NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES ON COMMUNITY FIRST CHOICE PERSONAL CARE SERVICES IN THE REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION The Department of Health proposes to change regulations on the Community First Choice personal care services. |
The Department of Health proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 7 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with the Community First Choice personal care services. The proposed changes are related to SB 57, and include the following:***
***Please Note: Details related to S.B. 57, 2023-2024 Leg., 33rd Sess. (AK 2023): Short Title: “ADULT HOME CARE; MED ASSIST.; HEALTH INFO”; Title: "An Act relating to the sharing of confidential health information between the Department of Health and the Department of Family and Community Services; relating to home- and community-based services under the medical assistance program; relating to medical assistance for recipients of Medicaid waivers; establishing a host care home license and procedures; providing for the transition of individuals from foster care to host home care settings; and providing for an effective date.” The SB 57 bill was signed into law. The related details may be accessed on the Alaska State Legislature’s website at https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/33?Root=SB57 ; the PDF version of SB 57 may be accessed at https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/33/Bills/SB0057E.PDF .***
- 7 AAC 127. Community First Choice Services, is proposed to be changed as follows:
- 7 AAC 127.015. Services provided by family members.
- Allow for a legally responsible individual to provide Community First Choice personal care services.
- 7 AAC 127.027.Disenrollment.
- Update the terminology by changing it to “level of care.”
- 7 AAC 127.095.Amendments to service level authorization for Community First Choice personal care services.
- Clarify the provider responsible for an amendment to a service level authorization.
- Allow for program disenrollment under specific circumstances.
- 7 AAC 127.115.Consumer-directed and agency-based Community First Choice personal care services; safety of recipients; safety of employees.
- Require a representative who is also a personal care services provider to appoint a representative designee.
You may comment on the regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the changes, by submitting written comments to State of Alaska, Department of Health, Division of Senior & Disabilities Services, Attention: Jenny Murray, 1835 Bragaw St., Anchorage, AK 99508. Additionally, the Department of Health will accept comments by electronic mail at jenny.murray@alaska.gov and by facsimile at (907) 269-3689. The comments must be received not later than 5 p.m. on May 28, 2024.
You may provide oral comments relevant to the proposed action by telephone at the hearing to be held on May 10, 2024, on Zoom. You may join the online Zoom meeting by using the Zoom website link, or by calling the toll-free telephone number, using the meeting ID, and passcode.
- The details for the Zoom meeting are as follows:
- Zoom Call-in Toll-free Number: 1-877-853- 5247 (US Toll-free); Meeting ID: 859 8048 7478; and Passcode: 749790.
- Meeting Zoom Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85980487478?pwd=ZkNZajlrTHlPR2ljYnNUSFJJQndiQT09
Meeting ID: 859 8048 7478; and Passcode: 749790.
There will not be in-person attendance provided at the hearing site, so please prepare to share your oral comments by telephone only. The hearing is scheduled from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., and priority will be given to commenters on the line before the beginning of the hearing. The hearing may be extended to accommodate those on the line before 12:30 p.m. who did not have an opportunity to comment. Before the start of the hearing, Department of Health may limit the time allotted for each person providing oral testimony, as reasonably necessary to conclude the hearing in the time provided.
You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Ms. Jenny Murray, by electronic mail at jenny.murray@alaska.gov , or at the State of Alaska, Department of Health, Division of Senior & Disabilities Services, Attention: Jenny Murray, 1835 Bragaw St., Anchorage, AK 99508. The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of the public comment period. The Department of Health will aggregate its response to substantially similar questions and make the questions and responses available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System.
If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation to participate in this process, please contact Jenny Murray by electronic mail at jenny.murray@alaska.gov , or by telephone at (907) 269-3641 not later than May 3, 2024, to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.
A copy of the proposed regulation changes is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and by contacting Jenny Murray by electronic mail at jenny.murray@alaska.gov , or by telephone at (907) 269-3641.
After the public comment period ends, the Department of Health will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action. The language of the final regulation may be different from that of the proposed regulation. You should comment during the time allowed if your interests could be affected.
Statutory authority: AS 47.05.010; AS 47.07.030; AS 47.07.036; AS 47.07.040; AS 47.07.045; AS 47.07.048.
Statutes being implemented, interpreted, or made specific: AS 47.05.010; AS 47.07.030; AS 47.07.036; AS 47.07.040; AS 47.07.045; AS 47.07.048.
Fiscal information: The proposed regulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.
The Department of Health, Division of Senior & Disabilities Services, keeps a list of individuals and organizations interested in its regulations. Those on the list will automatically be sent a copy of all the Department of Health, Division of Senior & Disabilities Services, notices of proposed regulation changes. To be added to or removed from the list, send a request to the Department of Health, Division of Senior & Disabilities Services jenny.murray@alaska.gov , giving your name, and either your e-mail address or mailing address, as you prefer for receiving notices.
Individuals can also signup to receive automated notifications of all State of Alaska notices, including public notice for regulation changes, by subscribing to the Alaska Online Public Notices System: https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Default.aspx.
DATE: April 12, 2024.
/s/Heidi Hedberg
Commissioner,
Department of Health
State of Alaska.