Updated Information - Public Charge

Two federal agencies’ regulations on the public charge grounds of inadmissibility went into effect on February 24, 2020. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations will apply to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services processing in the U.S. of applications for adjustment to Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status submitted electronically or postmarked on or after February 24th. State Department regulations apply immediately to applications for visas and LPR status processed at U.S. consulates outside of the country.

In an effort to support student services administrators who may face questions from parents and families surrounding this issue, we are sharing this resource document from the Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition.

Upcoming Medicaid Webinar: Medicaid Billing for School Psychologists and Social Workers

This webinar will cover Medicaid eligible services for School Psychologists and Social Workers as identified in the IL Medicaid U-200 manual. Other topics that will be addressed include a review of ICD-10 codes, parental consent, management of service minutes (units), and service alignment and documentation relating to IEP goals. This webinar will be recored and accessible on the IAASE and Embrace websites.

Date:

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Time:

2:00 PM

Registration Link:

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/u5Escuuuqj0jg3mfdZi-44sdrWKG99y3RA

Sponsored by:

New Resource on Public Charge Rule Change

This week, the Protecting Immigrant Families Campaign launched a new online resource to keep advocates up to date on the latest developments with the proposed changes to the public charge rule. The resource, Public Charge Update: What Advocates Need to Know Now, is a read-only Google document that will be updated as new developments emerge. It includes timely information about the progress of the rule change; the rule is currently on hold as it goes through litigation. The resource also seeks to clarify any confusion immigrants and immigrant advocates may have and answers a series of frequently asked questions, including how the policy may impact immigrants applying for green cards from outside the U.S.

In Fall 2018, CASE spoke out against the public charge proposed rule, citing concerns about targeted discrimination against children with disabilities and their families, who may rely on Medicaid and other critical public benefits such as the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program and housing assistance. CASE opposes implementation of the public charge rule because of the harmful impact it will have on children and families.

For more information, go to the Protecting Immigrant Families website.

From the Protecting Immigrant Families Site - - -
Translated Community Education Materials
We’ve finalized the Spanish translation of our most up to date community education materials. More translations in Vietnamese, Korean, Hindi, Arabic, French, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Burmese, and Amharic are coming soon. Check our Know Your Rights page for updates this week.

Public Charge: Does this apply to me? - See how ‘public charge’ will impact you based on your immigration status, and what you should do.

You Have Rights: Protect Your Health - An overview for mixed-status families when it come to going to the doctor or enrolling in health insurance.

Should I Keep My Kids Enrolled in Health & Nutrition Programs? - Use this guide to help answer commonly asked questions about how to make good decisions for your family and their health.

Upcoming Webinar - School Based Medicaid

If school-based Medicaid isn't your thing and it needs to be, then you will probably want to be joining in with our next webinar!  Kimberly Moore from Embrace Education (an IAASE Sponsor) and the Chair of our Medicaid Committee is set to give all of us a great overview of School Based Medicaid Services.  The Webinar is set for

1:00 p.m. on 

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Get registered now by clicking this link.

Medicaid Committee Members Wanted

Interested in helping out and getting more involved with IAASE?  The Medicaid Committee might be the perfect venue for you.  The medicaid committee is scheduled to meet on the following dates:

October 1, 2019
November 19, 2019
February 11, 2020
April 14, 2020

All meeting will be held in webinar format at 8:00 a.m.

If you are interested in joining the team, please contact Kim Moore, our Medicaid Committee Chair. 

Update from Medicaid Committee - Provider Memo

A Provider Notice was issued on 12/28/18, that addressed the delay in implementation of the NPI requirements for referral form claims. The following clarification is provided:

Please note that the referring NPI number on the claim requirement has been delayed until 7/1/19, but LEAs are still required to have a referral form effective 1/1/19. The NPI number just doesn’t have to be reported on the referral form until 7/1/2019. 

This clarification was obtained from the HFS School Medicaid representative by the IAASE Medicaid Committee Chairperson.

(LINK IS HERE)

Provider Notice Issued 12/28/2018

​

Date:   December 28, 2018

 

To:       All Medical Assistance Program Providers

 

Re:      Ordering, Referring, Prescribing - National Provider Identifier (NPI) Requirements  - Delay in Implementation

 

 

This informational notice applies to Medicaid fee-for-service claims and not managed care claims.

 

A November 9, 2018 informational notice informed providers that effective with dates of service on and after January 1, 2019, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (Department) would require all claims for services that require an ordering or referring practitioner contain the name and National Provider Identifier (NPI) of the practitioner who ordered, referred, or prescribed such services. The requirement also applied to claims where Medicare is the primary payer.

 

To ensure that this billing requirement is met, and that affected ordering or referring physicians or other professionals (ORP) may get enrolled in the Illinois Medical Assistance Program through the Illinois Medicaid Program Advanced Cloud Technology (IMPACT) system, the Department is delaying implementation of the billing requirement.

