Waiver(s) Impacted Proposed Language Released For Public Final Language Submitted to CMS Reason For Change Comment on December 3, 2016 Appendix C Benefits Counseling – Consolidated and Benefits Counseling provides work Benefits Counseling provides work incentives Public comment recommended we P/FDS incentives counseling and planning counseling and planning services. It is provided align this section of the service services. It is provided only to participants only to participants considering or seeking definition with the limits section that considering or seeking competitive competitive integrated employment or career states the service can be used to help integrated employment or career advancement participant who need problem solving or to participants who need advancement. assistance to maintain competitive problem solving assistance to maintain competitive integrated employment. integrated employment. Waiver(s) Impacted Proposed Language Released For Public Language Submitted to CMS Reason For Change Comment on December 3, 2016 Appendix C Communication Specialist – Consolidated and This service supports participants with This is a direct and indirect service that Public comment requested clarification P/FDS nontraditional communication needs by supports participants with nontraditional as to whether this is solely a direct determining the participant’s communication needs by determining the service or if indirect components are communication needs, educating the participant’s communication needs, educating allowable. participant and his or her caregivers on the participant and his or her caregivers on the the participant’s communication needs participant’s communication needs and the and the best way to meet those needs in best way to meet those needs in their daily their daily lives. lives. Consolidated Only The following services may not be The following services may not be authorized Public comment recommended that authorized for participants who receive for participants who receive The rates for the clarification be added regarding the Communication Specialist services: following services include communication expectations for providers of Residential Habilitation, Life Sharing and specialist services: Residential Habilitation, Life residential services. Public comment Supported Living. Sharing and Supported Living. As such, also recommended that this service be participants who are authorized to receive allowed at the same time as residential one of these services may only be authorized services. to receive Communication Specialist services as a discrete service when it is used to support the participant during Community Participation Support.
Waiver(s) Impacted Proposed Language Released For Public Comment on December 3, 2016 Final Language Submitted to CMS Reason For Change Appendix C – Benefits Counseling Consolidated and P/FDS Benefits Counseling provides work incentives counseling and planning services. It is provided only to participants considering or seeking competitive integrated employment or career advancement. Benefits Counseling provides work incentives counseling and planning services. It is provided only to participants considering or seeking competitive integrated employment or career advancement or to participants who need problem solving assistance to maintain competitive integrated employment. Public comment recommended we align this section of the service definition with the limits section that states the service can be used to help participant who need problem solving assistance to maintain competitive integrated employment. Waiver(s) Impacted Proposed Language Released For Public Comment on December 3, 2016 Language Submitted to CMS Reason For Change Appendix C – Communication Specialist Consolidated and P/FDS This service supports participants with nontraditional communication needs by determining the participant’s communication needs, educating the participant and his or her caregivers on the participant’s communication needs and the best way to meet those needs in their daily lives. This is a direct and indirect service that supports participants with nontraditional communication needs by determining the participant’s communication needs, educating the participant and his or her caregivers on the participant’s communication needs and the best way to meet those needs in their daily lives. Public comment requested clarification as to whether this is solely a direct service or if indirect components are allowable. Consolidated Only The following services may not be authorized for participants who receive Communication Specialist services: Residential Habilitation, Life Sharing and Supported Living. The following services may not be authorized for participants who receive The rates for the following services include communication specialist services: Residential Habilitation, Life Sharing and Supported Living. As such, participants who are authorized to receive one of these services may only be authorized to receive Communication Specialist services as a discrete service when it is used to support the participant during Community Participation Support. Public comment recommended that clarification be added regarding the expectations for providers of residential services. Public comment also recommended that this service be allowed at the same time as residential services.
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