Friday, August 17, 2012

South Carolina Reinstates the Money Follows the Person Demonstration

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The South Carolina Department of Health and Human services (SCDHHS) will implement the Home Again program beginning on September 1, 2012. The Home Again Program is part of the nationwide initiative The Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration Program administered by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).  CMS has designed a Program that is aimed at helping people who have been in institutions for 90 days and wish to return to the community.  However, at a minimum, the last day of care must be covered under Medicaid Sponsorship.
The Money Follows the Person demonstration was enacted into law in 2006 by the Bush Administration. In 2007, 38 states applied for the program and 31 states were awarded grants. 26 0f 29 states’ plans were approved by CMS and 14 states started enrolling.  Although NC and SC were part of the Money Follows the Person demonstration, both states did not start enrolling participants in 2007.
Based on the participant’s need and level of care, they will be enrolled the Home Again program and a home and community-based (HCBS) Medicaid Waiver, excluding the Pervasive Development Disorder and the medically complex children’s waivers. The enrollee will receive the services that Home Again offers and waiver services for 365 days. At the end of this time period, the enrollee will continue to receive the waivers and the services will end.
CMS has multiple programs directed at keeping participants in their own home and community-based long term care services through the assistance of a transition coordinator. The transition coordinator will help optimize the participant’s safety and health and provide a mechanism for managing access to home and community-based alternatives to institutional care.
This program’s long term goals are to rebalance the state’s long term care and create more home and community-based services, increase the use of HCBS and reduce the use of institutionally based services and eliminate barriers that restrict use of Medicaid funds, so individuals receive support for long supports and services (LTSS) in the setting of their choice. The program also hopes to increase the ability of states to continue to provide HCBS to individuals who chose to transition from institutions to the community.
 HCBS’s target populations are Adults who receive Medicaid and have either aged or are living with disabilities residing in skilled nursing facilities. They will also provide services to adults with intellectual disabilities residing in Intermediate care facilities for intellectual disability and children with severe emotional disturbances residing in Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities.
Home again services will vary based on a participant’s plan of care. These services will be labeled pilot/demonstration services and are being tested for possible inclusion in the waivers. The first two available services will be transition coordinator and expanded goods and services. The remaining services such as community living, guided care nurse services, service animals, crisis intervention, wireless sensors, expanded employment services and expanded assistive devices will be implemented over a several month period.
For more information on the South Carolina Home Again Program please visit their website. 
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