The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) was signed into law by President Biden on March 11, 2021 and provides additional Federal relief to address the continued impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses. It is intended, in part, to support states in enhancing services for individuals who are eligible for long-term care and home and community-based services (HCBS), including participants of the Comprehensive, Supports, and Community Choices Waiver.
Section 9817 of ARPA addresses additional support provided to Medicaid HCBS during the COVID–19 emergency. The law includes a provision to increase the federal reimbursement for Medicaid HCBS by 10% percent from April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2022. According to this Section, in order to be eligible to receive the increase, the State must use the Federal funds to supplement, and not supplant, the level of State funds expended for HCBS programs in effect as of April 1, 2021. Additionally, the State must implement, or supplement the implementation of, one or more activities to enhance, expand, or strengthen HCBS under the State Medicaid program.
The Division of Healthcare Financing is seeking input from participants, providers, case managers, and other stakeholders of the Comprehensive, Supports, and Community Choices Waiver. The Division will be holding three listening sessions in order to hear from the people most impacted by these services on their ideas of how to best utilize this temporary influx of federal funding for the long-term benefit of these programs.
Wednesday, April 7, 2021 - Providers and Case Managers
1:00PM - 2:00PM
https://uwyo.zoom.us/j/97394120998
Meeting ID: 973 9412 0998
(669) 900-6833
Wednesday, April 7, 2021 - Participants and Other Stakeholders
3:00PM - 4:00PM
https://uwyo.zoom.us/j/93413039098
Meeting ID: 934 1303 9098
(669) 900-6833
Thursday, April 8, 2021 - Interested Stakeholders
6:00PM - 7:00PM
https://uwyo.zoom.us/j/94140915411
Meeting ID: 941 4091 5411
(669) 900-6833
We look forward to hearing from you as the Division determines our best course of action in implementing this important law. Your participation and feedback is vital to making sure the Division is responsive to the needs of stakeholders in this opportunity.
Please help us get the word out about the upcoming listening sessions to ensure that every participant, provider, case manager, and other interested stakeholder has the opportunity to participate. Please feel free to forward this email to participants, family members, and other provider and stakeholder groups.
To review ARPA in its entirety, please visit https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1319/text.