDS HCBS waiver requirements contracting with a department approved provider of fiscal management services.

(1) An assessment is an in-person interview in your home or your place of residence that is conducted by the department to inventory and evaluate your ability to care for yourself. The department will assess you at least annually or more often when there are significant changes to your ability to care for yourself.

(2) Between assessments, the department may modify your current assessment without an in-person interview in your home or place of residence. The reasons that the department may modify your current assessment without conducting an in-person interview in your home or place of residence include but are not limited to the following:

(a) Errors made by department staff in coding the information from your in-person interview;

(b) New information requested by department staff at the time of your assessment and received after completion of the in-person interview (e.g. medical diagnosis);

(c) Changes in the level of informal support available to you; or

(d) Clarification of the coding selected.

(3) When the department modifies your current assessment, it will notify you using a Planned Action Notice of the modification regardless of whether the modification results in a change to your benefits. You will also receive a new service summary and assessment details, if requested.

Notwithstanding WAC 388-440-0001(3), you have a right to an administrative hearing regarding the department's exception to rule decision if:

(1) You receive services in your own home, and:

(a) The total number of in-home personal care hours you are currently receiving includes in-home personal care hours approved as an exception to rule in addition to the number of in-home care hours determined to be available to you by CARE; and

(b) The total number of in-home personal care hours or New Freedom budget you are currently receiving is reduced because of a reduction or termination in the number of in-home personal care hours approved as an exception to rule.

(2) You receive services in a residential facility, and:

(a) You currently have an increased residential payment rate approved as an exception to rule; and

(b) Your increased residential payment rate that was approved as an exception to rule is reduced or terminated.

(1) In order for services, supports, and/or items to be purchased under New Freedom, they must:

(a) Be for your sole benefit;

(b) Be at a reasonable cost;

(c) Meet your identified needs and outcomes in the CARE assessment and address your health, safety, and welfare; and

(d) Be documented on your New Freedom spending plan defined in WAC 388-106-0010. The spending plan, which is established with the Care Consultant, documents how you will spend your service budget dollars.

(2) Your consultant may require a physician or other licensed professional, such as an occupational or physical therapist to recommend a specific purchase in writing. This recommendation is needed to ensure the service, support and/or item will increase, maintain, or delay decline of functional abilities, and to ensure the purchase supports your health and welfare.

(3) Medicare or medicaid state plan benefits must be used prior to using New Freedom funds if the goods or services are covered under these programs.

(4) You may use your individual budget to purchase services, supports, and/or items that fall into the following service categories:

(a) Personal assistance services, defined as supports involving the labor of another person to assist you to carry out activities you are unable to perform independently. Services may be provided in your home or in the community and may include:

(i) Direct personal care services defined as assistance with activities of daily living, as defined in WAC 388-106-0010((;)). These must be provided by a qualified individual provider or AAA-contracted homecare agency as described in WAC 388-106-0040 (1) and (2);

(ii) Delegated nursing tasks, per WAC 246-841-405 and 388-71-05830. Providers of direct personal care services may be delegated by a registered nurse to provide nurse delegated tasks according to RCW 18.79.260 and WAC 246-840-910 through 246-840-970;

(iii) ((Homemaking, or assistance with instrumental activities of daily living (essential shopping, housework and meal preparation);

(iv))) Other tasks or assistance with activities that support independent functioning, and are necessary due to your functional disability;

(((v)))(iv) Personal assistance with transportation((.)) or assistance with instrumental activities of daily living (essential shopping, housework, and meal preparation).

(b) Treatment and health maintenance, defined as treatments or activities that are beyond the scope of the medicaid state plan that are necessary to promote your health and ability to live independently in the community and:

(i) Are provided for the purpose of preventing further deterioration of your level of functioning, or improving or maintaining your current level of functioning; and

(ii) Are performed or provided by people with specialized skill, registration, certification or licenses as required by state law.

(c) Individual directed goods, services and supports, defined as services, equipment or supplies not otherwise provided through this waiver or through the medicaid state plan; and

(i) Will allow you to function more independently; or

(ii) Increase your safety and welfare; or

(iii) Allow you to perceive, control, or communicate with your environment; or

(iv) Assist you to transition from an institutional setting to your home. Transition services may include safety deposits, utility set-up fees or deposits, health and safety assurances such as pest eradication, allergen control or one-time cleaning prior to occupancy, moving fees, furniture, essential furnishings and basic items essential for basic living outside the institution. Transition services do not include rent, recreational or diverting items such as TV, cable or VCR/DVDs.

(d) Environmental or vehicle modifications, defined as alterations to your residence or vehicle that are necessary to accommodate your disability and promote your functional independence, health, safety, and/or welfare.

(i) Environmental modifications cannot be adaptations or improvements that are of general utility or merely add to the total square footage of the home.

(ii) Vehicles subject to modification must be owned by you or a member of your family who resides with you; must be in good working condition, licensed, and insured according to Washington state law; and be cost effective when compared to available alternative transportation.

