Part 15.
TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION
Chapter 355.
MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT RATES
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) adopts amendments
to §§355.503, 355.505, and 355.9022 without changes to the proposed
text published in the January 24, 2003, issue of the
Texas Register
(28 TexReg 637).
Justification for the amendments is to assist home health agencies in hiring
and retaining qualified, experienced nursing staff. It has become increasingly
difficult for these agencies to find Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed
Vocational Nurses (LVNs) who have the experience and skills necessary to serve
clients requiring daily nursing care with their ventilators or tracheostomies.
In an effort to help the agencies attract and retain RNs and LVNs with the
necessary skills, HHSC is implementing an add-on rate that will pay home health
agencies more for these skilled nursing services.
In addition, references to the Texas Department of Human Services contained
in §355.505 and §355.9022 are corrected to refer to HHSC. These
changes reflect that HHSC is the agency responsible for Medicaid rate determination.
HHSC received no comments regarding adoption of the amendments.
Subchapter E. COMMUNITY CARE FOR AGED AND DISABLED
1 TAC §355.503, §355.505
The amendments are adopted under the Government Code, §531.033,
which authorizes the commissioner of HHSC to adopt rules necessary to carry
out the commission's duties, and §531.021(b), which establishes HHSC
as the agency responsible for adopting reasonable rules governing the determination
of fees, charges, and rates for medical assistance payments under Human Resources
Code, Chapter 32.
The amendments implement the Government Code, §531.033 and §531.021(b).
This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed
by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.
Filed with the Office of
the Secretary of State on March 24, 2003.
TRD-200301978
Steve Aragon
General Counsel
Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Effective date: April 13, 2003
Proposal publication date: January 24, 2003
For further information, please call: (512) 438-3734
2.
MEDICAID WAIVER PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WITH DEAF-BLINDNESS AND MULTIPLE DISABILITIES
Subchapter M. MISCELLANEOUS MEDICAID PROGRAMS