[MM Curator Summary]: NM will pay HCBS providers 15% more for staff retention, PPE, training and IT.
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SANTA FE – This week Medicaid home and community based service (HCBS) providers statewide will receive a 15% temporary reimbursement increase to help support the critical services they provide to vulnerable New Mexicans, including those who are aging, disabled, and with severe behavioral health needs, announced the New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD) today.
HSD, through Section 9817 of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), is investing over $130 million in the first of three rounds of HCBS temporary economic recovery payments to providers that have supported our community throughout the Public Health Emergency (PHE). The ARPA provides states the opportunity to obtain additional funding to enhance, expand, and strengthen HCBS in New Mexico communities. New Mexico is a leader in ensuring access to HCBS, and this investment will help serve the most vulnerable New Mexicans. The enhanced federal funding provides New Mexico with an historic opportunity to make both short and long-term investments in our programs that serve the most vulnerable New Mexicans.
“The New Mexico Medical Assistance Division values the important work of home and community based services providers and understands how challenging it has been to continue to deliver care over the past two years. Our proposed spending plan will strengthen the caregiver workforce and facilitate greater access to HCBS,” said Nicole Comeaux, Medicaid Director for the New Mexico Human Services Department. “I really want to thank the Medicaid team for a herculean effort in making these increases a reality.”
The reimbursement increase will be available for eligible services retroactively to May 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. To offset increased costs related to the PHE, payments may be used for staff retention, personal protective equipment, hazard pay, training, infrastructure and/or technology improvements that will aid to enhance current HCBS service delivery.
“This much needed influx of dollars will help our state’s provider network in many important ways,” said Jason Cornwell, New Mexico Department of Health Developmental Disabilities Supports Division Director. “From mitigating pandemic costs and inflation, to being able to better provide a living wage to the workforce dedicated to providing services for our state’s most vulnerable citizens and their families, this money will further expand access to the essential services many have waited years to receive.”
For more information visit https://www.hsd.state.nm.us/community-benefit-program/
We talk, interpret and smile in all languages. We provide written information to our customers in both English and Spanish and interpretation services are available in 58 languages through our provider, CTS Language Link. For our hearing, and speech impaired customers, we utilize Relay New Mexico, a free 24-hour service that ensures equal communication access via the telephone to individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or speech disabled.
The Human Services Department provides services and benefits to 1,057,175 New Mexicans through several programs including: the Medicaid Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Child Support Program, and several Behavioral Health Services.
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