(e) Training and educational supports, defined as supports beyond the scope of medicaid state plan services that are necessary to promote your health and ability to live and participate in the community and maintains, slows decline, or improves functioning and adaptive skills. Examples include:

(i) Training or education on your health issues, or personal skill development;

(ii) Training or education to paid or unpaid caregivers related to your needs.

Services, supports and/or items that cannot be purchased within New Freedom budgets, including, but not limited to:

(1) Services, supports and/or items covered by the state plan, medicare, or other programs or services.

(2) Any fees related to health or long-term care incurred by you, including co-pays, waiver cost of care (participation), or insurance.

(3) Home modifications that merely add square footage to your home.

(4) Vacation expenses other than the direct cost of provision of personal care services while on vacation (but you may not use New Freedom funds to pay travel expenses for your provider).

(5) Rent or room and board.

(6) Tobacco or alcohol products;

(7) Lottery tickets.

(8) Entertainment-related items such as televisions, cable, ((or)) DVD players, stereos, radios, computers and other electronics, that are nonadaptive in nature.

(9) Vehicle purchases, maintenance or upgrades that do not include maintenance to modifications related to disability.

(10) Tickets and related costs to attend sporting or other recreational events.

(11) ((Routine)) Standard household supplies, furnishings, equipment, and maintenance, ((basic food, clothing,)) such as cleaning supplies, beds/mattresses, chairs, vacuum cleaners, outside window cleaning, and major household appliances, such as washing machines or refrigerators (unless purchased while transitioning from an institution to home).

(12) Pets, therapy animals and their related costs(including food and veterinary services).

(17) Warranties (for equipment, furnishings or installations).

You are eligible for NFCDS-funded services if you reside in your own home and meet all of the following criteria. The department must assess your needs using CARE and determine that:

(1) You are in NFCDS HCBS waiver specified target groups of:

(a) Eighteen or older and blind or have a physical disability; or

(b) Sixty-five or older; and

(2) You meet financial eligibility requirements described in WAC 182-513-1315. This means the department will assess your finances, determine if your income and resources fall within the limits, and determine the amount you may be required to contribute, if any, toward the cost of your care as described in WAC ((388-515-1505)) 182-515-1505; and

(3) You:

(a) Are not eligible for medicaid personal care services (MPC); or

(b) Are eligible for MPC services, but the department determines that the amount, duration, or scope of your needs is beyond what MPC can provide; and

(4) Your CARE assessment shows you need the level of care provided in a nursing facility as defined in WAC 388-106-0355; and

(5) You live in your own home, or will be living in your own home by the time NFCDS start.

((Your eligibility for NFCDS begins the date the department authorizes services.)) Your New Freedom services begin the date personal care provider(s) are authorized to begin providing services or the spending plan is approved.

(1) In order to remain eligible for NFCDS, you must be in need of services in accordance with WAC 388-106-1410, as determined through a CARE assessment, and continue to meet the financial eligibility requirements in WAC 182-513-1315.

(a) The CARE assessment must be performed at least annually or more often when there are significant changes in your functional or financial circumstances.

(2) When eligibility statutes, regulations, and/or rules for NFCDS change, irrespective of whether your functional or financial circumstances have changed, if you do not meet the changed eligibility requirements, the department will terminate your NFCDS services.

If you are admitted to a hospital, nursing home or ICF/MR, you cannot access or accumulate funds to your New Freedom service budget during your stay.

If you are institutionalized for forty-five days or less and you intend to return to New Freedom when discharged, your service budget will be temporarily suspended. Upon discharge home, your service budget will be reinstated if you are still eligible for New Freedom services.

(1) Depending on your income ((and resources)), you may be required to pay participation toward the cost of your care, as described in WAC ((388-515-1505)) 182-515-1505. If you have nonexempt income that exceeds the cost of NFCDS services, you may keep the difference. Since you are receiving services in your own home, you are allowed to keep some of your income for a maintenance allowance.

You can be employed and receive NFCDS, if eligible, per WAC ((388-515-1505)) 182-515-1505.

The department will calculate your individual budget amount after you are assigned a ((classification)) number of monthly hours resulting from completion of the comprehensive assessment reporting and evaluation tool, CARE. The calculation will be based on((:

(a))) the ((hourly)) average wage, including a mileage allowance, as determined by the collective bargaining agreement for individual provider personal care paid by the department multiplied by the number of ((hours)) units generated by the assessment, multiplied by a factor of ((.95)) .93, plus an amount equal to the average per participant expenditures for nonpersonal care supports purchased in the COPES waiver. ((The average will be recalculated in July of each year.))

(((b) If you select a home care agency, an adjustment will be made for each hour of personal care identified in the NFSP for an amount equal to the difference between the published individual provider rate and home care agency rate.))

