Current through September 24, 2024
(1) Each Area Agency on Aging and Disability,
and each service provider involved, shall adhere to these cost sharing
requirements for recipients of services funded in whole or in part through the
Older Americans Act funded through the Commission on Aging and Disability who
can pay all or a portion of the cost of the services rendered.
(2) Each Area Agency on Aging and Disability
shall utilize a sliding fee scale developed by the Commission to determine the
amount a consumer of service will be asked to pay toward the cost of services
he receives.
(3) Except as
otherwise provided, each Area Agency on Aging and Disability shall utilize the
following sliding fee scale:
(a) Consumers
with income less than 200% of the Federal Benefit Rate shall not be subject to
cost sharing for services they receive.
(b) Consumers with income at or above 200% of
the Federal Benefit Rate shall be asked to pay a percentage of the cost of the
services they receive, but the cost share shall not exceed 45% of their
income.
(c) Recipients with incomes
greater than 600% of the Federal Benefit Rate may receive information and
assistance and other services exempted from cost share listed in 0030-1-7-.02,
but shall be asked to contribute 100% of the cost of any additional services
they receive.
(4) These
cost sharing rules shall ensure that each Area Agency on Aging and Disability
and each service provider involved will:
(a)
Provide applicants for services with a written description of the cost sharing
guidelines prior to the commencement of any services;
(b) Determine the cost share amount based
solely on the self-declaration of income with no consideration of
assets;
(c) Collect consumers' cost
share obligations utilizing an invoice format at least quarterly;
(d) Issue a receipt of payment to any
consumer of service making a payment pursuant to these policies;
(e) Safeguard all funds collected through the
cost sharing process including a record of accounts receivable for each
consumer;
(f) Use methods for
receiving cost share payments and contributions that protect the privacy and
confidentiality of each older individual with respect to the declaration or
non-declaration of income and to any share of costs paid or unpaid by an
individual;
(g) Make a good faith
effort to collect cost sharing obligations from consumers of service where
feasible and cost effective. If the Area Agency on Aging and Disability finds
that collecting a given amount is not cost effective, the Area Agency may waive
this amount;
(h) Not deny any
service for which funds are received under the Act for an older individual due
to income or failure to make a cost share payment;
(i) Ensure that consumers of services who are
not subject to cost sharing be given an opportunity to make a voluntary
contribution toward the cost of the service being provided.
(5) All income collected in
accordance with these rules shall be utilized by Area Agencies on Aging and
Disability and each service provider involved to expand the service for which
such payment was given.
Authority: T.C.A. §
71-2-105(b)(1)
and 42 U.S.C.A. § 3030 c-2.
