(a) Allowable and unallowable costs. Allowable and unallowable costs, both direct and indirect, are defined to identify expenses that are reasonable and necessary to provide contracted client care and are consistent with federal and state laws and regulations. When a particular type of expense is classified as unallowable, the classification means only that the expense will not be included in the database for reimbursement determination purposes because the expense is not considered reasonable and/or necessary. The classification does not mean that individual contracted providers may not make the expenditure. The description of allowable and unallowable costs is designed to be a general guide and to clarify certain key expense areas. This description is not comprehensive, and the failure to identify a particular cost does not necessarily mean that the cost is an allowable or unallowable cost.
(b) Cost-reporting process. The primary objective of the cost-reporting process is to provide a basis for determining appropriate reimbursement to contracted providers. To achieve this objective, the reimbursement determination process uses allowable cost information reported on cost reports or other surveys. The cost report collects actual allowable costs and other financial and statistical information, as required. Costs may not be imputed and reported on the cost report when no costs were actually incurred (except as stated in §355.103(b)(19)(A)(i) of this title (relating to Specifications for Allowable and Unallowable Costs) or when documentation does not exist for costs even if they were actually incurred during the reporting period).
(c) Accurate cost reporting. Accurate cost reporting is the responsibility of the contracted provider. The contracted provider is responsible for including in the cost report all costs incurred, based on an accrual method of accounting, which are reasonable and necessary, in accordance with allowable and unallowable cost guidelines in this section and in §355.103 of this title, revenue reporting guidelines in §355.104 of this title (relating to Revenues), cost report instructions, and applicable program rules. Reporting all allowable costs on the cost report is the responsibility of the contracted provider. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is not responsible for the contracted provider's failure to report allowable costs; however, in an effort to collect reliable, accurate, and verifiable financial and statistical data, HHSC is responsible for providing cost report training, general and/or specific cost report instructions, and technical assistance to providers. Furthermore, if unreported and/or understated allowable costs are discovered during the course of an audit desk review or field audit, those allowable costs will be included on the cost report or brought to the attention of the provider to correct by submitting an amended cost report.
(d) Cost and accountability report training. It is the responsibility of the provider to ensure that each cost or accountability report preparer has completed the required state-sponsored training. Preparers may be employees of the provider or persons who have been contracted by the provider for the purpose of cost or accountability report preparation. Preparers must complete training for each program for which a cost or accountability report is submitted, as applicable. Contracted preparer's fees to complete training are considered allowable expenses for cost reporting purposes. Preparers that participate in training may be assessed a convenience fee, which will be determined by HHSC. Convenience fees assessed for training are allowable costs. Applicable federal and state accessibility standards apply to training. Beginning with the 2018 cost reports and 2019 accountability reports, reporting schedules per program are determined by HHSC and are published on the HHSC website.
  (1) Training schedules.
    (A) For programs with odd-year and even-year cost reports. Preparers must complete state-sponsored cost report training every other year in order to be eligible to complete both that odd-year cost report and the following even-year cost report. If a new preparer wishes to complete an even-year cost report and has not completed the previous odd-year cost report training, the preparer must complete an even-year cost report training.
    (B) For programs with odd-year and even-year accountability reports. Preparers must complete state-sponsored accountability report training every other year in order to be eligible to complete both that odd-year accountability report and the following even-year accountability report. If a new preparer wishes to complete an even-year accountability report and has not completed the previous odd-year accountability report training, the preparer must complete an even-year accountability report training.
    (C) For all other programs. Preparers must complete the state-sponsored training for each program for which a cost or accountability report is submitted. Beginning with the 2018 cost reports, new preparers must complete cost report training every other year for each program cost or accountability report being prepared in order to be eligible to complete both that year's cost report and the following year's accountability report, if applicable. If a new preparer wishes to complete an accountability report and has not completed the previous year's cost report training, the preparer must complete an accountability report training for that program for that year.
  (2) Failure to complete the required cost or accountability report training.
    (A) For nursing facilities, failure to file a completed cost or accountability report signed by preparers who have completed the required cost report training may result in vendor hold as specified in §355.403 of this title (relating to Vendor Hold).
    (B) For School Health and Related Services (SHARS) providers, failure to complete the required cost report training may result in an administrative contract violation as specified in §355.8443 of this title.
    (C) For all other programs, failure to file a completed cost or accountability report signed by preparers who have completed the required cost report training constitutes an administrative contract violation. In the case of an administrative contract violation, procedural guidelines and informal reconsideration and/or appeal processes are specified in §355.111 of this title (relating to Administrative Contract Violations).
(e) Generally accepted accounting principles. Except as otherwise specified by the cost determination process rules of this chapter, cost report instructions, or policy clarifications, cost reports should be prepared consistent with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), which are those principles approved by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Internal Revenue Service (IRS) laws and regulations do not necessarily apply in the preparation of the cost report. In cases where cost reporting rules differ from GAAP, IRS, or other authorities, HHSC rules take precedence for provider cost-reporting purposes.
(f) Allowable costs. Allowable costs are expenses, both direct and indirect, that are reasonable and necessary, as defined in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection, and which meet the requirements as specified in subsections (i), (j), and (k) of this section, in the normal conduct of operations to provide contracted client services meeting all pertinent state and federal requirements. Only allowable costs are included in the reimbursement determination process.
  (1) "Reasonable" refers to the amount expended. The test of reasonableness includes the expectation that the provider seeks to minimize costs and that the amount expended does not exceed what a prudent and cost-conscious buyer pays for a given item or service. In determining the reasonableness of a given cost, the following are considered:
    (A) the restraints or requirements imposed by arm's-length bargaining, i.e., transactions with nonowners or other unrelated parties, federal and state laws and regulations, and contract terms and specifications; and
    (B) the action that a prudent person would take in similar circumstances, considering his responsibilities to the public, the government, his employees, clients, shareholders, and members, and the fulfillment of the purpose for which the business was organized.
  (2) "Necessary" refers to the relationship of the cost, direct or indirect, incurred by a provider to the provision of contracted client care. Necessary costs are direct and indirect costs that are appropriate in developing and maintaining the required standard of operation for providing client care in accordance with the contract and state and federal regulations. In addition, to qualify as a necessary expense, a direct or indirect cost must meet all of the following requirements:
    (A) the expenditure was not for personal or other activities not directly or indirectly related to the provision of contracted services;
    (B) the cost does not appear as a specific unallowable cost in §355.103 of this title;
Cont'd...