The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS), which enforces federal employment verification requirements, has issued the first updated Form I-9 since 1991. Devised to help employers verify that every new employee is either a U.S. citizen or authorized to work in the U.S., the law requires that the new Form I-9 be used for all individuals hired on or after November 7, 2007. However, CIS also granted a 30-day “transition period” for employers to begin using the new form. That transition period ended last week on December 26, 2007. Employers’ use of the prior version of the Form I-9 may now result in administrative penalties.
CIS also revised its “Handbook for Employers” last month, which explains the new I-9 process in detail and includes questions and answers on filling out the form, examples of the acceptable documents, and a copy of the Form I-9. To verify that you have the correct version, the new form is identified in the lower right hand corner as “Form I-9 (Rev. 06/05/07) N.”
The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) announced that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission has approved rate changes for the Medicaid hospice program for Federal Fiscal Year 2008. The rate changes are the result of information provided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The hospice cap amount for the cap year ending October 31, 2008, is $21,410.04. For information on where to mail paper vouchers, download the letter here.
In an information letter to Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS), Case Management Agencies, and Direct Services Agencies, DADS alerted these providers that it will implement specialized respiratory nursing services and associated rates in the CLASS program. For more information, download the letter here.
DADS notified Home and Community-based Services (HCS) Providers about the process and forms to be used to accomplish temporary and permanent discharges of individuals who are receiving services in the HCS Program, effective December 1, 2007. Download the letter here for more information.
The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) issued a letter to Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) Providers to remind them about procedures for marketing materials and sentinel events. DADS is required to approve all promotional, marketing, enrollment, and disenrollment materials before publication and distribution.
For more information, download the letter here.
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) will submit an amendment that eliminates the 2.5 percent Medicaid payment reduction for Medicaid services delivered by Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, which was effective on September 1, 2003.
HHSC is eliminating the reduction because of increased appropriations under the 2008-09 General Appropriations Act. For information on how to submit comments, see the relevant section of the August 3 Texas Register.
HHSC will submit amendments to the Texas State Plan for Medical Assistance to increase reimbursement for the dispensing expense component of the dispensing fee under the Vendor Drug Program, to extend the time period for rebasing, or recalculating, the Standard Dollar Amount to August 31, 2008, and to adjust payment rates for the Nursing Facility Program as a result of the 2008 - 2009 General Appropriations.
For information on how to submit comments, begin at this link and scroll down to entries for each amendment announcement in the August 10 edition of the Texas Register.
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) has announced the repeal of §§79.101 - 79.105, 79.201 - 79.210, and 79.301 - 79.305, in Chapter 79, Legal Services, which eliminated obsolete rules governing the now-abolished Texas Department of Human Services and the Board of Human Services.
HHSC also announced the repeal of §§100.5, 100.7, 100.24, 100.35, and 100.301 - 100.308, in Chapter 100, Miscellaneous. This repeal was adopted to delete obsolete rules governing the now-abolished Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation (TDMHMR), the Texas Department on Aging, the TDMHMR Board, and the Texas Board on Aging.
For more information about both repeals, see the relevant section of the June 15 Texas Register.
Senator Herb Kohl, chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, writes about how the aging of baby boomers will affect society in the Senior Journal.
In about 25 years, people over 65 will account for 20 percent of the American population, as opposed to 12 percent at present. The focus of insurers, health care providers, manufacturers, retailers, marketing companies, politicians, etc., will shift more heavily toward this segment of society. Kohl writes:
Nearly every issue dealt with by Congress affects older Americans, or is affected by them, in a unique way. From emergency preparedness to broadcast technology, from the size of the labor force to regulation of corporate marketing practices, these issues are worthy of our attention from the older person’s perspective. Then there are, of course, the more obvious challenges ahead of us, such as preserving Social Security, strengthening Medicare, and improving long-term care.
Kohl says the Aging Committee is committed to protecting older Americans from fraud and mistreatment, and to making sure they have the best quality of life.
The New York Times (free registration) reports that Congress is putting the long term care insurance industry “under scrutiny.” The House Committee on Energy and Commerce is investigating long term care insurers Conseco and the Penn Treaty American Corporation.
It seems that certain long term care insurers are making policyholders jump through hoops to have their claims paid. Congressman John Dingell of Michigan told the paper that “We have two companies that seem to be engaging in questionable practices, and we have every reason to think we will turn up other companies engaged in questionable practices. Now that we’re aware this is occurring, we’re going to shine a light on it that won’t be extinguished.”
With people living longer and baby boomers entering long term care, whatever issues Conesco and Penn Treaty American Corporation have with paying claims likely will get worse. The investigation is coming at the right time.
The Texas Register published a notice about the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s intent to submit the state’s application for renewal of the NorthSTAR Program §1915(b) waiver to the Texas State Plan for Medical Assistance under Title XIX of the Social Security Act.
The current waiver expires on September 30, 2007.
If you have questions or would like a copy of the waiver renewal, contact Carmen Capetillo by phone at (512) 491-1128 or facsimile at (512) 491-1953 or e-mail at carmen.capetillo@hhsc.state.tx.us. Write to Ms. Capetillo at the following address:
Carmen Capetillo
Health and Human Services Commission
P.O. Box 85200, H-620
Austin, Texas 78708-5200
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has provided incentives for physicians to report quality data.
As the process may be too expensive for smaller practices, CMS implemented a three-year pilot program that will pay 800 small- or medium-sized practices in Arkansas, California, Massachusetts, and Utah to report quality care data for Medicare patients with chronic conditions. I blogged about this program last year, though it may not be the same one discussed in this press release.
CMS has posted specifications for 74 measures included in the 2007 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative. Eligible physicians may receive a bonus payment of 1.5 percent of total charges.
In another physician-related update, CMS announced the launch the Doctor’s Office Quality Information Technology University (DOQ-IT U), which will support health information technology in doctors’ offices. (Source)
Smaller and solo practices can use the web-based tool to educate themselves about such topics as culture change, vendor selection, and operational redesign, free of charge.
Leslie V. Norwalk, CMS Acting Administrator, said “DOQ-IT U’s interactive platform, self-paced curriculum, and associated tools provide physicians with easy access to the resources they need to help ensure that patients receive the highest quality of care at all times.”