WSR 16-11-117
HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY
[Filed May 18, 2016, 11:46 a.m.]
NOTICE
Title or Subject: Medicaid State Plan Amendment (SPA) 16-0019
Effective Date: July 1, 2016.
Description: The health care authority (the agency) intends to submit medicaid SPA 16-0019 to update the following information:
The methodology for determining payment rates for home health services and private duty nursing services may include legislative action.
The fee schedule for home health services will be updated to reflect the legislatively approved $10 per hour rate increase for registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) providing skilled nursing services in a home setting. The rate change for home health services is an increase of 11.17 percent.
The effective date of the fee schedule for private duty nursing services. The fee schedule will be updated to reflect the legislatively approved $10.00 per hour rate increase for RNs and LPNs providing skilled nursing services in a home setting. The rate change for private duty nursing services for RNs is an increase of 28.31 percent, and for LPNs is an increase of 36.72 percent.
The methodology for determining payment rates for physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy will be updated. This is not a change in methodology; it is simply a more detailed explanation of how the agency already calculates these rates, and is being added per request from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The agency anticipates this SPA will affect annual aggregate expenditures for home health services in the amount of $459,000 and for private duty nursing services in the amount of $1,767,000. Adding details of the methodology for physical, occupational, and speech therapy rates will have no effect on annual aggregate expenditures.
The SPA is in the development process; therefore a copy is not yet available for review. To contact the agency for additional information and a copy of the SPA when it becomes available, please contact Jean Bui, Rates Development, 626 [8th] Avenue S.E., Olympia, WA 98501, phone (360) 725-1973, TDD/TTY 800-848-5429, fax (253) 350-6512, e-mail jean.bui@hca.wa.gov, web site http://www.hca.wa.gov/medicaid/rbrvs/Pages/index.aspx.