Situation Report | October 4, 2021
On September 30, the state Department of Health (DOH) announced that it has updated and replaced the July 26 guidance document, “Rescission of Updated COVID-19 Guidance for the Authorization of Community Based Long Term Services and Supports Covered by Medicaid.”
Under the new guidance, DOH will:
- Extend the due date for Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) personal assistants to obtain an annual health assessment from September 30, 2021 to December 31, 2021; and
- Allow telehealth UAS-NY Community Health Assessments (CHA) to resume as an option for all assessments, in addition to in-person mode.
Telehealth CHAs must be conducted and completed via live interactive video teleconference only. Telephonic assessments are not allowed except for individuals being assessed for TBI and NHTD waiver programs.
The use of telehealth to conduct CHAs is being allowed during the continuing public health emergency. The Department is still evaluating the validity of telehealth assessments and reserves the right to cease the use of telehealth to conduct CHAs at any time.
In addition, a new question, “Mode of Assessment,” has been added to the CHA to capture whether the assessment was conducted via the in-person or live videoconference telehealth modality. Instructions on how to identify the mode will be sent through an IHANS bulletin to all individuals with UAS roles for adding or changing the CHA.
The updated guidance document is available here and replaces the previous version posted on July 26, 2021.
HCA previously advocated that many regulatory relief measures in the July 26 guidance not be rescinded, and will continue to advocate that other relief measures rescinded for home care providers be reinstated.
Questions related to this updated guidance should be emailed to mltcinfo@health.ny.gov.