Louisiana Medicaid Update: Louisiana DOH eliminates waiting list for those with developmental disabilities (2019)
“Nearly a year after eliminating its 25-year-old waiting list for specialized services, the Louisiana Department of Health’s Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities is receiving positive feedback from those served by the Tiered Waiver plan.
Tiered Waiver prioritizes individuals with a greater urgency of need for receiving the most appropriate home and community-based services, rather than the Office’s prior approach of offering services on a first-come, first-served basis.
Julie Foster Hagan, assistant secretary of the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, said more than 12,000 people have received a Screening for Urgency of Need (SUN), using a nationally accepted best practice model, to determine the urgency of their need for waiver services. There are five levels of need, or tiers:
• 4-Emergent: Supports will be needed in the next 90 days.
• 3-Urgent: Supports will be needed in the next 3-12 months.
• 2-Critical: Supports will be needed in the next 1-2 years.
• 1-Planning: Supports will be needed in the next 3-5 years.
• 0-Currently no unmet needs.”
“AN ACT To enact Part III of Chapter 8 of Title 46 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to be comprised of R.S. 46:977.21 through 977.25, relative to services for children provided through the medical assistance program of this state known commonly as Medicaid; to provide for duties and responsibilities of the Louisiana Department of Health in administering the Medicaid program; to provide legislative findings relative to Medicaid waiver programs; to establish and provide for a demonstration waiver program to serve certain children with disabilities; to require development and submission of an application for program approval to the federal Medicaid agency; to provide for definitions; to provide for promulgation of rules; and to provide for related matter.”
Louisiana Developmental Disability Council Report (2019)
“On January 25, 2019, the Medicaid Extenders Act of 2019, a bill that includes short-term funding for the Money Follows the Person program, became law. Participants can now transition through MFP through CY 2019, which was extended from December 31, 2018. On February 28, 2019, Congress introduced two reauthorization bills, H.R.1342 and S.548, through the Empower Care Act to extend the MFP program for five additional years. They are still pending Congressional action.”
HUD Awards $4.8 Million To Help Low-Income Veterans Rehabiitate Their Homes
~~The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced $4.8 million in funding through the Veterans Housing Rehabilitation and Modification Pilot (VHRMP) Program to assist disabled veterans with modifying or rehabilitating their homes, making them more accessible.
Through the VHRMP program, grantees will make necessary physical modifications to address the adaptive housing needs of eligible veterans, including wheelchair ramps, widening exterior and interior doors, reconfiguring and reequipping bathrooms, or adding a bedroom or bathroom for the veteran’s caregiver.
“Our veterans gave everything in service to our country so it’s now our duty to ensure they have a safe and decent place to call home,” said HUD Secretary Ben Carson. “The grants awarded today ensure veterans living with disabilities can make the necessary adaptive modifications to their homes, allowing them to lead self-sufficient lives.”
“Our biggest hope for Veterans is that they fully participate in the country they fought to defend once they return from service,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “These grants further that goal by ensuring Veterans with service-related disabilities don’t just get housing, but live in a home that meets their specific needs. We’re proud to work with our nonprofit partners once again this year to help our Veterans.”
The purpose of this pilot program is to assist our nation’s low-income veterans living with disabilities who need adaptive housing to help them regain or maintain their independence. By partnering with the VA, HUD is addressing these challenges by awarding competitive grants to organizations that primarily serve veterans and low-income people.
“Southwest Louisiana Area Health Education Center (SWLAHEC) was awarded a statewide 2019 CMS Navigator Cooperative Agreement serving “Left behind” populations, young adults (26–35 year olds), agriculture community workers, manufacturing community workers, trade community workers, finance community workers, education and healthcare community workers, job service community workers, entertainment industry employees, African-American communities, and Asian communities. The Sub-awardee/Subrecipient Contracted Organization is Central LA Area Health Education Center (CLAHEC). They will partner with the Louisiana Dept. of Insurance, Louisiana Enrollment Partnership Coalition, Faith-based groups, Hospitals, clinics, and social service agencies, State and local elected officials, Louisiana Primary Care Association (LPCA), and the Louisiana Workforce Commission. For more information, please contact the designated project lead.”
The Louisiana Statewide Transition Plan for Compliance with the CMS Home and Community-Based Services Settings Rule
“The following represents the Louisiana Work Plan. The purpose of this plan is to guide the development and implementation of a Transition Plan to: 1) provide for a robust input and engagement process for consumers and stakeholders; 2) identify areas of non-compliance; 3) seek intervention strategies to comply with the new setting requirements ; 4) implement strategies to maintain continuous compliance; and 5) ensure quality components are designed into each phase of the Transition Plan to ensure continued compliance.”
Louisiana Community Choices Waiver Fact Sheet (2018)
“The Louisiana Community Choices Waiver (CCW) is a program for elderly and/or disabled Louisiana residents. This program, which replaced the Elderly and Disabled Adult Waiver, provides a wide range of services and support to assist elderly state residents in maintaining their independence. In other words, it helps to prevent institutionalization in nursing homes by providing support at home, in assisted living facilities, and in adult foster care homes.
In addition to in-home support services, this waiver offers a unique benefit called Monitored In-Home Caregiving (MIHC), which can loosely be compared to adult foster care. Under MIHC, a family member or friend can move in to the care recipient’s home and get paid to provide care. The alternative option exists as well, where the elderly individual moves into a friend or younger family member’s home (such as his/her adult child) and that individual receives compensation for providing care. Even spouses can be compensated for providing care under MIHC. However, it’s important to note that the caregiver must adhere to the rules set forth by the Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) and be approved as a MIHC service provider.”
Louisiana SNAP- Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs)
“A new federal rule that takes effect April 1, 2020, will require some Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to meet federal work requirements to continue receiving federal food assistance, commonly known as “food stamps.”
SNAP recipients who are classified as an Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents (ABAWD) – that is, recipients who are age 18 to 49, do not have a child living with them and are considered able to work – can receive benefits for only three months in a 36-month period unless they meet the federal ABAWD work requirement or qualify for an exemption (or exception). This rule, known as the SNAP Time Limit, is established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). For Louisiana SNAP recipients, the rule would cover the period of April 2020 through March 2023.
FNS has granted a waiver of the SNAP Time Limit rule for 14 parishes with higher unemployment rates. Those parishes are Assumption, Catahoula, Concordia, East Carroll, Franklin, Madison, Morehouse, Richland, St. Landry, St. Mary, Tensas, Vernon, West Carroll and Winn.”
“The Medicaid Infrastructure Grant Program is authorized under Section 203 of the Ticket-to-Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act. The… program provides funding to states for Medicaid infrastructure development that will build supports for people with disabilities who would like to be employed. States are encouraged to use grant funding to implement and develop the optional working disabled eligibility group (Medicaid buy-in), increase the availability of statewide personal assistance services, form linkages with other state and local agencies that provide employment related supports, and create a seamless infrastructure that will maximize the employment potential of all people with disabilities.”
“To enact RS. 47:297.13, relative to income taxation; to provide relative to individual and corporation income tax deductions; to authorize an income tax deduction for taxpayers w employ certain qualified disabled individuals; to provide for certain definitions; to provide for certain requirements and limitations; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for related matters.”
