The Justice administration announced some relief in the longstanding issue of reimbursement rates for the companies providing support for families taking care of loved ones with disabilities.
Providers have been notified that the Bureau for Medical Services will increase compensation by 15% on Oct. 1, according to an announcement by the Justice administration. Gov. Jim Justice discussed the increased rates during his weekly administration briefing.
Justice said he is proud of the move. He described the work his administration has done over the years to help people move off the waitlist for waivers for intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“We really worked really, really hard at this. We got the money, and a lot of people working and pulling the rope together,” Justice said.
In addition to rate increases, the Bureau for Medical Services will remove 50 Intellectual/Developmental Disability members off the state’s waitlist. This is in addition to the 99 members who were removed from the waitlist on July 1. The total cost to remove 50 members from the waitlist is $3.9 million a year.
“Ensuring that our providers are compensated fairly and that more West Virginians can access the services they need is a top priority,” said Cindy Beane, the Bureau for Medical Services commissioner in the Department of Human Services.
“An Oct. 1 start date will allow the Bureau for Medical Services to notify federal partners and make adjustments needed in our technology systems to ensure a smooth implementation of these important changes.”
The level of state funding for intellectual and developmental disabilities waivers, commonly called IDD waivers, has been at the center of a simmering financial concern by lawmakers and the governor.
The funding was a persistent question as lawmakers considered annual budget allocations during the regular legislative session. And then the matter rose again during a special session earlier this spring — as millions more dollars were steered toward state agencies, but without guarantees that the funding would then be passed along to the companies employing workers who provide care for disabled West Virginians.
The latest move to increase reimbursement rates is a win, said Delegate Evan Worrell, R-Cabell, who has been outspoken on the issue.
“I applaud the governor and WV DoHs for working with the providers of this care and listening to the workforce challenges and client issues affected by low reimbursement rates. Removing IDD waiver recipients from the wait list will mean more meaningful care to those who need it the most. This is just the beginning. As more West Virginians age and want to stay in their homes vs. a nursing home, these rates will need to be continually evaluated and (raised) to ensure an adequate level of providers in West Virginia.”
The West Virginia directors of Senior and Community Services praised the state’s decision to increase funding for in-home care programs for the state’s Medicaid populations. That organization includes the vast majority of senior citizens’ centers in West Virginia.
Jennifer Brown, president of the organization, noted that senior centers and other in-home care agencies within the association provide daily home assistance, which includes bathing, meal preparation, medication assistance and transportation for state Medicaid clients, allowing them to avoid staying in costly long-term care facilities.
She said the Justice administration made the right decision in increasing the reimbursement rates to in-home care provider agencies.
“This will enable our members to continue our vital mission of caring for, transporting and providing meals to seniors in West Virginia who are in the greatest need of assistance. WVDSCS is wholeheartedly dedicated to helping our seniors maintain their independence and stay in their homes, as they should be,” Brown said in a statement distributed to state media.
Brown noted that other states’ Medicaid reimbursement rates are higher than West Virginia’s, and caregivers in those states tend to receive greater pay than their counterparts in the Mountain State. She said the increased funding will help WVDSCS members to hire and retain caregivers.
“While WVDSCS appreciates the state’s decision, our members encourage the governor and Legislature to revisit funding annually for our in-home health care providers,” Brown said. “We are committed to the care of thousands of clients across the state, and we want to sustain our commitment to them each year.”
The Home Care Association of America also applauded the announcement, describing a long-needed increase in the reimbursement rates for West Virginia Medicaid home and community-based services.
“This investment enables local home care agencies to meet the real demand for care across the state with well-qualified, trained professionals ready to serve West Virginia seniors and their families — instead of needing to make hard decisions in order to keep their doors open,” said Eric Hicks, board president for the Home Care Association of America’s West Virginia Chapter.
