Open Comment Period on ID/DD and AAL Waiver Transition Plan
The Virginia Departments of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) and Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) welcome public comments regarding the submission to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) a revised statewide transition plan for six 1915(c) home and community based waivers:
- Intellectual Disability (ID) Waiver
- Individuals and Families with Developmental Disabilities (DD) Support Waiver
- Day Support Waiver
- Elderly or Disabled with Consumer Direction Waiver
- Alzheimer’s Assisted Living (AAL) Waiver
- Technology Assisted Waiver.
The intent of the transition plan is to demonstrate how the state will bring waiver services into compliance with the settings requirements contained in the CMS Final Regulations on Home and Community Based Services (79 FR 2947) by March 2019.
DMAS has announced that its AAL waiver program will not be renewed after June 2018. DMAS has determined that the AAL program does not comply with regulations and requirements issued last year by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services related to settings for home and community based services.
AAL Waiver providers and affected families will be notified by DMAS via letter of the program changes. The agency intends to establish a work group to determine if there are other ways to serve this population
As part of this review, in the fall 2015, the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) performed on-site visits to all current Alzheimer’s Assisted Living (AAL) Waiver providers in Virginia to assess and review compliance with the CMS settings rule. DMAS has expressed appreciation for providers’ cooperation during on-site visits conducted over the past year.
The Statewide Waiver Transition Plan can be found here and here.
You can submit comments until April 7 at 5:00 pm in 3 ways:
- Electronic Submission: Comments may be sent within the body of an email or placed within a Microsoft Word document and submitted as an email attachment to: HCBSComments@dmas.virginia.gov or MyLifeMyCommunity@dbhds.virginia.gov.
- Via U.S. Mail to:
Department of Medical Assistance Services
Suite 1300
600 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
ATT: HCBS Final Regulations
- Via fax to: Teri Morgan at 804.612.0050
