HCAOA The Voice Fall 2019

18 HCAOA The Voice PUBLIC POLICY Update on Veterans Mission Act AS THE VAMISSION ACT CHANGES GO INTO PLACE, HCAOA has received additional guidance from the VA on how home care providers will be able to participate. VA officials have provided the following further guidance: The positive news is that home care providers do not have to be Medicare certified to participate. It is also good that the VA is utilizing state licensure as a measure of eligibility. However, in states where there is no licensure requirement a home care provider will have to have certification from the state Medicaid plan or other state aging entity referenced above. View the Veterans Care Agreement and Veterans Community Care Program at www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE • When a Homemaker/Home Health Aide (H/HHA) agency requests a Veterans Care Agreement (VCA), as a group, a single VCA is required for the group practice. The VCA is initiated utilizing the National Provider Identifier (NPI) for the group practice. • H/HHA agencies not certified by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) must have an NPI to enter into a VCA. • Veteran Directed Home and Community Based Services (VD-HCBS) Agency or Homemaker/Home Health Aide (H/HHA)—these individuals or organizations must complete staff training and competency policy/process(es). VD-HCBS agencies must meet state or CMS training standards for self-directed programs and have VA Readiness Review process verified by VA Central Office (VACO). In states that do not require H/HHA agencies to have a license, the agency must have a formal relationship, e.g., a contract or provider agreement or an approval certification with State Medicaid, State Aging Unit, Aging and Disability Resource Center, Area Agency on Aging or Center for Independent Living.