This amendment reverses the 4.0% rate decrease that was applied to fee-for-service inpatient hospital DRG outlier payment rates on July 1, 2016 for all hospitals other than critical access hospitals, hospitals located in frontier, rural and densely settled rural counties, and state-operated psychiatric hospitals.

This amendment increases base period costs used to set inpatient hospital per diem rates by the current Hospital Market Basket Index as published in the Healthcare Cost Review by IHS. Additionally, this SPA specifies that base inpatient hospital costs for all subsequent State fiscal years will be increased by this index.

This amendment will extend, for an additional year, augmentation payments to emergency medical air transportation providers for services rendered during State Fiscal Year 2017-18.

This amendment clarified and simplified the rules for when the Indian Health Service (IHS) encounter rate is paid to IHS and triba facilities.

Revises provider standards and service descriptions for EIDBI services and makes multiple technical/conforming revisions.

This SPA provides for private duty nursing, assistive technology, and personal assistance services under EPSDT.

This SPA modifies the State's reimbursement methodology for setting payment rates for Long Term Care Hospital Services.

This SPA proposes to revise provision of Early & Periodic Screening Diagnostic & Treatment Services (EPSDT) services related to the expansion of behavioral health services provided to individuals under the age of 21.

Revises the definition of a rural hospital for Medicaid reimbursement purposes.

To amend the provisions governing leave of absence days to exclude bereavement days for close family members from the annual limit.