 

Effective with dates of service on and after July 1, 2019 (excluding pharmacy claims, see below), the Department will reject claims if the required ORP information is missing or invalid, or if the ORP is not enrolled with the Department.

 

Effective with claim receipt dates beginning July 1, 2019, the Department will reject pharmacy claims submitted through the pharmacy point-of-sale system if the prescribing practitioner identified on the pharmacy claim is not enrolled with the Department.

 

For dates of service prior to July 1, 2019, the Department will send informational messages to providers if the required ORP claim information is missing or invalid, or if the ORP is not enrolled with the Department.

 

Please refer to the November 9th informational notice for enrollment and specific claim completion requirements. Questions regarding this notice may be directed to the Bureau of Professional and Ancillary Services at 877-782-5565.

 

 

Teresa T. Hursey

Medicaid Director

Comments Needed - Public Charge

Regulatory Comments on "Public Charge"

Please weigh in by DECEMBER 10, 2018!

Background: In mid-October, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a proposed regulation known as "public charge." You can read the proposal in full at

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-10-10/pdf/2018-21106.pdf .

 

Here's the BOTTOM LINE:  For over a 100 years "public charge" has been part of immigration law.  In the past it has been used (as it seems intended now) to keep out certain groups of immigrants (Irish, Jewish, disabled, etc.).  The real gist of these rules is to screen out who will be a "public charge," i.e., dependent on public services/benefits.  These benefits include, among others, Medicaid, SNAP, and housing assistance.

 

This proposal broadens the definition of "public charge" to someone who receives just one benefit/service.  The new proposal would have DHS scrutinize each of a long series of factors that could weigh against letting the immigrant in -- for example, pre-existing health conditions, ability to get a job, and disability or having a child with a disability.

 

FOR SCHOOLS:  If you opened the link above, you saw immediately the complexity of these rules. There is an exemption for Medicaid in schools. However, many immigrant families will not understand that and will be afraid to give consent for IDEA services, for fear of the effects on their immigration status. In fact, some CASE members have already reported this happening, including parents asking to withdraw their children from current services.

 

ACTION: CASE has developed comments and requests that each CASE unit also send comments as well as individual members. See below for details.

 

DEADLINE:  December 10.

 

TAKE ACTION:

1.  Use the  template link and fill in State and/or district-specific information in the highlighted areas. Personal stories are critical. DHS has already indicated they will not read "form letters!" By "personalizing" the highlighted areas, you will be making it a more individualized letter! This is a critical part of the directions!

 

2.   To submit your comments:

• Format your response as a Word/PDF document (use organizational letterhead if possible)..
• Go to https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=USCIS-2010-0012-0001.
• In the 'Comment" box, type "(name of unit) is pleased to submit the following comments on the proposed regulation on "Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds."
• Below the comment box:
  • Upload your file.
  • Enter your first and last name.
  • Click 'continue.'
• Review the information on this page, including a check to ensure your document is attached.
• Click the 'I have read and understand' item.
• Click 'Submit Comment.

3.  NOTE:  You can also send a copy of your comments to your Senators and House members.  We recommend attaching to an email and indicating that the proposed regulation is of deep concern to your members

Medicaid Committee Webinar: Medicaid claims for Health Aides and Special Transportation

Medicaid Committee Webinar:  

Medicaid Claims for Health Aides and Special Transportation

DATE: 
TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2019

TIME: 
2:00 PM

Register for this 45 minute informational webinar and join Kim Moore, Regional Sales Manager for Embrace & IAASE Medicaid Committee Board Chair, to gain insight into the complex components of the Medicaid claiming process for Health Aides (Paraprofessionals), and Special Transportation services.

The purpose of this webinar is to:

• Provide Clear Regulations for the Claim Process 
• Identify Specific Services Allowable To Claim 
• Discuss Training & Documentation Options 
• Review Claim Requirements for Audit Needs 

Public school districts across the state are striving to meet the ever demanding need to provide essential services to students with special needs. Understanding the Medicaid claiming process for Health Aides & Special Transportation will support local school administrators in maintaining great services for students, while maximizing funding streams to support the continuation of those highly specialized services.

Get registered now by clicking here.

This webinar is co-sponsored by Embrace IEP and the Medicaid Committee of IAASE

An Update From the Medicaid Committee

Our Medicaid Committee wanted to make sure that you have seen this Provider Notice from 09/28/2018:

The Department is releasing this bulletin to notify Local Education Agencies (LEAs) of a change related to audiology services

Per 42 CFR 440.110, diagnostic, screening, preventive, or corrective services provided by or under the direction of an audiologist must be referred by a physician or other licensed practitioner of the healing arts within the scope of his or her practice under State law.

A referral will be required for audiology services effective with dates of service on and after January 1, 2019. The referral must be updated annually and maintained in the student's health record.

The Handbook for Local Education Agencies has been updated and is available on the Department's website

Instructions for updating the Handbook for Local Education Agencies : Topic U-210.1 Audiology Services

Remove pages HFS U-200 (14-15) and insert revised pages HFS U-200 (14-15)