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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 provide flexibilities in the areas of home health, transportation, telemedicine, inpatient hospital services, and pharmacy benefits.
Summary: This time-limited state plan amendment responds to the COVID-19 national emergency. The purpose of this amendment is to cover the new optional group for COVID testing, continue to consider residents who leave the Territory due to the disaster residents of the Territory, extend the reasonable opportunity period, allow 90-day supplies of drugs and early refills, extend all prior authorizations for medications without clinical review, or time/quantity extensions, allow exceptions to the Territory's preferred drug list in case of shortages, and allow use of telehealth methods in lieu of face-to-face reimbursed at 80% of the face-to-face rate.
Summary: This time-limited state plan amendment responds to the COVID-19 national emergency. The purpose of this amendment is to apply less strict income methods for determining eligibility, allow the SMA, hospital and public health centers to make presumptive eligibility (PE) decisions, and allow 12 months continuous eligibility for children under age 19.
Summary: This time-limited state plan amendment responds to the COVID-19 national emergency. The purpose of this amendment is to cover the new optional group for COVID testing, allow for flexibility in hospital presumptive eligibility, suspend cost sharing and premiums for all services for all beneficiaries, add new services under 1915(i), and allow for other flexibilities in the 1915(i) program.
Summary: This time-limited state plan amendment responds to the COVID-19 national emergency. The purpose of this amendment is to eliminate all cost sharing for testing and treatment that may be COVID-19 related, suspend enrollment fees and monthly premiums for the Health Care for Workers with Disabilities (HCWD) program; allow increased payment rates of 5% to certain FFS programs; add a 5% additional rate increase to support specific providers who may be experiencing a disproportionate impact; set payment rates for telehealth; and add an interim payment methodology.
Summary: This time-limited state plan amendment responds to the COVID-19 national emergency. The purpose of this amendment is to cover the new optional group for COVID testing, Expand Hospital Presumptive Eligibility to uninsured individuals for COVID-19 testing and related services, and Waive cost sharing for testing services (including in-vitro diagnostic products), testing- related services, and treatments for COVID-19, including vaccines, specialized equipment and therapies.
Summary: This time-limited state plan amendment responds to the COVID-19 national emergency. The purpose of this amendment is to cover the new COVID-19 testing group; expand eligibility by disregarding income up to 138% FPL for certain individuals; expand Hospital Presumptive Eligibility (HPE) to certain groups and expand the number of HPE periods in a 12-month period to two HPE periods for certain groups; suspend cost-sharing for COVID-19 testing and treatment services; suspend enrollment fees, premiums, and similar charges for certain groups; allow physicians and other licensed practitioners (OLPs) to order Medicaid home health services; modify the rehabilitative services benefit in the Drug Medi-Cal State Plan to expand the uses for individual counseling visits; remove utilization controls on covered benefits to the extent such limits can’t be exceeded based on medical necessity; use telehealth by modifying the face-to-face requirement for State Plan benefits/services to be provided via all forms of telehealth, regardless of originating or distant site; adjust day supply or quantity limits for covered outpatient drugs; include non-legend acetaminophen-containing drugs, non-legend cough, and cold drugs that are covered outpatient drugs in the pharmacy benefit; and allow prior authorizations for medications to be expanded by automatic renewal without clinical review, or time/quantity extensions. This amendment also will add COVID-19 diagnostic tests and corresponding payment increases for these tests up to the corresponding Medicare level; increase current per diem rates by 10 percent to Nursing Facilities and ICF/DDs; modify the face-to-face requirement for virtual communications and allow for reimbursement as appropriate using HCPCS code G0071 at the Medicare rate; suspend requirements for face-to-face contact in the Drug Medi-Cal state plan program and treat non-face-to-face contacts as equivalent to face-to-face contacts; and pay for ancillary costs for Drug Medi-Cal services only.
Other temporary payment changes will allow the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Individual Provider Rate to include payment for paid time off of IHSS providers related to COVID-19 sick leave benefits for a limited time period; and update the State-approved county governmental, contracted, and private individual provider rates fee schedule to reflect the additional sick leave mandated pursuant to the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act. For the Drug Medi-Cal and Specialty Mental Health programs in the state plan, the amendment will increase interim rates by 100%, and remove charges as a limit in cost settlement; exempt the clinical lab COVID-19 testing procedure codes from the 10 percent payment reduction mandated by state law; and add Associate Marriage and Family Therapists/Associate Clinical Social Workers (AMFTs/ACSWs) as billable provider types in FQHCs/RHCs.
Summary: This time-limited state plan amendment responds to the COVID-19 national emergency. The purpose of this amendment is to add emergency case management for Medicaid beneficiaries who meet at least on risk-based criteria and one health-related criteria, and establishes a payment methodology for that service.
Summary: This time-limited state plan amendment responds to the COVID-19 national emergency. The purpose of this amendment is to cover the new COVID-19 testing group and allowing for presumptive eligibility.
Summary: This time-limited state plan amendment responds to the COVID-19 national emergency. The purpose of this amendment is to cover the new optional group for COVID testing.
