Blogs

There are two things to consider with the July 1^st rate reduction; the new therapy assistant rate and the 15 minute increment rate for PT and OT.

If SB 1 (2018-2019 budget bill) is signed by the governor in its current form, the therapy assistant rate will not go into effect July 1^st. Instead, SB 1 changes the therapy assistant rate reduction to be phased in and delays the reduction of rates. The first reduction will begin on December 1, 2017 (15%) and then the second one will go into effect September 1, 2018 (another 15%).

Until SB 1 is signed by the governor, HHSC is not communicating their plans for any of the rate changes. Around June 18th will likely be the time that the governor will have signed or vetoed any of the bills or line items in the budget.

TAHC&H is actively engaged with HHSC and has strongly suggested a delay in any rate changes. We have a scheduled meeting with HHSC leadership and the Rates Department to discuss the following agenda.

-Implementation of the 25 percent rate restoration for PT, OT, and ST as passed in SB1 85^th Regular Session.

-Responses from HHS RAD and HHS Policy Development on the comments submitted by TAHC&H and providers for the
Therapy Assistant Rate Reduction Rule Hearing, and the May 24^th Therapy Rate Hearing.

-Discussion of the implementation of future and past cost containment initiatives passed by the Texas Legislature.

We met with the Pediatric Therapy Subcommittee on Wednesday, June 7 to discuss overall strategy related to Fee-for-Service and MCOs. We are currently collecting information from the Pediatric Committee to use in written testimony at the STAR Kids Advisory Committee Meeting on Wednesday, June 14, and for the scheduled meeting with with HHSC.

Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) will be having a STAR Kids Advisory Committee Meeting at 9:00 AM, Wednesday, June 14, 2017 in the Public Hearing Room at the Brown Heatly Building, 4900 N. Lamar, Austin, TX. TAHC&H staff will be there and will be submitting written testimony for public comment.

The meeting will be webcast, and we encourage those who can appear in person to do so.

Public comment may be taken on any agenda item.

People who wish to submit written testimony for public comment may do so either by hard copy or electronically.  The address for hard copy submission is:
Kari Brock, Medicaid and CHIP Services Department, Policy Development
MC-H310
4900 North Lamar Blvd.
Austin, TX 78751.

The address for electronic submission is: STARKids@hhsc.state.tx.us.

There is an item on the agenda for the following: Impact Analysis: Therapy Rate Reduction. We have reached out to Texas Health and Human Services for a copy of the impact analysis and were told that there will not be a hardcopy of the presentation provided. Below is the agenda for the meeting.

1. Call to order
2. Roll call
3. Welcome and opening remarks
1. Member introductions
2. Meeting logistics
4. Adopt meeting minutes from March 1, 2017, meeting
5. Ethics presentation
6. STAR Kids implementation update
7. STAR Kids screening and assessment instrument update
8. Impact Analysis: Therapy rate reduction
9. Committee member discussion
1. STAR Kids workgroup update
2. Primary care physicians for 18 to 21 year-old members
3. Next steps
10. Public comment