Virginia Regulatory Town Hall

Final Text

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Action:
Prior Authorization of Intensive In-Home Services
Stage: Final
 
12VAC30-50-130

12VAC30-50-130. Skilled nursing facility services, EPSDT, school health services and family planning.

A. Skilled nursing facility services (other than services in an institution for mental diseases) for individuals 21 years of age or older.

Service must be ordered or prescribed and directed or performed within the scope of a license of the practitioner of the healing arts.

B. Early and periodic screening and diagnosis of individuals under 21 years of age, and treatment of conditions found.

1. Payment of medical assistance services shall be made on behalf of individuals under 21 years of age, who are Medicaid eligible, for medically necessary stays in acute care facilities, and the accompanying attendant physician care, in excess of 21 days per admission when such services are rendered for the purpose of diagnosis and treatment of health conditions identified through a physical examination.

2. Routine physicals and immunizations (except as provided through EPSDT) are not covered except that well-child examinations in a private physician's office are covered for foster children of the local social services departments on specific referral from those departments.

3. Orthoptics services shall only be reimbursed if medically necessary to correct a visual defect identified by an EPSDT examination or evaluation. The department shall place appropriate utilization controls upon this service.

4. Consistent with the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989 § 6403, early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment services means the following services: screening services, vision services, dental services, hearing services, and such other necessary health care, diagnostic services, treatment, and other measures described in Social Security Act § 1905(a) to correct or ameliorate defects and physical and mental illnesses and conditions discovered by the screening services and which are medically necessary, whether or not such services are covered under the State Plan and notwithstanding the limitations, applicable to recipients ages 21 and over, provided for by the Act § 1905(a).

5. Community mental health services.

a. Intensive in-home services to children and adolescents under age 21 shall be time-limited interventions provided typically but not solely in the residence of a child who is at risk of being moved into an out-of-home placement or who is being transitioned to home from out-of-home placement due to a documented medical need of the child. These services provide crisis treatment; individual and family counseling; and communication skills (e.g., counseling to assist the child and his parents to understand and practice appropriate problem solving, anger management, and interpersonal interaction, etc.); case management activities and coordination with other required services; and 24-hour emergency response. These services shall be limited annually to 26 weeks. After an initial period, prior authorization is required for Medicaid reimbursement.

b. Therapeutic day treatment shall be provided two or more hours per day in order to provide therapeutic interventions. Day treatment programs, limited annually to 780 units, provide evaluation; medication; education and management; opportunities to learn and use daily living skills and to enhance social and interpersonal skills (e.g., problem solving, anger management, community responsibility, increased impulse control, and appropriate peer relations, etc.); and individual, group and family psychotherapy.

c. Community-Based Services for Children and Adolescents under 21 (Level A).

(1) Such services shall be a combination of therapeutic services rendered in a residential setting. The residential services will provide structure for daily activities, psychoeducation, therapeutic supervision and psychiatric treatment to ensure the attainment of therapeutic mental health goals as identified in the individual service plan (plan of care). Individuals qualifying for this service must demonstrate medical necessity for the service arising from a condition due to mental, behavioral or emotional illness that results in significant functional impairments in major life activities in the home, school, at work, or in the community. The service must reasonably be expected to improve the child's condition or prevent regression so that the services will no longer be needed. DMAS will reimburse only for services provided in facilities or programs with no more than 16 beds.

(2) In addition to the residential services, the child must receive, at least weekly, individual psychotherapy that is provided by a licensed mental health professional.

(3) Individuals must be discharged from this service when other less intensive services may achieve stabilization.

(4) Authorization is required for Medicaid reimbursement.

(5) Room and board costs are not reimbursed. Facilities that only provide independent living services are not reimbursed.

(6) Providers must be licensed by the Department of Social Services, Department of Juvenile Justice, or Department of Education under the Standards for Interdepartmental Regulation of Children's Residential Facilities (22VAC42-10).

(7) Psychoeducational programming must include, but is not limited to, development or maintenance of daily living skills, anger management, social skills, family living skills, communication skills, and stress management.

(8) The facility/group home must coordinate services with other providers.

d. Therapeutic Behavioral Services (Level B).

