Proposed Temporary Rate Add-ons for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Provider Retention Payments

Hearing. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) conducted a virtual public hearing on April 11, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Section 9817 of the ARPA temporarily increases the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage by 10 percentage points, up to 95 percent, for certain allowable HCBS medical assistance expenditures under the Medicaid program beginning April 1, 2021 and ending March 31, 2022. HHSC submitted an initial spending plan and narrative to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on July 12, 2021 and received partial approval on August 19, 2021. HHSC is providing time-limited reimbursement increases to agency providers and consumer-directed services employers to support recruitment and retention efforts for direct care staff delivering HCBS personal attendant and nursing services. Temporary rate increases will be made on eligible HCBS service claims with dates of service between March 1, 2022, and August 31, 2022. Proposal. HHSC proposes to