(a) After HHSC notifies a program provider, as described in §260.55(d) of this division (relating to Written Offer of Enrollment in the DBMD Program), that an individual selected the program provider, the program provider must assign a case manager to the individual.
(b) A program provider must ensure that the assigned case manager contacts the individual or LAR by telephone, videoconferencing, or in person in the individual's residence as soon as possible but no later than five business days after the program provider receives the HHSC notification. During this initial contact, the case manager must:
  (1) verify that the individual resides in a county for which the program provider has a contract;
  (2) determine if the individual is currently enrolled in Medicaid;
  (3) determine if the individual is currently enrolled in another waiver program or receiving a service that may not be received if the individual is enrolled in the DBMD Program, as identified in the Mutually Exclusive Services table in Appendix V of the Deaf Blind with Multiple Disabilities Program Manual available on the HHSC website; and
  (4) schedule an initial in-person visit to be held in the individual's residence with the individual and LAR or actively involved person at a time convenient to the individual and LAR and no later than 30 calendar days after the program provider receives the HHSC notification.
(c) During an initial in-person visit in an individual's residence at a time convenient to the individual and LAR, a case manager:
  (1) must provide an oral and written explanation to the individual or LAR:
    (A) of the DBMD Program services described in §260.7(c) of this chapter (relating to Description of the DBMD Program and CFC), including TAS if the individual is receiving institutional services;
    (B) of the CFC services described in §260.7(e) of this chapter;
    (C) of the individual's rights and responsibilities:
      (i) as described in §260.111 of this subchapter (relating to Individual's Right to a Fair Hearing); and
      (ii) as described in §260.113 of this subchapter (relating to Mandatory Participation Requirements of an Individual);
    (D) the process by which the individual, LAR, or actively involved person may file a complaint regarding a program provider as required by 40 TAC §49.309 (relating to Complaint Process);
    (E) that the HHSC Complaint and Incident Intake toll-free telephone number at 1-800-458-9858 may be used to file a complaint regarding the program provider;
    (F) of the CDS option described in §260.71 of this division (relating to CDS Option);
    (G) of voter registration, if the individual is 18 years of age or older;
    (H) of how to contact the program provider, the case manager, and the RN;
    (I) that while the individual is staying at a location outside the contracted service delivery area but within the state of Texas for a period of no more than 60 consecutive days, the individual and LAR or actively involved person may request that the program provider provide:
      (i) transportation as a residential habilitation activity, as described in §260.343(b)(1)(A)(ii)(I) of this chapter (relating to Day Habilitation, Residential Habilitation, and CFC PAS/HAB);
      (ii) case management;
      (iii) nursing;
      (iv) out-of-home respite in a camp described in §260.353 of this chapter (relating to Respite);
      (v) adaptive aids;
      (vi) intervener services; or
      (vii) CFC PAS/HAB;
    (J) of the use of electronic visit verification, as required by 1 TAC Chapter 354, Subchapter O; and
    (K) that the individual, LAR, or actively involved person may report an allegation of abuse, neglect, or exploitation to DFPS by calling the toll-free telephone number at 1-800-252-5400;
  (2) must educate the individual, LAR, and actively involved person about protecting the individual from abuse, neglect, and exploitation;
  (3) must use the HHSC Understanding Program Eligibility - CLASS/DBMD form to provide an oral and written explanation to the individual or LAR, and obtain the individual's or LAR's signature and date on the form, to acknowledge understanding of:
    (A) the eligibility requirements for:
      (i) DBMD Program services, as described in §260.51(a) of this subchapter (relating to Eligibility Criteria for DBMD Program Services and CFC Services);
      (ii) CFC services for individuals who do not receive MAO Medicaid, as described in §260.51(b) of this subchapter; and
      (iii) CFC services for individuals who receive MAO Medicaid, as described in §260.51(c) of this subchapter;
    (B) the reasons DBMD Program services and CFC services may be suspended, as described in §260.85 of this chapter (relating to Suspension of DBMD Program Services and CFC Services); and
    (C) the reasons DBMD Program services and CFC services may be terminated as described in §§260.89, 260.101, 260.103, and 260.105 of this chapter (relating to Termination of DBMD Program Services and CFC Services With Advance Notice Due to Ineligibility or Leave from the State, Termination of DBMD Program Services and CFC Services With Advance Notice Due to Non-compliance with Mandatory Participation Requirements, Termination of DBMD Program Services and CFC Services Without Advance Notice for Reasons Other Than Behavior Causing Immediate Jeopardy, and Termination of DBMD Program Services and CFC Services Without Advance Notice Due to Behavior Causing Immediate Jeopardy);
  (4) must complete an ID/RC Assessment;
  (5) must give the individual or LAR the HHSC Verification of Freedom of Choice form to document the individual's or LAR's choice regarding the DBMD Program or the ICF/IID Program;
  (6) may complete an adaptive behavior screening assessment or ensure an appropriate professional described in the assessment instructions completes the adaptive behavior screening assessment;
  (7) may complete a Related Conditions Eligibility Screening Instrument or ensure an RN completes a Related Conditions Eligibility Screening Instrument; and
  (8) may ensure an RN completes a nursing assessment using the HHSC CLASS/DBMD Nursing Assessment form.