(1) Such services must be therapeutic services rendered in a residential setting that provides structure for daily activities, psychoeducation, therapeutic supervision and psychiatric treatment to ensure the attainment of therapeutic mental health goals as identified in the individual service plan (plan of care). Individuals qualifying for this service must demonstrate medical necessity for the service arising from a condition due to mental, behavioral or emotional illness that results in significant functional impairments in major life activities in the home, school, at work, or in the community. The service must reasonably be expected to improve the child's condition or prevent regression so that the services will no longer be needed. DMAS will reimburse only for services provided in facilities or programs with no more than 16 beds.

(2) Authorization is required for Medicaid reimbursement.

(3) Room and board costs are not reimbursed. Facilities that only provide independent living services are not reimbursed.

(4) Providers must be licensed by the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services (DMHMRSAS) under the Standards for Interdepartmental Regulation of Children's Residential Facilities (22VAC42-10).

(5) Psychoeducational programming must include, but is not limited to, development or maintenance of daily living skills, anger management, social skills, family living skills, communication skills, and stress management. This service may be provided in a program setting or a community-based group home.

(6) The child must receive, at least weekly, individual psychotherapy and, at least weekly, group psychotherapy that is provided as part of the program.

(7) Individuals must be discharged from this service when other less intensive services may achieve stabilization.

6. Inpatient psychiatric services shall be covered for individuals younger than age 21 for medically necessary stays for the purpose of diagnosis and treatment of mental health and behavioral disorders identified under EPSDT when such services are rendered by:

a. A psychiatric hospital or an inpatient psychiatric program in a hospital accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; or a psychiatric facility that is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, the Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children or the Council on Quality and Leadership.

b. Inpatient psychiatric hospital admissions at general acute care hospitals and freestanding psychiatric hospitals shall also be subject to the requirements of 12VAC30-50-100, 12VAC30-50-105, and 12VAC30-60-25. Inpatient psychiatric admissions to residential treatment facilities shall also be subject to the requirements of Part XIV (12VAC30-130-850 et seq.) of this chapter.

c. Inpatient psychiatric services are reimbursable only when the treatment program is fully in compliance with 42 CFR Part 441 Subpart D, as contained in 42 CFR 441.151 (a) and (b) and 441.152 through 441.156. Each admission must be preauthorized and the treatment must meet DMAS requirements for clinical necessity.

7. Hearing aids shall be reimbursed for individuals younger than 21 years of age according to medical necessity when provided by practitioners licensed to engage in the practice of fitting or dealing in hearing aids under the Code of Virginia.

C. School health services.

1. School health assistant services are repealed effective July 1, 2006.

2. School divisions may provide routine well-child screening services under the State Plan. Diagnostic and treatment services that are otherwise covered under early and periodic screening, diagnosis and treatment services, shall not be covered for school divisions. School divisions to receive reimbursement for the screenings shall be enrolled with DMAS as clinic providers.

a. Children enrolled in managed care organizations shall receive screenings from those organizations. School divisions shall not receive reimbursement for screenings from DMAS for these children.

b. School-based services are listed in a recipient's Individualized Education Program (IEP) and covered under one or more of the service categories described in § 1905(a) of the Social Security Act. These services are necessary to correct or ameliorate defects of physical or mental illnesses or conditions.

3. Service providers shall be licensed under the applicable state practice act or comparable licensing criteria by the Virginia Department of Education, and shall meet applicable qualifications under 42 CFR Part 440. Identification of defects, illnesses or conditions and services necessary to correct or ameliorate them shall be performed by practitioners qualified to make those determinations within their licensed scope of practice, either as a member of the IEP team or by a qualified practitioner outside the IEP team.

a. Service providers shall be employed by the school division or under contract to the school division.

b. Supervision of services by providers recognized in subdivision 4 of this subsection shall occur as allowed under federal regulations and consistent with Virginia law, regulations, and DMAS provider manuals.

c. The services described in subdivision 4 of this subsection shall be delivered by school providers, but may also be available in the community from other providers.

d. Services in this subsection are subject to utilization control as provided under 42 CFR Parts 455 and 456.

e. The IEP shall determine whether or not the services described in subdivision 4 of this subsection are medically necessary and that the treatment prescribed is in accordance with standards of medical practice. Medical necessity is defined as services ordered by IEP providers. The IEP providers are qualified Medicaid providers to make the medical necessity determination in accordance with their scope of practice. The services must be described as to the amount, duration and scope.

