The health care authority (HCA) intends to submit a rate methodology for rent/temporary housing under Medicaid Transformation Project (MTP 2.0 - section 1115 waiver). These services provide stable independent living situations for individuals transitioning out of institutional care or congregate settings who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Payment may cover rent, storage/movers' fees, renters' insurance, landlord paid utilities that are part of the rental payment and not duplicative of other HRSN utility payments, parking fees when related to supporting tenancy, recurring utilities, nonrefundable/nonrecurring utility set-up costs for utilities or restart costs if the service has been discontinued, and up to six months of arrears related to unpaid utility bills.

Rent/temporary housing is expected to increase the annual aggregate expenditures for providers by approximately $38 million under MTP 2.0. Providers will be able to access medicaid waiver funds to provide rent and temporary housing to participants through a third-party administrator.

The rent/temporary housing fee schedule is available for review at https://www.hca.wa.gov/assets/program/MTP-rent-and-temporary-housing-fee-schedule.pdf. HCA welcomes interested parties to submit comments and concerns about the rate methodology and/or the effects no later than Monday, December 2, 2024. Note: All comments are subject to public review and disclosure, as are the names of those who comment.

Please submit comments and concerns to Whitney Joy Howard, Housing Integration Unit Manager, whitney.howard@dshs.wa.gov, 360-791-2358, 981 Powell Avenue S.W., Renton, WA 98057; or Matt Christie, FCS Supervisor, matt.christie@hca.wa.gov, 360-725-1015, TTY 711, 626 8th Avenue S.E., Olympia, WA 98501.