The program provides funds in an amount proportionate to the amount of resources you would receive through COPES, and gives you flexibility to self-direct the purchase of goods and services to ((meet)) address your long-term care needs. The degree to which the budget meets your needs depends on the supports you identify and prioritize in your spending plan. Depending on your decisions, after your budget is exhausted, some of your needs may be unmet, or you may find other resources to address them.

(1) ((Unused funds, up to three thousand dollars, may be held in reserve for future purchases documented in the NFSP.)) The balance of individual budget funds that were not allocated for purchase of personal care may be used to purchase other goods and services in accordance with the approved New Freedom spending plan or saved for future purchase as described in (2) below.

(2) ((Reserves in excess of )) Up to three thousand five hundred dollars may be ((maintained)) held in savings for ((planned)) future purchases ((with approval from the department)) documented in the New Freedom spending plan.

(((2) Unused funds, up to five hundred dollars, may be held in reserve for future purchases not yet identified as planned purchases in their NFSP.))

(3) Reserves in excess of three thousand five hundred dollars may only be maintained for exceptional, planned purchases with pre-approval from the department.

(4) Unused funds will revert back to the department under the following circumstances:

(a) You have savings funds ((over five hundred dollars)) in excess of three thousand five hundred dollars that are not identified for ((planned)) exceptional, pre-approved purchases in your ((NFSP)) spending plan;

(b) You dis-enroll from New Freedom;

(c) You lose eligibility for New Freedom;

(d) You are hospitalized and/or placed in a nursing home or ICM/FR for over forty-five days; or

(e) You have ((reserved funds in excess of three thousand dollars held in reserve for future purchases not approved by the department)) personal care funds not used in the month for which you allocated them.

(1) You create your spending plan with the assistance of the Care Consultant using the New Freedom self-assessment and the CARE assessment.

(2) The spending plan must be approved by both you and the Care Consultant.

(3) You and your Care Consultant must identify how many personal care service units you intend to purchase prior to the month you plan to use them (service month). The value of those units is deducted from your New Freedom budget. The rest of funds can be used for other covered goods and services or saved.

(a) Once a service month begins, the number of personal care units may not be altered during that month.

(b) The maximum number of personal care units that can be purchased from the monthly budget is calculated from the individual budget as described in WAC 388-106-1445, divided by the individual provider average wage including mileage.

(c) Prior to the service month, you may elect to use savings funds to buy additional personal care.

(d) You can choose to have your personal care provided by an individual provider (IP) or a home care agency. Each unit will be deducted from your New Freedom budget at the average IP wage rate including mileage.

(e) The balance of your individual New Freedom budget will be available in your NFSP to save or purchase other goods and services up to the limit described in WAC 388-106-1455(2).

(f) If you have a change of condition or situation and your New Freedom budget increases due to a new assessment or Exception to Rule, you may purchase additional personal care from an IP or home care agency mid-month at the average IP rate, including mileage during the month your budget changed.

(g) You may assign your pre-determined personal care units to a different provider during the month of service.

Your NFSP may be denied when the plan you develop includes noncovered items from WAC 388-106-1405 and/or does not:

(a) Include only services in the New Freedom service definition found in WAC 388-106-1400;

(b) Address your needs as it relates to performance of activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living;

(c) Include strategies and steps to address known critical risks;

(d) Identify ((the)) a reasonable payment rate; or

(e) Adequately describe the service.

Your plan can be denied by your New Freedom consultant, who assists NFCDS participants to develop and use a New Freedom spending plan to:

(a) ((Meet)) Address identified personal care, health and safety needs;

(b) ((Address health and safety needs;

(c))) Develop options to meet those needs;

(((d))) (c) Make informed decisions about their individual budget; and

(((e))) (d) Obtain identified supports and services.

(1) You may choose to voluntarily end your enrollment from NFCDS without cause at any time. To do so, you must give notice to the department. If you give notice:

(a) Before the fifteenth of the month, the department will end your enrollment at the end of the month; or

(b) After the fifteenth, the department will end your enrollment the end of the following month.

(2) Your enrollment may also end involuntarily if you:

(a) Move out of the designated service area or are out of the service area for more than thirty consecutive days, unless you have documented the purpose of the longer absence in the NFSP; or

(b) Do not meet the terms for consumer direction of services outlined in the NFCDS enrollment agreement when:

(i) Even with help from a representative, you are unable to develop a NFSP or self-direct services or manage your individual budget or NFSP;

(ii) Any one factor or several factors of such a magnitude jeopardize the health, welfare, and safety of you and others, requiring termination of services under WAC 388-106-0047;

(iii) You become financially ineligible for medicaid services; ((or))

(iv) You no longer meet the nursing facility level of care requirement as defined in WAC 388-106-0355; or

(v) You misuse program funds and services as determined by the department.

You have a right to a hearing under WAC 388-106-1300 through ((388-106-1310)) 388-106-1315, and under chapter ((388-02)) 182-526 WAC.