4. Covered services include:

a. Physical therapy, occupational therapy and services for individuals with speech, hearing, and language disorders, performed by, or under the direction of, providers who meet the qualifications set forth at 42 CFR 440.110. This coverage includes audiology services;

b. Skilled nursing services are covered under 42 CFR 440.60. These services are to be rendered in accordance to the licensing standards and criteria of the Virginia Board of Nursing. Nursing services are to be provided by licensed registered nurses or licensed practical nurses but may be delegated by licensed registered nurses in accordance with the regulations of the Virginia Board of Nursing, especially the section on delegation of nursing tasks and procedures. the licensed practical nurse is under the supervision of a registered nurse.

(1) The coverage of skilled nursing services shall be of a level of complexity and sophistication (based on assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation) that is consistent with skilled nursing services when performed by a licensed registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse. These skilled nursing services shall include, but not necessarily be limited to dressing changes, maintaining patent airways, medication administration/monitoring and urinary catheterizations.

(2) Skilled nursing services shall be directly and specifically related to an active, written plan of care developed by a registered nurse that is based on a written order from a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner for skilled nursing services. This order shall be recertified on an annual basis.

c. Psychiatric and psychological services performed by licensed practitioners within the scope of practice are defined under state law or regulations and covered as physicians' services under 42 CFR 440.50 or medical or other remedial care under 42 CFR 440.60. These outpatient services include individual medical psychotherapy, group medical psychotherapy coverage, and family medical psychotherapy. Psychological and neuropsychological testing are allowed when done for purposes other than educational diagnosis, school admission, evaluation of an individual with mental retardation prior to admission to a nursing facility, or any placement issue. These services are covered in the nonschool settings also. School providers who may render these services when licensed by the state include psychiatrists, licensed clinical psychologists, school psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, professional counselors, psychiatric clinical nurse specialist, marriage and family therapists, and school social workers.

d. Personal care services are covered under 42 CFR 440.167 and performed by persons qualified under this subsection. The personal care assistant is supervised by a DMAS recognized school-based health professional who is acting within the scope of licensure. This practitioner develops a written plan for meeting the needs of the child, which is implemented by the assistant. The assistant must have qualifications comparable to those for other personal care aides recognized by the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services. The assistant performs services such as assisting with toileting, ambulation, and eating. The assistant may serve as an aide on a specially adapted school vehicle that enables transportation to or from the school or school contracted provider on days when the student is receiving a Medicaid-covered service under the IEP. Children requiring an aide during transportation on a specially adapted vehicle shall have this stated in the IEP.

e. Medical evaluation services are covered as physicians' services under 42 CFR 440.50 or as medical or other remedial care under 42 CFR 440.60. Persons performing these services shall be licensed physicians, physician assistants, or nurse practitioners. These practitioners shall identify the nature or extent of a child's medical or other health related condition.

f. Transportation is covered as allowed under 42 CFR 431.53 and described at State Plan Attachment 3.1-D. Transportation shall be rendered only by school division personnel or contractors. Transportation is covered for a child who requires transportation on a specially adapted school vehicle that enables transportation to or from the school or school contracted provider on days when the student is receiving a Medicaid-covered service under the IEP. Transportation shall be listed in the child's IEP. Children requiring an aide during transportation on a specially adapted vehicle shall have this stated in the IEP.

g. Assessments are covered as necessary to assess or reassess the need for medical services in a child's IEP and shall be performed by any of the above licensed practitioners within the scope of practice. Assessments and reassessments not tied to medical needs of the child shall not be covered.

5. DMAS will ensure through quality management review that duplication of services will be monitored. School divisions have a responsibility to ensure that if a child is receiving additional therapy outside of the school, that there will be coordination of services to avoid duplication of service.

D. Family planning services and supplies for individuals of child-bearing age.

1. Service must be ordered or prescribed and directed or performed within the scope of the license of a practitioner of the healing arts.

2. Family planning services shall be defined as those services that delay or prevent pregnancy. Coverage of such services shall not include services to treat infertility nor services to promote fertility.