Frequently Asked Questions

If the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) grade A or B service is an integral part of the office visit that includes other services, and will not be billed separately, the state may permit providers to charge a copay for the office visit, as the office visit is not eligible for the one percentage point FMAP increase. If the USPSTF grade A or B service is billed separately, or is the only service furnished during the office visit, the state may not permit the provider to charge a copay. The state should work with providers to establish the appropriate billing codes and claims processing guidelines for these situations.

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FAQ ID:92121

Yes, a state should submit multiple workbooks to CMS to provide a complete UPL demonstration for each service category subject to the UPL (Inpatient Hospital services (IPH), Outpatient Hospital services (OPH), Nursing Facility services (NF), Clinic, Institutions for Mental Disease (IMD), Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IID), Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF), and Qualified Practitioner supplemental payments). When submitting UPL demonstrations, the state should use the following naming convention: UPL_<UPL Demo Date Range>_<Service Type Abbreviation>_R<Region Number>_<State Abbreviation>_<Workbook Number>.xls. Here is an example of the naming convention: UPL_20170701-20180630_IP_R01_CT_01.xls.As well, states may submit one separate workbook for each ownership category (state government owned, non-state government owned, and private).

FAQ ID:92241

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

No, the template does not include variables to report clinical diagnostic laboratory services.

FAQ ID:92371

Yes, states may use UPL methodologies that are different from their payment methodologies. For example, a state may pay for inpatient hospital services using a Medicaid APR-DRG methodology, but use a cost methodology to compute the Medicare upper payment limit for its UPL demonstration.

FAQ ID:92386

In order to receive the one percentage point FMAP increase, the state is required to submit a SPA with updated coverage pages. When a SPA is submitted with updated coverage pages, we will perform a review of the corresponding payment page(s). A state does not need to submit a SPA with revised payment pages, and conduct public notice, unless it wishes either to begin coverage and payment for these services or to change the existing payment rates (in other words, if the state already pays for the preventive services in some contexts, a payment SPA may not be needed if the state does not want to change the existing payment rate or methodology).

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FAQ ID:91516

The preventive services information should be placed in item (13)(c), preventive services, of the pre-print. The State Medicaid Director (SMD) letter #13-002 indicates the information that should be added to the 3.1-A (and at the state's option, the 3.1-B) coverage limitations pages. CMS is available to provide technical assistance before you submit the state plan amendment (SPA), or we can discuss the needed information during the review of your SPA.

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FAQ ID:91521

A state would have to submit a SPA to amend the preventive services benefit in the state plan. Once that SPA is approved, the state generally is eligible for the enhanced FMAP for such services. The state should review its managed care authority document (SPA, waiver or 1115 demonstration project) to ensure that it reflects the coverage and cost-sharing provisions (as appropriate) of the preventive services benefit. The state will have to amend its Managed Care Organization (MCO) contracts to reflect the scope of coverage and the absence of cost-sharing for the preventive services benefit. To claim that enhanced FMAP for managed care payments, CMS must review the methodology that the state intends to use to estimate the value of the preventive services benefit in its capitation rates.

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FAQ ID:91526

Yes, the one percentage point increase in federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) applies to all USPSTF grade A and B recommendations, including new, updated, and reaffirmed within the past five years.

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FAQ ID:91531

No, fluoride varnish is not eligible for the one percentage point FMAP increase. In the future, if the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) adds fluoride varnish to the A or B recommended preventive services, states will be required to cover the fluoride varnish with no cost-sharing. Per State Medical Director (SMD) letter #13-002, states should provide an assurance in the state plan indicating they have a method to ensure that, as changes are made to the USPSTF and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations, they will update their coverage and billing codes to comply with those revisions. As long as this assurance is in the state plan, states are not required to submit a state plan amendment each time the USPSTF or ACIP makes changes to their recommendations.

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FAQ ID:91536