SR 15-11 Dated 11/15

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION

SUMMARY

This SR releases revisions to DFA Form 777, NH EASY Provider Enrollment, and its associated instructions, DFA Form 777(i), due to the impending automation of Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS) medical eligibility processing in New HEIGHTS and NH EASY in early spring 2016. LTSS includes:

·      Nursing Facility (NF) services; and

·      Residential Care Facilities (RCF), community residences, and all categories of Home and Community Based Care (HCBC) services, including HCBC – Choices for Independence (HCBC-CFI).

LTSS medical eligibility processing, such as medical eligibility assessments (MEAs), change of status, and invoicing, is currently done in eStudio. In early spring 2016, eStudio will no longer be used for LTSS medical eligibility processing. At that time, all LTSS medical eligibility processing will occur in New HEIGHTS and NH EASY, and eStudio will only be used for transmitting information, such as notifications and memorandums of procedural changes. To access the LTSS medical eligibility processing that will be available in New HEIGHTS and NH EASY, LTSS providers will need to follow the current provider enrollment process of completing a DFA Form 777. Because LTSS providers will have access to newly created screens and therefore require unique training, DFA Form 777 has been revised to capture the LTSS provider type so that the NH EASY Provider Enrollment Unit and DHHS trainers will be notified accordingly.

Additionally, this SR releases an unrelated policy clarification regarding the treatment of military pay and allowances in the eligibility and benefit determination process for Medicaid, including the medical assistance categories that use modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) in the eligibility determination process, Financial Assistance to Needy Families (FANF) cash assistance, and State Supplement Program (SSP) cash assistance. Current policy is already available about the treatment of military pay and allowances in the Food Stamp Program and that policy remains unchanged.

POLICY

To access the Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS) medical eligibility enhancements in New HEIGHTS and NH EASY, LTSS providers need to follow the current provider enrollment process of completing a DFA Form 777, NH EASY Provider Enrollment, and entering a check mark in the newly added LTSS field.

NEW HEIGHTS SYSTEMS PROCEDURES AND IMPLEMENTATION

Full LTSS automation in New HEIGHTS and NH EASY is expected to occur in February 2016 while the associated changes to eStudio, where eStudio will no longer be used for LTSS medical eligibility processing but continue to be used for transmitting information, is expected to occur in early spring 2016. New HEIGHTS will release updates on the LTSS medical eligibility enhancements under separate cover at that time.

UNRELATED POLICY CLARIFICATION

Military pay and military allowances, such as the Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance (FSSA) or the Family Separation Allowance, are now singled out as a separate income type in the policy manuals for Medicaid, SSP, or FANF. Treatment is as follows:

·      Military salary is counted as earned income for the SSP and FANF cash programs as well as all categories of Medicaid, including the medical assistance categories that use modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) in the eligibility determination process; and

·      Military allowances are:

-     Counted as unearned income for the SSP and FANF cash programs and non-MAGI categories of Medicaid; but

-     Excluded as income for the MAGI categories of Medicaid.

A new income type, Military Pay and Allowances, has been added to PART 513 of the Adult Assistance, Family Assistance, and Medical Assistance Manuals accordingly. Current policy is already available about the treatment of military pay and allowances in the Food Stamp Program, and that policy remains unchanged.

DESCRIPTION OF REVISIONS MADE TO FORMS

DFA Form 777, NH EASY Provider Enrollment, was revised to add a new LTSS field. When checked, this new field alerts the NH EASY Provider Enrollment Unit and DHHS trainers that the LTSS provider will need access to the LTSS-specific screens and will require unique training. The instructions for DFA Form 777 were revised accordingly.

This form is offered in an electronic format only, therefore the revised version of this form is available immediately, for Department staff only, on the Lotus Notes Family Services Database, and for public access in the NH EASY forms database.

POLICY MANUAL REVISIONS

Revised Adult Assistance Manual Topics

PART 513  LESS COMMON INCOME TYPES: MILITARY PAY AND ALLOWANCES

Revised Family Assistance Manual Topics

PART 513  LESS COMMON TYPES OF INCOME: MILITARY PAY AND ALLOWANCES

Revised Medical Assistance Manual Topics

PART 513  LESS COMMON INCOME TYPES: MILITARY PAY AND ALLOWANCES

IMPLEMENTATION

The policy released in this SR is effective upon receipt or November 1, 2015, whichever is earlier. DFA Form 777 is offered in an electronic format only, therefore the revised version of this form is available immediately, for Department staff only, on the Lotus Notes Family Services Database, and for public access in the NH EASY forms database.

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

No special client notification is planned or needed.

TRAINING

Trainings for LTSS providers on the LTSS enhancements in New HEIGHTS and NH EASY will be in January 2016, prior to implementation of LTSS medical eligibility processing in New HEIGHTS and NH EASY.

FORMS MANUAL POSTING INSTRUCTIONS

DISPOSITION

This SR may be destroyed or deleted after its contents have been noted and the revised manual topics released by this SR have been posted to the On-line manuals.

DISTRIBUTION

This SR will be distributed according to the electronic distribution list for Division of Family Assistance policy releases. This SR, and revised On-Line Manuals, will be available for agency staff in the On-Line Manual Library, and for public access on the Internet at www.dhhs.nh.gov/DFA/publications.htm, effective November 21, 2015. Additionally, this SR, and printed pages with posting instructions, will be distributed under separate cover to all internal hard copy holders of the Adult Assistance, Family Assistance, Medical Assistance, and Forms Manuals.

DFA/JBV:s