Expand Choice to Meet Individual Needs
Currently, Respite provided under 10 hours a day is billed in 15-minute increments and is subject to the DWRS framework rate versus the daily option which is a market rate service. ARRM is proposing making Unit Based Respite a market rate service, in alignment with how Daily Respite is currently operating. This will eliminate an unnecessary inconsistency, while allowing providers to design programs that meet the unique needs of their community and work with counties on a payment rate that reflects the service, while providing greater access to the service.
Support to Stay in Own Home
Currently, in order to meet the definition of “Own Home,” a provider cannot co-sign a traditional lease with an individual. One exception is a Transitional Lease, which allows the provider to sign with an individual who is living in their own apartment for two years. Transitional Leases have the option for one, two-year extension. ARRM is trying to address what happens after that two-year extension, if the landlord will still not allow the individual to be on the lease by themselves for whatever reason, including not meeting minimum income requirements, background checks and landlord hesitancy. ARRM is proposing allowing up to four, two-year extensions on a Transitional Lease.
Reduce Administrative Error Opportunities
Under Waiver ReImagine, there is a new tiered level of services called Individualized Home Supports. These services are provided to individuals that are living in their own home, outside of a provider-controlled setting. The most utilized of these services is Individualized Home Supports with Training, which can only be billed in 15-minute increments, or what providers call Unit Based Services, or as Daily Rate, if the service is provided for exactly 6 hours each day.
Tracking what can be upwards of 70 Units of service each day vs. what used to be one Daily Rate has posed administrative hurdles for providers. ARRM proposes eliminating the Daily Rate option for this service and instead creating two different units of service, the 15-minute unit and an hourly unit. This will have no impact on the individual receiving service but will make the billing process simpler for the service provider.