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A Medicaid and CHIP state plan is an agreement between a state and the Federal government describing how that state administers its Medicaid and CHIP programs. It gives an assurance that a state will abide by Federal rules and may claim Federal matching funds for its program activities. The state plan sets out groups of individuals to be covered, services to be provided, methodologies for providers to be reimbursed and the administrative activities that are underway in the state.
When a state is planning to make a change to its program policies or operational approach, states send state plan amendments (SPAs) to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for review and approval. States also submit SPAs to request permissible program changes, make corrections, or update their Medicaid or CHIP state plan with new information.
Persons with disabilities having problems accessing the SPA PDF files may call 410-786-0429 for assistance.
Summary: This time-limited state plan amendment responds to the COVID-19 national emergency. The purpose of this amendment is to waive residency requirement for individuals in state temporarily, extend reasonable opportunity period for non-citizens declaring satisfactory immigration status, suspend all cost-sharing for testing services, suspend premiums for certain populations, add temporary provisions allowing Community 1st Choice in Acute Hospital setting, allow students with completed coursework to practice as unlicensed mental health professionals, amend provider qualifications to remove First Aid & CPR requirements, expand Pharmacist scope of practice definition, increases allowable day-supply limits for prescription drugs, waive requirement for the return of unused unit dose medications dispensed in LTC based on infection control, increase reimbursement of professional dispensing fees due to incurred cost of delivery, allow the pricing methodology for covered outpatient drugs dispensed by a retail-based pharmacy to be bypassed when a medication’s acquisition cost exceeds the standard “lesser of” payment methodology logic through petitioning at the point of sale, provide exceptions to state's Preferred Drug List if a shortage occurs, and modify reimbursement to reflect a per-episode rate equal to current monthly rate for Infant Learning Program (ILP) & Long Term Services & Support (LTSS).
Summary: Updates the State’s Asset Verification System (AVS) reflecting the State’s decision to go from using a contractor to build the system to joining a consortium to develop an Asset Verification System
Summary: Proposes to update the payment rates for nursing facility residents to provide for reimbursement when a resident of a Disaster Struck Nursing Facility must be temporarily evacuated to another facility due to a disaster for a period of up to thirty (30) days.
Summary: Updates the physician office and outpatient fee schedule to increase the rates for select Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive (LARCs) Devices and updates the pricing methodology for specified codes on the physician-surgery fee schedule for manually priced to a fixed fee at 57.5% of Medicare
Summary: Updates the physician office and outpatient fee schedule by restructuring the payment methodology for pediatric medical providers who apply fluoride varnish to the teeth of Medicaid members and expands the age range of individuals who can receive an oral assessment and/or application of fluoride varnish by a pediatric medical provider.
Summary: Updates the Medical Equipment, Devices and Supplies (MEDS) fee schedule by updating pricing methodology to increase payment for two patient lift codes: E0639 and E0640. The SPA also reduces monthly quantities for procedure code A4259 (lancets per box of JOO) allowed without prior authorization and adds prior authorization to codes L1960 and L1970 (ankle foot orthosis). This SPA decreases reimbursement to the following procedure codes: A6198 (alginate or other fiber gelling dressing wound cover sterile); EI028 (Wheelchair accessory manual swing away retractable); E2620 (positioning wheelchair back cushion planar back) and K0040 (adjustable angle
