Agency Action: Amendments to the Title XIX Medicaid State Plan and, by Association, the Alternative Benefit Plan

Pursuant to 42 CFR §§ 440.386 and 447.205, notice is hereby given that the Department of Health (the department) intends to seek approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for amendments to the Alternative Benefit Plan (ABP) authorized under § 1937 of the Social Security Act for individuals 19 to 64 years of age who are eligible pursuant to § 1902(a) (10)(A)((i)(VIII) of the Social Security Act – the expansion population – and the Title XIX Medicaid State Plan (the state plan).

Subject of Amendments: Adoption of Rebased Rates for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS)in the Medicaid State Plan.

The department intends to submit a Medicaid state plan amendment (SPA) revising the reimbursement section(s) for HCBS state plan services. The Division of Senior and Disabilities Services, via the corresponding regulatory process, seeks to permanently adopt the 10% increase for all HCBS (including waiver) services previously (temporarily) authorized under disaster-relief state plan amendment (dSPA) and Appendix K processes.

This proposed change requires a SPA to revise the fee schedule effective date in section 4.19-B of the state plan.

EPSDT and ARRA/Tribal Consultation:

The proposed amendments will not affect how Alaska Medicaid provides or reimburses Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) services. The department follows the tribal consultation process established under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 and set forth in its approved state plan.

Public Comments:

The department is holding a public comment period relative to these amendments until 5 PM on December 9, 2022. Individuals may submit written comments via email to courtney.king@alaska.gov. Please submit electronic comments as an attached word document or text within the email body with the phrase “HCBS Reimbursement Effective Date” in the subject line. All submissions must include the sender’s full name and email address.

If you are a person with a disability needing special accommodation(s) to participate in this process, please contact Courtney O’Byrne King at courtney.king@alaska.gov or (907)334-2653 not later than November 15, 2022, to ensure the provision of these accommodations.

Individuals unable to submit comments by email should submit written comments by the close of the comment period to:

Courtney O’Byrne King

c/o DoH – Commissioner’s Office

3601 C Street, Suite 902

Anchorage, AK 99503