(d) If an assessment described in subsection (c)(6) - (8) of this section is not completed during the initial in-person visit in the individual's residence, a case manager must ensure that the assessment is completed in person as soon as possible but no later than 10 business days after the date of the initial in-person visit.
(e) If an individual is Medicaid eligible, is receiving institutional services, and anticipates needing TAS, a case manager must determine whether the individual meets the following criteria:
  (1) the individual is being discharged from a nursing facility or an ICF/IID;
  (2) the individual has not previously received TAS;
  (3) the individual's proposed enrollment IPC will not include licensed assisted living or licensed home health assisted living; and
  (4) the individual anticipates needing TAS.
(f) If a case manager determines that an individual meets the criteria described in subsection (e) of this section, the case manager must:
  (1) provide the individual or LAR with a list of TAS providers in the service delivery area in which the individual will reside;
  (2) complete, with the individual or LAR, the HHSC Transition Assistance Services (TAS) Assessment and Authorization form in accordance with the form's instructions, which includes:
    (A) identifying the items and services as described in §272.5(e) of this title (relating to Service Description) that the individual needs;
    (B) estimating the monetary amount for the items and services identified on the form, which must be within the service limit described in §272.5(d) of this title; and
    (C) documenting the individual's or LAR's choice of TAS provider;
  (3) submit the completed form to HHSC for authorization;
  (4) if HHSC authorizes the form, send the form to the TAS provider chosen by the individual or LAR; and
Cont'd...
(5) include TAS and the monetary amount authorized by HHSC on the individual's proposed enrollment IPC.
(g) Before an individual enrolls in the DBMD Program, a case manager must inform the individual or LAR that the individual may reside in the individual's own home or family home or may receive a DBMD residential service described in §260.351 of this chapter (relating to Residential Services).
(h) A program provider must:
  (1) gather and maintain the information necessary to process an individual's request for enrollment in the DBMD Program using forms prescribed by HHSC in the Deaf Blind with Multiple Disabilities Program Manual;
  (2) assist an individual who does not have Medicaid financial eligibility or the individual's LAR to:
    (A) complete an application for Medicaid financial eligibility; and
    (B) submit the completed application to HHSC as soon as possible but no later than 30 calendar days after the case manager's initial in-person visit in the individual's residence;
  (3) document in an individual's record any problems or barriers the individual or LAR encounters that may inhibit progress towards completing:
    (A) the application for Medicaid financial eligibility; and
    (B) enrollment in the DBMD Program; and
  (4) assist the individual or LAR to overcome problems or barriers documented as described in paragraph (3) of this subsection.
(i) If an individual or LAR does not submit a completed Medicaid application to HHSC as described in subsection (h)(2)(B) of this section as a result of problems or barriers documented in accordance with subsection (h)(3) of this section, but is making progress in collecting the documentation necessary to complete the application, the program provider:
  (1) may extend, in 30-calendar day increments, the time frame in which the application must be submitted to HHSC, except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection;
  (2) must not grant an extension that results in a time period of more than 365 calendar days from the date of the case manager's initial in-person visit in the individual's residence;
  (3) must ensure that the case manager documents the rationale for each extension in the individual's record; and
  (4) must notify a DBMD program specialist, in writing, if the individual or LAR:
    (A) does not submit a completed Medicaid application to HHSC no later than 365 calendar days after the date of the case manager's initial in-person visit in the individual's residence; or
    (B) does not cooperate with the case manager in completing the enrollment process described in this section.
(j) A program provider must ensure that:
  (1) the related conditions documented on the ID/RC Assessment for the individual are on the HHSC Approved Diagnostic Codes for Persons with Related Conditions list contained in the Deaf Blind with Multiple Disabilities Program Manual;
  (2) the ID/RC Assessment is submitted to a physician for review; and
  (3) if the individual or LAR requests dental services, other than an initial dental exam, a dentist completes the HHSC Prior Authorization for Dental Services form as required by §260.339 of this chapter (related to Dental Treatment).
