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Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions are used to provide additional information and/or statutory guidance not found in State Medicaid Director Letters, State Health Official Letters, or CMCS Informational Bulletins. The different sets of FAQs as originally released can be accessed below.

Showing 1 to 10 of 29 results

Can you explain the difference between a prospective Upper Payment Limit (UPL) and a retrospective UPL?

The difference between a prospective and retrospective UPL is in the relationship between the UPL demonstration period and the date when the UPL is submitted. For a UPL demonstration period of 7/1/2018 to 6/30/2019, a UPL is considered retrospective when it is submitted on or after the start of the demonstration period (on or after 7/1/2018). Using the same UPL demonstration period (7/1/2018 to 6/30/2019), a UPL is considered prospective if it is submitted prior to 7/1/2018.

FAQ ID:92431

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How does this durable medical equipment (DME) limit on federal financial participation (FFP) affect those states that are 90% managed care?

As we explained in the January 4, 2018 letter, only those items provided in the Medicaid program on a fee-for-service (FFS) basis are to be included in the aggregate expenditure calculation. DME reimbursed under a Medicaid managed care arrangement or a Medicaid competitive bidding contract are not subject to the FFP limitation. If a state is 90% managed care the state would only have to show compliance or a demonstration with the 10% of FFS utilization and expenditures for the relevant DME items.

FAQ ID:93531

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Do the managed care organizations (MCOs), who are contracted to provide services to our Medicaid clients, have to comply with the durable medical equipment (DME) limit on federal financial participation (FFP)?

So long as the MCOs are not paid on a fee-for-service (FFS) basis, MCOs are not covered under this statute or subject to the limit on FFP. Only the relevant DME items provided in FFS are included in this limit.

FAQ ID:93536

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Are states that provide durable medical equipment (DME) through a managed care arrangement required to submit the reconciliation data?

Only those items provided in the Medicaid program on a fee-for-service basis are to be included in the aggregate expenditure calculation. DME reimbursed under a Medicaid managed care arrangement or a Medicaid competitive bidding contract are not subject to the federal financial participation limitation.

FAQ ID:93541

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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is saying this durable medical equipment (DME) limit on federal financial participation is applicable only to fee for service (FFS). How about the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver programs?

If the HCBS waiver includes FFS payments for DME, the state’s expenditures for DME would be subject to the limit.

FAQ ID:93546

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Our state uses multiple cost centers with varying cost-to-charge ratios in our calculation of the inpatient hospital Upper Payment Limit (UPL). Does the template accommodate this?

Yes, the template allows the use of multiple cost centers with multiple cost-to-charge ratios. The state would separately report the costs and payments associated with each of the cost centers in the cost template. To differentiate the cost centers, the state would append the Medicare Certification Number (Medicare ID) (variable 112) with a letter, for example an -A, -B, or -C, that would be used as a unique identifier for each cost center.

FAQ ID:92266

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The Inpatient Hospital Services (IPH), Outpatient Hospital Services (OPH), and Nursing Facility (NF) templates do not include fields to sum the Upper Payment Limit (UPL) gap by ownership category (private, Non-State Governmental Organization (NSGO), State Government Ownded (SGO). How should these totals be presented in the template?

The total UPL gap by ownership category can be shown by inserting a new tab in the file with these calculations, unless a summary worksheet is already included in the workbook. If there are any questions about how to add this tab, please reach out to your CMS Regional Office or send a follow-up question (with your template) to the UPL mailbox and additional guidance will be provided.

FAQ ID:92281

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What is the difference between "Medicaid Amount Reimbursed" vs. "Non-Medicaid Amount Reimbursed" in the State Drug Utilization Data (SDUD)?

A Non-Medicaid Reimbursed amount is any amount paid on a claim by parties other than Medicaid (e.g., other federal coverage, co-pay, private insurance). If a state receives Federal Financial Participation (FFP) for any part of a claim for a Covered Outpatient Drug (COD), that portion of the claim is included in the Medicaid Reimbursed amount. If a state does not receive FFP for any part of a rebate-eligible claim, then the amount of the claim is included in the Non-Medicaid Reimbursed amount.

FAQ ID:91981

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Why Does the "Medicaid Amount Reimbursed" and the "Non-Medicaid Amount Reimbursed" not equal the "Total Amount Reimbursed" in the State Drug Utilization Data (SDUD)?

The sum of the “Medicaid Amount Reimbursed” and the “Non-Medicaid Amount Reimbursed” fields should generally equal the Total Amount Reimbursed on a National Drug Code (NDC) by NDC basis; however, these new fields were implemented beginning with the fourth quarter of 2007 and are optional for the states to report prior to that time. Therefore, for quarters earlier than fourth quarter 2007, there may be some large discrepancies between the Total Amount Reimbursed and the sum of the Medicaid Amount Reimbursed and the Non-Medicaid Amount Reimbursed because the Non-Medicaid Amount Reimbursed is often not present for those earlier quarters. Should you notice apparent discrepancies in an individual state's utilization data, your questions should be directed to the State Technical Contact.

FAQ ID:91986

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Is the amount reimbursed by Medicaid net of rebates or pre-rebate in the State Drug Utilization Data (SDUD)?

Amounts reimbursed by Medicaid are pre-rebate, not net of rebates.

FAQ ID:92001

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