NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES ON MEDICAID EMPLOYMENT SERVICES COVERAGE IN THE REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION The Department of Health proposes to change regulations on Medicaid coverage for employment services. |
The Department of Health proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 7 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with Medicaid coverage for employment services related to home and community-based waiver services, including the following:
- 7 AAC 130.270. Medicaid Coverage; Home and Community-Based Waiver Services. Employment services, is proposed to be changed as follows:
- Modify language that requires recipient services to decrease over time.
- Modify language to maximize a recipient’s independence when the recipient achieves work related goals.
- 7 AAC 160.900. Medicaid Program; General Provisions. Requirements adopted by reference, is proposed to be changes as follows:
- Modify training standards and certification requirements for providers.
- Add “job coach” as a provider employee classification with related training and knowledge requirements.
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 October 7, 2024.
You may provide oral comments relevant to the proposed action by telephone or online at the hearing to be held on September 25, 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:
- If you want to use the telephone to attend the meeting and provide oral comments, please use the
- Zoom Call-in Toll-free Number: 1-833-928-4610 (US Toll-free); Meeting ID: 870 5067 5729; and Passcode: 086378.
- If you want to use the Zoom website link to attend the meeting and provide oral comments, please use the
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 Ms. Jenny Murray by electronic mail at jenny.murray@alaska.gov , or by telephone at (907) 269-3641 not later than September 18, 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 Ms. Jenny Murray by electronic mail at jenny.murray@alaska.gov , or by telephone at (907) 269-3641.
A copy of material proposed for adoption by reference is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System, or by contacting Ms. 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 47.05.012; AS 47.07.030; AS 47.07.040; AS 47.07.085.
Statutes being implemented, interpreted, or made specific: AS 47.05.010; AS 47.05.012; AS 47.07.030; AS 47.07.040; AS 47.07.085.
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: August 16, 2024.
/s/Heidi Hedberg
Commissioner,
Department of Health
State of Alaska.