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CAPITAL THRESHOLDS UPDATED
OMRDD has
distributed new capital thresholds effective October 1, 2005. The
residential acquisition thresholds are based on the 1993
thresholds indexed by 84.36 percent to reflect price adjustments
from 1994 through 2003. The new thresholds represent a minimum 30
percent increase over the 2003 values. The 2005 rental-based
thresholds reflect the 2003 thresholds updated by applying the
CPI-U for Rental of Primary Residences from October 2002 through
12/31/2004. Assistive Technology (A/T) allowances are updated by
18.8 percent. A regional differential of 33 percent was applied
to NYC, Long Island, and Westchester County. The regional
differential was also applied to the allowance for day program
renovations.
Perhaps more
significant than the revised thresholds is the approval of DOB to
allow OMR to index essentially all of the capital thresholds and
the A/T allowances on an annual basis. Starting January 1, 2006,
the thresholds and allowances will be updated using the indices
used to establish the new thresholds. OMR will provide DOB with a
notice of at least 30 days prior to the effective date, showing
the proposed thresholds after indexing, and, if DOB does not
object, the indexed threshold will go into effect. The result of
these revisions should be a significant reduction in the number
of “outliers” requiring prospective DOB approval, thereby
expediting approvals. The new threshold amount are posted
online at www.nysacra.org and by
Clicking Here,
(PDF 130kb). For more
information contact Jim Kosakoski at 518-449-7551.
ARTICLE 28
PART-TIME CLINIC REGULATIONS
Proposed part-time
Article 28 clinic regulations from October 6 will be implemented
when they appear in the NYS Register toward the end of November.
A comment period will be allowed. This regulation had highlighted
some prohibitions on long term care therapies but due to the many
comments DOH received those restrictions have been removed from
the regulation. These regulations were proposed at the same time
that OMRDD and the Department of Health were convening a Provider
Council to discuss the oversight of Article 28 clinics that serve
people with developmental disabilities. DOH representatives have
said that the outcomes of the Council can then be proposed for new
regulations. This council has met twice and has also broken up
into workgroups around the following issues: Regulatory, Program
and Fiscal. NYSACRA has appointed members to the Council and each
workgroup. The Council is considering the challenges to agencies
and to people with disabilities around obtaining high quality
healthcare, in particular in Article 28 clinics but also discussed
are other service options such as Article 16’s. The DOH
representative, Lisa Wickens is interested in doing site visits to
some clinics before the end of December. In addition, Lisa
Wickens stated at the meeting on October 31 that DOH is acting on
some Certificates of Need (CONs), mainly those that are primary
medical and those that are relocations without expansion. They
are reluctant to approve where the Council has not recommended how
the oversight will be done. Please contact Ann Hardiman with your
thoughts or questions.
OMR REGS ON
HEALTH INSURANCE & DAY HAB FEES
OMR will hold
hearings on the
proposed REGS on the Health Insurance initiative that
provides money for Agencies to enhance their employees’ health
benefits and address rising costs; in Albany on December 5th and
6th. See www.nysacra.org or
Click Here for info and a copy of the REGS.
OMR will not hold
hearings on the efficiency adjustment to HCBS Waiver Day Hab
services reimbursement, though comments can be submitted until
December 5, 2005. For a copy of the REG, please see
www.nysacra.org or
Click
Here for a PDF copy.
REMINDER: DME
HEARING IN ALBANY ON NOV. 15
A NYS Assembly
Hearing on Delays In Funding Of Durable Medical Equipment For
People With Severe Disabilities, will be held on November 15,
2005, at 10:30 a.m. in Roosevelt Hearing Room C, Legislative
Office Building, 2nd Floor, Albany, NY. Contact: Kathleen Fazio
(518) 455-3039 for more info or see
NYSACRA Online Calendar.
SAVE THE
DATE: NYSACRA LEGISLATIVE DAY 2006 –
JANUARY 31, 2006
Next year’s NYSACRA
Legislative Day 2006 comes early on Tuesday, January 31, 2006.
Invitation letters and sign-up sheets will be sent out shortly,
but you can sign-up any time online by visiting
www.nysacra.org/nysacra/legday2006.htm or just
Click Here or print the form and fax in. |
