On February 27, 2011, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius issued a new letter and a frequently asked questions (FAQ) document that explain Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provisions in the Affordable Care Act in ways that afford greater flexibility to States.  The new guidance clarifies aspects of the maintenance of effort (MOE) rules for Medicaid and CHIP.  According to HHS, added guidance will follow.  In these turbulent financial times, states are likely to welcome guidance that allows them more flexibility.  While HHS and the states work out the detaails of these rules, health care providers and health plans also must keep a close eye out for developments that may require changes in enrollment or coverage coordination procedures to ensure their ability to comply with these evolving requirements.

The Medicaid MOE provision in the Affordable Care Act generally ensures that States’ eligibility rules for adults under the Medicaid program remain in place pending implementation of eligibility rules changes that become effective in January 2014.  The MOE provision for children extends to 2019.

The letter and supporting FAQ document released February 27, 2011 address three aspects of the MOE provisions:

• The MOE exemption for higher-income adult populations in States that are experiencing budget deficits.  Under the Affordable Care Act, if a State has or projects a budget deficit, the MOE provision does not apply to adults who are not eligible for coverage on the basis of pregnancy or disability and whose incomes are above 133 percent of the Federal poverty level.  The FAQ document explains State options and how States can seek this exemption.
• The implication of the MOE provision on Section 1115 demonstration projects.  Some States cover groups of people under Medicaid through a Section 1115 demonstration.  As explained in the FAQ document, the MOE provision generally applies to these waivers and demonstrations.  However, waivers and demonstration are, by their terms, time limited.  The guidance clarifies that the MOE provision does not require States to seek a new or renewed waiver after the expiration of their waiver or demonstration.
• How premiums are treated under the MOE requirements.  Because premiums and premium increases have an impact on eligibility, previous guidance under the Recovery Act explained that new or increased premiums were considered to be a violation of the Recovery Act MOE requirement.  Because the period during which the Affordable Care Act MOE provisions apply is considerably longer than the MOE period under the Recovery Act, this new guidance offers States additional flexibility relating to premiums and the MOE requirements under the Affordable Care Act.  This will help a number of States that have been requesting the ability to adjust premiums for populations such as children in CHIP with family incomes above 150 percent of the Federal poverty line.

For Help With Compliance, Investigations Or Other Needs

If you need assistance responding to or monitoring changes in Medicaid, CHIP or other federal or state health program eligibility rules or dealing with other health care related risk management, compliance, enforcement or management concerns, the author of this update, attorney Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, may be able to help. Vice President of the North Texas Health Care Compliance Professionals Association, Past Chair of the ABA Health Law Section Managed Care & Insurance Section and the former Board Compliance Chair of the National Kidney Foundation of North Texas, Ms. Stamer has more than 23 years experience advising health industry clients about these and other matters. Ms. Stamer has extensive experience advising and assisting health care providers and other health industry clients to establish and administer medical privacy and other compliance and risk management policies and to respond to OCR, FTC, medical board and other health care industry investigation, enforcement and other compliance, public policy, regulatory, staffing, and other operations and risk management concerns. A popular lecturer and widely published author on health industry concerns, Ms. Stamer continuously advises health industry clients about compliance and internal controls, workforce and medical staff performance, quality, governance, reimbursement, and other risk management and operational matters. Ms. Stamer also publishes and speaks extensively on health and managed care industry regulatory, staffing and human resources, compensation and benefits, technology, public policy, reimbursement and other operations and risk management concerns including a number of programs and publications on Medicare quality and other compliance concerns.  Her publications and insights on HIPAA and other related matters appear in the Health Care Compliance Association, Atlantic Information Service, Bureau of National Affairs, World At Work, The Wall Street Journal, Business Insurance, the Dallas Morning News, Modern Health Care, Managed Healthcare, Health Leaders, and a many other national and local publications.  You can get more information about her health industry experience here. If you need assistance with these or other compliance concerns, wish to inquire about arranging for compliance audit or training, or need legal representation on other matters please contact Ms. Stamer at (469) 767-8872 or via e-mail here.

About Solutions Law Press

Solutions Law Press™ provides business risk management, legal compliance, management effectiveness and other resources, training and education on human resources, employee benefits, compensation, data security and privacy, health care, insurance, and other key compliance, risk management, internal controls and other key operational concerns. If you find this of interest, you also be interested reviewing some of our other Solutions Law Press resources including:

• HHS Imposes 1st HIPAA Privacy Civil Penalty of $4.3 million
• ONC Giving Small Critical Access And Rural Hospitals Added Electronic Health Records Funds
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• Medicare Proposes To Require Providers To Notify Patients Of Quality Of Care Complaint Rights
• OIG Launch of Health Care Fraud “Most Wanted” List Sign of Enforcement Risks
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• CMS Physician Compare Tool Gives Patients New Info On Physicians & Other Providers
• Minimum Wage, Overtime Risks Highlighted By Labor Department Strike Force Targeting Residential Care & Group Homes
• Health Care Fraud Enforcement Packs New Heat
• President Signs Long-Sought Red Flag Rule Exemption Into Law
• Quality, Recordkeeping & Unprofessional Conduct Lead Reasons For Medical Board Discipline of Physicians
• DEA Cautions Practitioners Must Restrict Delegation of Controlled Substance Prescribing Functions, Urges Adoption of Written Policies & Agreements
• EEOC Attacks Medical Leave Denials As Prohibited Disability Discrimination
• Affordable Care Act’s Health Plan External & Internal Review Safe Harbor & Other Regulations Require Health Plan Updates
• Employers Concerned About New Union Powers As NLRB Orders Union Elections In 31 California Health Care Facilities To Proceed
• HHS Announces Adjustments to Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) Rates
• Rite Aid Agrees to Pay $1 Million to Settle HIPAA Privacy Case As OCR Moves To Tighten Privacy Rules
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• CMS Rule Clarifies When Outpatient Services Subject to 3-Day Rule & Finalizes FY 2011 Inpatient Payment Rates

If you or someone else you know would like to receive future updates about developments on these and other concerns, please be sure that we have your current contact information – including your preferred e-mail – by creating or updating your profile here. For important information concerning this communication click here. 

THE FOLLOWING DISCLAIMER IS INCLUDED TO COMPLY WITH AND IN RESPONSE TO U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT CIRCULAR 230 REGULATIONS.  ANY STATEMENTS CONTAINED HEREIN ARE NOT INTENDED OR WRITTEN BY THE WRITER TO BE USED, AND NOTHING CONTAINED HEREIN CAN BE USED BY YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON, FOR THE PURPOSE OF (1) AVOIDING PENALTIES THAT MAY BE IMPOSED UNDER FEDERAL TAX LAW, OR (2) PROMOTING, MARKETING OR RECOMMENDING TO ANOTHER PARTY ANY TAX-RELATED TRANSACTION OR MATTER ADDRESSED HEREIN.©2011 Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, P.C.  Non-exclusive license to republish granted to Solutions Law Press.  All other rights reserved.

This entry was posted on Monday, March 7th, 2011 at 11:05 pm and is filed under Affordable Care Act, Childrens Health Insurance Program, Discrimination, Health Care, Health Care Finance, Health Care Fraud, Health Care Provider, Hospital, Medicaid, Medicare Fee Schedule, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Physician, Reimbursement. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.