Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News
May 2, 2006, Vol. 06-48

Conference Call on Expanding Home & Community-based Services

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announces the following focused Open Door Forum teleconference in support of the New Freedom Initiative:

Home and Community-based Services as a State Plan Option: Section 6086 of the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA)

Monday, May 8, 2006

1:30-3:00 PM EDT Conference Call Only

Short Summary of Section 6086

Section 6086, Expanded Access to Home and Community-Based Services for the Elderly and Disabled, offers states the opportunity to provide a comprehensive program of home and community-based services under the Medicaid State Plan as an optional service. Prior to the enactment of the DRA, such a program of home and community-based services could only be provided through section 1915 (c) waivers. The DRA allows states to provide the statutory HCBS services to qualified individuals without applying for a waiver. Unlike the waiver, there is no cost-neutrality test, and the HCBS program may serve persons who do not require an institutional level of care. The Open Door Forum will provide an overview of the provisions of Section 6086 and invite participants to share their thoughts on the implementation of the optional benefit.

This Open Door Forum will attempt to answer the following discussion questions:

1) What are the differences between the HCBS State Plan Option and the
HCBS waiver program?

2) As States are considering whether/how they might use the new State Plan
option, what are some important considerations for CMS to be aware of
as they implement the new legislation? What is necessary to make this
benefit as useful as possible?

Open Door Forum Participation Instructions:

Dial: 1-800-837-1935

Reference Conference ID: 8722262

TTY Communications Relay Services are available for the Hearing Impaired. For TTY services dial 7-1-1 or 1-800-855-2880 and for Internet Relay services click here http://www.consumer.att.com/relay/which/index.html. A Relay Communications Assistant will help.

Please register for the remaining NFI Open Door Forums through:

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/mailinglists/default.asp?audience=4

(The call-in and conference ID numbers for subsequent forums will be e-mailed to individuals who have registered.)
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The Center for Mental Health Services is a component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services.