Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024
Mi via eligible recipients have certain responsibilities to
participate in the program. Failure to comply with these responsibilities or
other program rules and service standards can result in termination from the
program. The eligible recipient and EOR, or authorized signer if the recipient
has vendors only, have the following responsibilities:
A. To maintain eligibility the recipient must
complete required documentation demonstrating medical and financial eligibility
both upon application and annually at recertification, meet in person with the
TPA for a comprehensive LOC assessment in the eligible recipient's home, or in
a location approved by the state and seek assistance with the application and
the recertification process as needed from a mi via consultant.
B. To participate in the mi via program, the
eligible recipient must:
(1) comply with
applicable NMAC rules to include this rule, mi via service standards and
requirements that govern the program;
(2) collaborate with the consultant to
determine support needs related to the activities of self-direction;
(3) collaborate with the consultant to
develop an SSP using the IBA in accordance with applicable NMAC rules to
include this rule and service standards;
(4) use mi via program funds appropriately by
only requesting and purchasing goods and services covered by the mi via program
in accordance with program rules which are identified in the eligible
recipient's approved SSP;
(5)
comply with the approved SSP and not exceed the AAB;
(a) if the eligible recipient does not
adequately allocate the resources contained in the AAB resulting in a premature
depletion of the AAB amount during an SSP year due to mismanagement or failure
to properly track expenditures, the failure to properly allocate does not
substantiate a claim for a budget increase (i.e., if all of the AAB is expended
within the first three months of the SSP year, it is not justification for an
increase in the budget for the SSP year);
(b) revisions to the AAB may occur within the
SSP year, and the eligible recipient is responsible for assuring that all
expenditures are in compliance with the most current AAB in effect;
(i) the SSP must be amended first to reflect
a change in the eligible recipient's needs or circumstances before any
revisions to the AAB can be requested;
(ii) other than for critical health and
safety reasons, budget revisions may not be submitted to the TPA for review
within the last 60 calendar days of the budget year;
(c) no mi via program funds can be used to
purchase goods or services prior to TPA approval of the SSP and annual budget
request;
(d) any funds not utilized
within the SSP and AAB year cannot be carried over into the following
year;
(6) access
consultant services based upon identified need(s) in order to carry out the
approved SSP;
(7) collaborate with
the consultant to appropriately document service delivery and maintain those
documents for evidence of services received;
(8) report concerns or problems with any part
of the mi via program to the consultant or if the concern or problem is with
the consultant, to DOH;
(9) work
with the TPA agent by attending scheduled meetings, in the eligible recipient's
home if necessary and providing documentation as requested;
(10) respond to requests for additional
documentation and information from the consultant provider, FMA, and the TPA
within the required deadlines;
(11)
report to the local HSD income support division (ISD) office within 10 calendar
days any change in circumstances, including a change in address, which might
affect eligibility for the program; changes in address or other contact
information must also be reported to the consultant provider and the FMA within
10 calendar days;
(12) report to
the TPA and consultant provider if hospitalized for more than three consecutive
nights so that an appropriate LOC can be obtained;
(13) keep track of all budget expenditures
and assure that all expenditures are within the AAB;
(14) have monthly contact and meet
face-to-face quarterly with the consultant; and
(15) have an EOR if utilizing employees for
services; the eligible recipient may be his or her own EOR unless the eligible
recipient is a minor, or he or she has a plenary or limited guardianship or
conservatorship over financial matters; an eligible recipient may also
designate an individual of his or her choice to serve as the EOR, subject to
the EOR meeting the qualifications specified in this rule. If the recipient is
using vendors only and selects not to have an EOR then the recipient will
identify an authorized signer for payment request forms; the eligible recipient
may be his or her own authorized signer unless the eligible recipient is a
minor, or he or she has a plenary or limited guardianship or conservatorship
over financial matters. A POA or other legal instrument may not be used to
assign the EOR, or authorized signer, responsibilities, in part or in full, to
another individual and may not be used to circumvent the requirements of the
EOR, or authorized signer, as designated in this rule.
C. Additional responsibilities of the
eligible recipient or EOR, or authorized signer, are detailed below:
(1) Submit all required documents to the FMA
according to the timelines and rules established by the state to meet
employer-related responsibilities. This includes, but is not limited to,
documents for payment to employees and vendors and payment of taxes and other
financial obligations within required timelines. The EOR is responsible for
submitting mi via employee timesheets online unless the recipient has an
approved exception from HSD.
(2)
Report any incidents of abuse, neglect or exploitation to the appropriate state
agency.
(3) Arrange for the
delivery of services, supports and goods.
(4) Hire, manage, and terminate
employees.
(5) Maintain records and
documentation for at least six years from first date of service and
ongoing.
D.
Voluntary termination: An eligible recipient has a choice of
receiving services through the non-self-directed waiver or through the mi via
HCBS waiver. If the eligible recipient wishes to change to the
non-self-directed HCBS waiver, a waiver change must occur in accordance with
the mi via NMAC rule and mi via service standards. Transitions can only occur
at the first of a month.
E.
Involuntary termination: A mi via eligible recipient may be
terminated involuntarily by MAD and DOH and offered services through a
non-self-directed waiver or the medicaid state plan under the following
circumstances.
(1) The eligible recipient
refuses to comply with this rule and mi via service standards after receiving
focused technical assistance on multiple occasions, support from the program
staff, consultant, or FMA, which is supported by documentation of the efforts
to assist the eligible recipient.
(2) The eligible recipient is in immediate
risk to his or her health or safety by continued self-direction of services,
e.g., the eligible recipient is in imminent risk of death or serious bodily
injury related to participation in the mi via program. Examples include but are
not limited to the following.
(a) The
eligible recipient refuses to include and maintain services in his or her SSP
and AAB that would address health and safety issues identified in his or her
medical assessment or challenges the assessment after repeated and focused
technical assistance and support from program staff, consultant, or
FMA.
(b) The eligible recipient is
experiencing significant health or safety needs, and, after a referral to the
state contractor for level of risk determination and assistance, refuses to
incorporate the contractor's recommendations into his or her SSP and
AAB.
(c) The eligible recipient
exhibits behaviors which endanger himself or herself or others.
(3) The eligible recipient misuses
mi via funds following repeated and focused technical assistance and support
from the consultant or FMA, which is supported by documentation.
(4) The eligible recipient commits medicaid
fraud.
(5) When DOH is notified the
eligible recipient continues to utilize either an employee or a vendor, or both
who have consistently been substantiated against for abuse, neglect,
exploitation while providing mi via services after notification of this on
multiple occasions by DOH.
(6) The
eligible recipient who is involuntarily terminated from the mi via program will
be offered a non-self-directed waiver alternative. If transfer to another
waiver is authorized and accepted by the eligible recipient, he or she will
continue to receive the services and supports from mi via until the day before
the new waiver services start. This will ensure that no break in service
occurs. The mi via consultant and the case manager in the new waiver will work
closely together with the eligible recipient to ensure that the eligible
recipient's health and safety is maintained.