(k) Not more than 10 business days after a program provider receives a signed and dated ID/RC Assessment from a physician establishing that an individual meets the requirements described in §260.51(a)(2) and (3) of this subchapter, the case manager must:
  (1) convene a service planning team meeting; and
  (2) ensure that the individual's service planning team:
    (A) reviews the HHSC CLASS/DBMD Nursing Assessment form completed by an RN;
    (B) reviews Addendum E of the HHSC CLASS/DBMD Nursing Assessment form, Recommendations/Coordination of Care, to address any information included in Addendum E to ensure the individual's needs are met;
    (C) documents on the HHSC CLASS/DBMD Coordination of Care form how the information in Addendum E was addressed;
    (D) reviews the completed ID/RC assessment signed and dated by a physician;
    (E) reviews the adaptive behavior screening assessment;
    (F) reviews the HHSC Related Conditions Eligibility Screening Instrument form;
    (G) reviews the completed HHSC Prior Authorization for Dental Services form, if required by §260.339 of this chapter;
    (H) completes an enrollment IPP in accordance with §260.65 of this division (relating to Development of an Enrollment IPP);
    (I) completes a proposed enrollment IPC in accordance with §260.67 of this division (relating to Development of a Proposed Enrollment IPC); and
    (J) if the enrollment IPP and the proposed enrollment IPC include:
      (i) transportation provided as a residential habilitation activity or as an adaptive aid, develops an individual transportation plan; or
      (ii) nursing, intervener services, or CFC PAS/HAB, develops a service backup plan if required by §260.213 of this chapter (relating to Service Backup Plans).
(l) As soon as possible but no later than 10 business days after an individual's service planning team completes an individual's enrollment IPP and proposed enrollment IPC, as described in subsection (k)(2) of this section, the case manager must:
  (1) submit the following documents, completed according to form instructions, to HHSC for review:
    (A) the proposed enrollment IPC;
    (B) the ID/RC Assessment signed by a physician;
    (C) the enrollment IPP;
    (D) the PAS/HAB plan;
    (E) the adaptive behavior screening assessment;
    (F) the HHSC Related Conditions Eligibility Screening Instrument form;
    (G) the HHSC DBMD Summary of Services Delivered form that documents pre-assessment services with supporting documentation;
    (H) the HHSC Verification of Freedom of Choice form;
    (I) the HHSC Non-Waiver Services form;
    (J) the HHSC Documentation of Provider Choice form;
    (K) the HHSC CLASS/DBMD Nursing Assessment form;
    (L) the HHSC Prior Authorization for Dental Services form, if required by §260.339 of this chapter;
    (M) the HHSC Rationale for Adaptive Aids, Medical Supplies, and Minor Home Modifications form, if required by:
      (i) §260.303 of this chapter (relating to Requirements For Authorization to Purchase or Lease an Adaptive Aid);
      (ii) §260.317 of this chapter (relating to Requesting Authorization to Purchase a Minor Home Modification that Costs Less than $1,000); or
      (iii) §260.319 of this chapter (relating to Requesting Authorization to Purchase a Minor Home Modification that Costs $1,000 or More);
    (N) the HHSC Provider Agency Model Service Backup Plan form, if required by §260.213 of this chapter;
    (O) the HHSC Specialized Nursing Certification form, if required by §260.347 of this chapter (relating to Nursing);
    (P) if a non-waiver resource is identified on the HHSC Non-Waiver Services form:
      (i) documentation to demonstrate that a service comparable to a DBMD Program service available from the non-waiver resource has been exhausted; or
      (ii) documentation to explain why a service comparable to a DBMD Program service offered by the non-waiver resource is not provided to the individual by the non-waiver resource;
    (Q) the HHSC Transition Assistance Services (TAS) Assessment and Authorization form, if required by subsection (f)(2) of this section; and
    (R) the individual transportation plan, if required by subsection (k)(2)(J)(i) of this section; and
  (2) if the individual will receive a service through the CDS option, send a copy of the proposed enrollment IPC, the enrollment IPP, and, if completed, the individual transportation plan to the FMSA.
(m) No later than five business days after receiving a written notice from HHSC approving or denying an individual's request for enrollment, the program provider must notify the individual or LAR of HHSC's decision. If HHSC:
  (1) approves the request for enrollment, the program provider must initiate DBMD Program services and CFC services as described on the IPC; or
  (2) denies the request for enrollment, the program provider must send the individual or LAR a copy of HHSC's written notice of denial.
(n) A program provider must not provide a DBMD Program service or CFC service to an individual before HHSC notifies the program provider, in accordance with §260.69(d)(1) of this division (relating to HHSC's Review of Request for Enrollment), that the individual's request for enrollment into the DBMD Program has been approved. If a program provider provides a DBMD Program service or CFC service to an individual before the effective date of the individual's enrollment IPC authorized by HHSC, HHSC does not reimburse the program provider for those services.
(o) If HHSC notifies a program provider that an individual's request for enrollment is approved, the case manager must comply with §260.69(d)(2) of this subchapter.

Source Note: The provisions of this §260.61 adopted to be effective February 26, 2023, 48 TexReg 896