DDD Communication February 14, 2023

DDD Communication February 14, 2023

QUICK NOTES

DDD BILLING SYSTEM UPDATE

The Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) is aware of the billing issues that many of you are experiencing as you review your Mobius Remittance Report. Unfortunately, there was a file error, and the system did not process the January 1, 2023, rates as expected. The DDD is working very closely with the Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT) to rectify this issue as quickly as possible. We expect to have this resolved this week and any prior billing will automatically adjust. We apologize for any hardships this situation has created and want to reassure providers we are working diligently to ensure the problem is corrected as soon as possible.

GUIDEHOUSE STAFFING TABLES WEBINAR SLIDES AND RECORDING AVAILABLE

Last week, the DDD presented information via webinar regarding the CILA Rate Calculator. The webinar recording and slides are available online.

DDD CHILDREN'S WAIVERS TRANSITION TO MANAGED CARE DELAYED

The Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) is delaying the implementation of managed care for children enrolled in the DDD's Children's Residential Waiver and the Children's Support Waiver. The enrollment in managed care will not occur July 1, 2023. Waiver customers will continue to receive services as they currently are receiving, until further notice.

REPRESENTATIVE PAYEE PROGRAM REVIEWS AND BACKGROUND

The Social Security Administration (SSA) Independent Monitoring Unit has recently begun conducting onsite reviews of the Representative Payee Program. While onsite, they're also educating providers on the requirements when the provider is the Rep Payee. The DDD has been receiving a lot of questions and concerns about their responsibilities in the program and the Social Security Income (SSI) recipients' rights to their funds. The DDD met with the Rep Payee Program Manager to discuss concerns and gain a better understanding of the program requirements. We wanted to share the information below to help providers understand their Rep Payee responsibilities when there's a fiduciary status. Additionally, the DDD is working with the Rep Payee Program staff to provide a presentation on this topic in early May. Please be on the lookout for details on the webinar.

In a residential services program (CILA, CLF, ICF/DD, CGH, CCI), an individual who receives SSI or other social security benefits retains a minimum of $60 each month for personal spending. Social Security refers to such funds as a "personal needs allowance" or PNA. Providers who act as an individual's representative payee must maintain their fiduciary status for the individual's PNA if they hold the funds or assist the individual in managing those funds. For instance, if the provider retains control of the individual's PNA in cash form or in a collective account, it must maintain funds that are not in the individual's possession in a secure manner and maintain adequate records to account for the individual's funds and spending.

Likewise, if the individual's PNA goes into an individual bank account and staff assist the individual in managing those funds, the provider must maintain adequate records to account for the individual's funds and spending. Further, the bank account must be set up as a fiduciary account, and the individual cannot have direct access to the account. The bank account title must reflect that the beneficiary owns the funds in the account and that the provider has the fiduciary interest (i.e., "[Provider name] for Joe Smith," or "[Provider Name], representative payee for Joe Smith"). By titling accounts this way, the providers' involvement in managing the funds is reflected.

If the individual is able to manage their own bank account or cash, the provider is allowed to help the individual set up a checking account in their own name, or give them their cash, but provider staff must not have any access to those accounts or cash. For more information about Social Security's requirements for representative payees, please review the Guide for Organizational Representative Payees.

HFS POSTS HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY SITE VISIT REPORT

Last week, the HFS posted this Public Notice regarding the state's response to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) Heightened Scrutiny Site Visit Report. CMS and their partners, New Editions and Administration for Community Living (ACL) visited Heightened Scrutiny locations in states to assess compliance with the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Settings Rule. Five Illinois Heightened Scrutiny locations received visits from October 17, 2022 through October 20, 2022. CMS' reports regarding their visits to Heightened Scrutiny locations in Illinois and other states can be located at the CMS Statewide Transition Plans site. The written response to CMS was based on the site visits and includes how Illinois will remediate any findings to ensure compliance with the HCBS Settings Rule.

A non-electronic public notice may be viewed at the following HFS locations:

  • Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), Bloom Building, 201 South Grand Avenue East, Springfield, Illinois 62763.
  • Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), Office of the Director, 401 South Clinton Street, 1st Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60607.

Requests for hard copies of the aforementioned documents may be submitted by calling HFS at (217) 524-4148 or e-mailing HFS.SWTransitionPlan@illinois.gov.

DRS RELEASES RFP FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM

The Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) has announced a new Request for Proposal (RFP), DHS Community Based Access Gateway. The RFP has been issued to design and implement a comprehensive community engagement program for individuals with a disability or disabilities who require and can benefit from DRS services. The DRS seeks to pursue vendors specializing in targeted populations in underserved communities for whom the DRS does not have a contractual relationship in order to develop and build capacity. Interested vendors can view the solicitation in BidBuy. Questions regarding the RFP should be directed to the contact information provided in the Bid Solicitation. The DRS is unable to answer individual questions.

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

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