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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 21 results

Should the rate of required exclusions be reported with the Screening, Risk Assessment, and Plan of Care to Prevent Future Falls measure's Part 1 performance rate?

The measure excludes plan members who are not ambulatory from the measure rate, but it is not necessary to report the number of members excluded with the measure’s performance rate.

FAQ ID:89006

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Is a specific screening tool required for the Screening, Risk Assessment, and Plan of Care to Prevent Future Falls measure?

No, a specific screening tool is not required for this measure. However, potential screening tools may include the Morse Fall Scale and timed Get-Up-And-Go test.

FAQ ID:89011

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What is the difference between a screening (Part 1) and a risk assessment (Part 2) for the purposes of calculating the Screening, Risk Assessment, and Plan of Care to Prevent Future Falls measure?

A falls screening is an evaluation of whether a Managed Long Term Services and Supports plan member has experienced a history of falls and/or problems with balance or gait. A falls risk assessment includes a balance/gait assessment and one other assessment component and should only be performed for members with a documented history of falls (at least two falls or one fall with injury in the past year).

FAQ ID:89016

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May a state use all-payer data or the Medicare-specific data from the Medicare Hospital Cost Report (CMS Form 2552) to calculate the cost-to-charge ratios?

Yes, a state may choose between using all-payer data or Medicare-specific data from the Medicare Hospital Cost Report (CMS Form 2552) to determine the cost-to-charge ratios.

FAQ ID:92406

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Can a state review providers whose claims meet the 60 percent threshold and assume that those providers would be automatically eligible?

Each physician must self-attest to being a qualified provider. It is not appropriate for a state to rely on a modifier to a claim for the initial self-attestation. Under the final rule, states are not required to independently verify the eligibility of each and every physician who might qualify for higher payment. Therefore, it is important that documentation exist that the physicians themselves supplied a proper attestation. That attestation has two parts. Physicians must attest to an appropriate specialty designation and also must further attest to whether that status is based on either being Board certified or to having the proper claims history. Once the signed self-attestation is in the hands of the Medicaid agency, claims may be identified for higher payment through the use of a modifier.

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FAQ ID:94276

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CMS clarified in the final rule for CMS 2370-F that, for out of state providers, the beneficiary's home state (e.g., state A) may defer to the determination of the physician's home state (e.g., state B) with respect to eligibility for higher payment. However, if states A and B receive different Medicare locality adjustments, which locality rate must be paid?

As with all Medicaid services, the state in which the beneficiary is determined eligible (state A) sets the payment rate for services. Therefore, state A would be responsible for paying using the methodology it had chosen with respect to determining the appropriate Medicare rate and would not be required to pay the rate the physician would receive from state B.

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FAQ ID:94361

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When does the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plan to issue a correction to the mistake they noted during the call with Medicaid agencies regarding payment under CMS 2370-F at the lesser of a provider's billed charge or the Medicare rate?

The correction was published in the Federal Register on December 14, 2012. In it CMS clarified that states must reimburse providers the lower or the provider’s charge or the applicable Medicare rate.

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FAQ ID:94376

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If a physician presents a certificate for CMS 2370-F eligibility from one of the defined boards, can the certificate be used as the legal document verifying the physician's certification or does the State have to verify with the board that the physician is certified and that the presented certificate is still active and valid?

States may accept the certificate and need not verify. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expects states to make physicians aware that they are responsible for providing accurate information.

FAQ ID:92686

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The final rule for CMS 2370-F indicated that 100 percent Federal Financial Participation (FFP) is not available for stand-alone Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) plans. What criteria should be used to determine if a plan is a stand-alone CHIP plan? What agency will determine if a plan is a stand-alone CHIP plan?

The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approves CHIP programs as stand-alone or Medicaid expansions. Information on whether or not a particular state operates a stand-alone or expansion program is available at http://medicaid.gov/Medicaid-CHIP-Program-Information/By-Topics/Childrens-Health-Insurance-Program-CHIP/Downloads/Map-CHIP-Program-Designs-by-State-.pdf (PDF, 120.65 KB).

FAQ ID:92696

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Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs)/ rural health clinics (RHCs) which receive an encounter rate are excluded under the rule for CMS-2370 F. Are FQHCs/RHCs who are paid provider fee-for-service included in the increase?

FQHCs and RHCs are required by law to be paid at least prospective payment system (PPS) for core primary care services. Physician services are core FQHC and RHC services and, therefore, should not be reimbursed on a fee-for-service basis.

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FAQ ID:92701

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