**UPDATE** 3/2/21: We are aware that the extended appendix K date of 3/11/21 is fast approaching. DMAS has tentatively extended that date to May 1 , 2021 for telehealth (virtual visits). Additionally, pending CMS approval, they intend to extend parents being paid attendants to August 1, 2021. We will posts updates as they are received.
We hope this communication finds you and your family safe and well during this unprecedented time. We wanted to provide you with an update on Hazard Pay and Appendix K covid-19 flexibilities.
Hazard Pay Update: For those Consumer-DirectedServices where the person using them is allowed to select, hire, fire, and train their particular caregiver(s). More Attendants who worked during the period of March 13, 2020 through June 30, 2020, who submitted their time sheets for this period by October 30, 2020 to their Fiscal Agent, DMAS shared with us that Hazard Pay will go out during the week of Jan. 11th – Jan. 15th. This pay will come from the Fiscal Agent that normally pays the Attendant. For questions about this Hazard Pay, please contact your Fiscal Agent directly.
Appendix K Covid-19 Flexibilities Update: During this emergency, DMAS has allowed providers flexibilities with visits, enabling us to visit with you virtually. We are so grateful as it has enabled us to “see” your faces, assess the health and safety of the person receiving services, while maintaining social distancing and doing our part to slow the spread.
DMAS has also allowed families to hire a parent or spouse to be the paid Attendant so that families did not have to introduce risk into their homes by bringing in their external Attendants during this pandemic.
Both of these flexibilities were scheduled to end March 11, 2021. However, we are aware that the extended appendix K date of March 11, 2021 is fast approaching. DMAS has tentatively extended that date to May 1 , 2021 for telehealth (virtual visits). Additionally, pending CMS approval, they intend to extend parents being paid attendants to August 1, 2021. We will posts updates as they are received. We are excited that your efforts to advocate for this extension have paid off!
How this impacts you:
- The flexibility to allow the parents of minor children and spouses of those receiving services to serve as attendants will continue through August 1, 2021 (updated 3/2/21) No action is required for you to continue this service until then.
- The flexibility to allow providers to visit with you virtually will continue through May 1, 2021 (updated 3/2/21). We will continue to do our visits with you over video-conferencing methods (with some exceptions) until then.
The landscape of our federal government is changing as we speak, which impacts the state’s ability to extend these flexibilities beyond August 1, 2021 (updated 3/2/21). We will continue to advocate for extensions beyond that point, and will keep you updated as this situation evolves. Look for more information from us on our Facebook page and in your email inbox soon.
If these flexibilities have been beneficial to you during this pandemic, if you’ve had peace of mind knowing you’ve been able to keep your family safe, we strongly encourage you to contact your legislators to advocate to extend these flexibilities. Your voices matter the most and your legislators will listen! We have created a page on our website devoted to this effort that has the information you need to contact your legislators. Click here to check it out.
We look forward to the day when this pandemic has passed, to when it no longer poses a health risk to you for our team to come see you in person again or to have your attendants working in your homes. We will continue to keep you updated as things change and the end of the flexibility draws near. The safety of the families we serve, of their attendants, and of our team members remains our top priority. Thank you for your continued patience and for your trust in us to continue to serve you and your family with excellence. Thank you for partnering with us and allowing us the joy of serving you.
