Rate Increase for DDD Waiver Funded Programs FY2021

Illinois Department of Human Services
Division of Developmental Disabilities

Information Bulletin
DD.21.014 FINAL

Purpose:

This Information Bulletin serves as notice of a rate increase pursuant to House Bill 357 and Public Act 101-0636.

Background:

The legislature appropriated funding to the Illinois Department of Human Services to increase rates and reimbursements to fund an increase sufficient to adjust wages $1.00 per hour effective July 1, 2020 and $0.50 per hour effective January 1, 2021 for non-executive staff, including, but not limited to: direct care staff (direct support persons (DSPs), aides, front-line supervisors, qualified intellectual disabilities professionals, and nurses), and non-administrative support staff working in community-based provider organizations serving individuals with developmental disabilities.

Facilities licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health under the ID/DD Community Care Act as ICF/IDD Facilities, ICF/IDD day training facilities, and MC/DD facilities, will have an established effective date for the $1.00 and $0.50 rate increase funding pending final federal approval of a State Plan Amendment (SPA) and required regulatory filings to enact the new ICF/IDD rates.

Rate Calculations and Grant Amendments:

The programs impacted by the wage increase funding are depicted in the table below. The Division will recalculate rates for all individuals in those programs who use individual rates and all facilities for those programs that use provider rates. Because of the timing of the approval of this wage increase funding and implementation of on-going temporary rates for the COVID-19 pandemic, rate summaries will be generated for the July 1, 2020 rate changes and new rate sheets will be generated for the January 1, 2021 rate change. Grant agreements will be amended, if necessary, for all applicable grant programs. The rate recalculation and grant amendment process will take approximately 60 days to complete; however, the increases are effective July 1, 2020 and January 1, 2021. Although general percentage increases are displayed below to estimate overall impact and explain calculations used by the Division, providers should look to their actual grant agreements for actual funding expectations.

Overall Program Calculations:

In addition to the adjustment to accommodate funding sufficient for $1.00 and $0.50 per hour increases for non-executive staff described above, the Administration has decided to increase funding to allow for the potential impact of wage increases on fringe benefits. The potential financial impact of the wage funding, plus the fringe, was converted into a percentage for all programs. The percentage increase varies among the programs due to the different fringe percentages included in the rate methodologies. The ICF/IDD and MC/DD percentage increase will be adjusted when authorization is given through final approval of the SPA and enactment of applicable legislation.

7/1/2020 1/1/2021
Adult Residential
60D CILA 5.8720% 2.7817%
41D SHP 5.6371% 2.6704%
42D SLC 5.6371% 2.6704%
65H CILA Hourly 5.6371% 2.6704%
67D CLF - Waiver 5.6371% 2.6704%
67E CLF - Non-Waiver 5.6371% 2.6704%
73D Related Support 5.6371% 2.6704%
Children's Residential
17D Child Group Home 5.6371% 2.6704%
ICF/IDDs & MC/DDs
Facilities 5.6841% 2.6927%
ICF/IDD CDS Programs 5.6841% 2.6927%
Therapy/Counseling
56U Behavioral Therapy 5.6371% 2.6704%
58U Therapy Individual 5.6371% 2.6704%
58G Therapy Group 5.6371% 2.6704%
57U Counseling Individual 5.6371% 2.6704%
57G Counseling Group 5.6371% 2.6704%
7/1/2020 1/1/2021
Day Programs & Non-Residential
53R Add Staff CILA $1.00 $0.50
53D Add Staff CDS $1.00 $0.50
31S ** SODC CDS 5.6841% 2.6927%
31C CDS - Off-Site 5.6371% 2.6704%
31U CDS - Site Based 5.6371% 2.6704%
37U At Home Day Services 5.6371% 2.6704%
37U At Home Day Services 5.6371% 2.6704%
39G Supported Employment 5.6371% 2.6704%
39U Supported Employment 5.6371% 2.6704%
51 A-L ISSA 5.6371% 2.6704%
55A Self-Directed Assistance 5.6371% 2.6704%
87D Respite 5.6371% 2.6704%
89D Respite 5.6371% 2.6704%
781 Grant Bogard 5.6371% 2.6704%
Staff Training Reimbursement
ICF/IDD Facilities 5.6841% 2.6927%
Community Programs 5.6371% 2.6704%

Wage Increase Effect on Home-Based Services/Purchase of Services:

Standard statewide rates used within the Home-Based Services and Support (HBS) Program, e.g., rates for Community Day Services, Supported Employment, and Self-Directed Assistance (SDA), will be impacted by this increase. The monthly allocation for HBS, however, is not changed by this action since HBS increases are enacted in January of each year, when applicable, in accordance with federal Supplemental Security Income changes.

All individuals and families who purchase services and supports through Home-Based funding need to revise their HBS Service Agreement to accommodate any new rates. Any individual or family who needs or wants help adjusting their HBS Service Agreement should contact and hire an SDA Agency. An SDA agency will help ensure any needed modifications are made to the individual's HBS Service Agreement so that the increased rates are accommodated within the individual's monthly HBS allocation. Copies of the revised HBS Service Agreement need to be given or mailed to each service provider. If the HBS individual uses ACES$ as their Financial Intermediary, a copy of the revised HBS Service Agreement must be provided to ACES$. Please remember these changes are implemented as of July 1, 2020 and January 1, 2021. All HBS Service Agreements need to be revised immediately to reflect program rate changes and any service changes with the COVID-19 pandemic closure and reopening of Community Day Services (CDS). Previously paid billing for people in HBS will only be adjusted retroactively as the person had available funding for the month in which previous services were purchased, billed, and paid.

Implementation:

For the July 1, 2020 $1.00 per hour increase, all covered employees are to receive at least $0.80 of the $1.00 to be provided for a direct increase to non-executive staff wages, with priority given to direct-care staff persons. For the January 1, 2021 $0.50 per hour increase, all covered employees are to receive at least $0.40 of the $0.50 to be provided for a direct increase to non-executive staff wages, with priority given to direct-care staff persons.

IDHS filed an emergency rule with JCAR on July 1, 2020; the emergency rule has a July 1, 2020 effective date. The emergency rule promulgates a rule change for 89 Ill. Adm. Code 144.30 (for both changes). The emergency rule is published in the Illinois Register dated July 17, 2020 at: https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/index/register/volume44/register_volume44_issue_29.pdf

The Division has posted an updated "DDD Current Rate Table" for new rates effective July 1, 2020 and January 1, 2021, on the DDD Website. The link for the updated Rate Table can be found at: https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=125310

The information contained herein should not be considered as a substitute for the appropriate official statutes, rules, regulations, or the advice of legal counsel.

Effective Date:

These rate changes are effective July 1, 2020 and January 1, 2021 for CILA, Grant, and POS services. Effective dates for ICF/IDD, ICF/IDD day training, and MC/DD Programs, including 31S effective dates, are to be determined upon approval of the State Plan Amendment.