The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently proposed the rule, Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services (CMS 2442-P), which seeks to improve access and quality for Medicaid enrollees receiving home and community-based services (HCBS).
The proposed rule could have varying implications on HCBS providers, state Medicaid programs, managed care organizations, and individuals served within these settings. Among the modifications, CMS proposed setting an explicit spend floor for Medicaid payments on direct patient care, as well as updated assessment and reporting requirements.
Within the rule itself, CMS acknowledged several open questions and considerations still under evaluation. Various organizations have requested an extension to the CMS comment period, which currently ends July 3, 2023.
In this fact sheet, we outline some of the most notable changes and provisions under the proposed rule, explain how they will impact HCBS providers, and offer steps your organization can take to prepare.
“[The proposed rule] represents one of the more significant programmatic proposed changes in recent memory, both in its size and scope.”
