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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.

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Care managers often do not document data elements in the assessment and care plan measures unless the member has "a problem." For example, they may not document that they assessed the member's vision or need for an assistive device if no problem was identified. How can states or plans address this issue?

Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) plan managers should provide training on proper documentation practices to care managers and other delegated staff. States and MLTSS plans could consider including data field entry options to remind care managers to record all results of the assessment, even if findings are negative, that is, the member does not have a problem or need assistance or services. For example, states and plans could include a question in the member’s record that requires the care manager to document both whether an assessment was performed and whether a problem was identified, along with another required field to include the details of the problem if there was a problem identified.

FAQ ID:89046

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Must the completion of a Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) comprehensive care plan take place in the home?

No, for the LTSS Comprehensive Care Plan and Update measure, the care plan does not have to take place in the member’s home. However, it must be done face-to-face unless certain exceptions are met. These exceptions include circumstances in which:

  • The member was offered a face-to-face discussion and refused (either refused a face-to-face encounter or requested a telephone discussion instead of a face-to-face discussion).
  • The state policy, regulation, or other state guidance excludes the member from a requirement for face-to-face discussion of a care plan.

FAQ ID:89146

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What if there are multiple Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) LTSS Comprehensive Care Plan and Update care plans documented during the measurement period?

Use the most recently updated care plan.

FAQ ID:89151

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How should a Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) member's refusal to sign an LTSS Comprehensive Care Plan and Update plan be documented?

To meet the LTSS Comprehensive Care Plan and Update measure numerator, the care plan must be signed by the member, unless the care plan is under appeal in the specified timeframe, and there is documentation that the care plan was in appeal. There is an exclusion for members who refuse to take part in care planning. This exclusion is reported with the measure rate, so the overall measure rate can be interpreted correctly. For example, a plan that is not successful at engaging members in care planning, indicated by a high exclusion rate, would suggest the overall rate on the measure should be interpreted with caution.

FAQ ID:89166

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What if a Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) member could not be reached for the LTSS Comprehensive Care Plan and Update?

There must be documentation that at least three attempts were made to reach the member, and they could not be reached. The rate of exclusion due to inability to reach a member should also be reported along with the measure performance rate.

FAQ ID:89176

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What if a Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) member either does not have a caregiver involved or does not want their caregiver involved in the LTSS Comprehensive Care Plan and Update? What if a member's caregiver declines to participate in care planning?

In these circumstances, MLTSS plan records should clearly document that no caregiver was involved to satisfy the measure criteria. For example, there are situations in which it may not be appropriate to engage the caregiver, including cases in which the member refused to involve the caregiver, or the invited caregiver declined to participate. Reasons for lack of caregiver involvement are not required; documentation that a caregiver was not involved suffices.

FAQ ID:89181

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If no deficit is identified for one of the core elements required for the care plan (for example, functional needs), what should the care plan contain?

For certain elements of the care plan, documentation of no deficit suffices to receive credit for the elements (for example, functional needs, medical needs, cognitive impairment needs). Other elements in the core and supplemental rates of the Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) LTSS Comprehensive Care Plan and Update measure require documentation regardless of whether a deficit is identified (for example, individualized member goal, plan for follow-up and communication, plan for emergency). Refer to the details in the measure specification to identify where documentation of no deficit meets the element definition.

FAQ ID:89196

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Does the LTSS Reassessment/Care Plan Update after Inpatient Discharge measure include discharges for planned hospital admissions?

No; discharges for planned hospital admissions are excluded from the measure denominator. Identify planned discharges using the value sets (XLSX, 2.88 MB).

FAQ ID:89236

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Does the re-assessment and care plan update need to include the core elements specified in the LTSS Comprehensive Assessment and Update and LTSS Comprehensive Care Plan and Update measures and be done face-to-face?

Yes, both the re-assessment and the care plan must include each of the nine specified core elements. The re-assessment and care plan must be done face-to-face unless there is documentation that the member refused a face-to-face encounter.

FAQ ID:89241

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Why does the LTSS Reassessment/Care Plan Update after Inpatient Discharge measure exclude members who do not receive medical benefits through their Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) plan?

The denominator for the Reassessment/Care Plan Update after Inpatient Discharge measure is identified through administrative claims for inpatient discharges. Managed care plans that are not the primary payer for inpatient care, which is usually covered under a medical benefit, do not routinely have reliable access to administrative claims for inpatient stays to identify individuals who are eligible to be counted in the measure denominator. Therefore, the eligible population for this measure is restricted to individuals who receive both medical and LTSS benefits through the managed care plan providing MLTSS.

FAQ ID:89246

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