Illinois awaits approval to use FMAP funds for improving care for our Home Care Program participants

Illinois has developed a plan to use increased federal funding to improve support and services for children and youth with complex medical needs.

This plan incorporates valuable feedback from our participants, stakeholders and staff members at the University of Illinois Chicago’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC).

The extra funds are part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The act gives Illinois a temporary 10 percent increase in federal funding for home and community-based services (HCBS). This 10 percent increase is called the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage or FMAP.

Illinois must use the FMAP funds to enhance, expand or strengthen HCBS.

HCBS includes the waiver for children who are medically fragile and technology-dependent (MFTD). Therefore, the FMAP can provide extra funds to help support children and youth in the Home Care Program and their caregivers. FMAP improvements will also affect individuals who receive in-home, shift-based nursing as a non-waiver benefit.

In late May, DSCC asked our participant families, staff and community partners for input on how to use the FMAP funds. We also sought feedback on DSCC’s ideas for improving HCBS for Home Care participants.

We shared the input we received with the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS). We then worked with HFS to develop Illinois’ proposal for using the FMAP funds.

Ideas included in the proposal are:

1. Expand consumer direction (the ability for consumers to make choices about the services they receive) to allow unlicensed family caregivers to be paid caregivers. DSCC would then work to develop health and safety monitoring, assist with training and more. This change could provide caregiver relief to a large number of Home Care families.
   
2. Develop a nursing portal where open shifts could be posted by nursing agencies and families. This portal would be visible to home nurses and families. The intent is to try to improve nursing coverage for open shifts across the state.
   
3. Improve training and access to training to help improve the quality of nursing care in the home. This initiative would include developing training that builds on and complements existing training for caregivers in the home.
   
4. Increase the in-home respite nursing rates to match the rates from the 2019 nursing rate increase.
   
5. Increase the child-specific training rates to match the rates from the 2019 nursing rate increase.

HFS submitted Illinois’ proposal to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in July. We are now awaiting its approval and planning for the necessary next steps.

It is important to note that though the FMAP funding increase is temporary, we hope to make many of these changes permanent. We are discussing how to handle any relevant long-term costs with HFS.

We are excited about this opportunity to improve care for our Home Care Program participants.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their ideas and feedback with us.

We will continue to share updates on the status of Illinois’ proposal as they become available.

Instructions for safely cleaning and re-using supplies for technology-dependent children.

Adequate medical supplies are essential for families caring for children who are medically fragile and technology-dependent at home.

The University of Illinois at Chicago’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) wants to make sure our participant families can keep their supplies properly stocked through the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

We’ve compiled guidance and instructions to help families safely clean and re-use supplies in case there’s a future shortage. *Please note you should check with your child’s care team to make sure these guidelines are appropriate for your child.

The DSCC Guidance on Home Medical Supplies includes instructions for cleaning and re-using:

• Feeding supplies
• Suction supplies
• Tracheostomy supplies
• Ventilator equipment
• Nebulizer equipment

*Again, please check with your child’s care team to make sure these guidelines are appropriate for your child.

The guidance is available on our Home Care Information and Resources page as well as in our list of COVID-19 resources and supports for families.  

Our Care Coordinators are also available to discuss strategies and help you become prepared and well-equipped for your child’s care in the weeks and months ahead.

Please reach out to your local regional office or call us at (800) 322-3722.

Comments for the proposed medically fragile, technology dependent waiver amendment are due June 9.

The state invites families to provide their input for an amendment to the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver for children who are medically fragile and technology dependent. This waiver is operated under the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS).

The amendment is necessary to provide for the statewide expansion of its mandatory managed care delivery system to all 102 counties in Illinois.

Families who would like to view the waiver amendment may do so in the following ways:

• Electronically at https://www.illinois.gov/hfs/SiteCollectionDocuments/MFTDPublic2018.pdf.
• A hard copy  may be requested by calling (217) 557-0997.
• Copies are also available at the following locations:
  • Healthcare and Family Services
    201 South Grand Avenue East
    Springfield, IL 62763OR
  • Healthcare and Family Services
    401 S. Clinton St.
    Chicago, IL 60607

The University of Illinois at Chicago’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) also has copies of the waiver amendment for families to review at the following DSCC regional offices:

• Chicago Home Care
• Lombard
• Springfield

Comments may be submitted through June 9. Comments may be sent through the following methods:

1. Email to HFS.HCBSWaiver@illinois.gov
2. Mailed to the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services
   Attn: Waiver Management
   201 South Grand Avenue E., 2nd Floor
   Springfield, IL 62763

A summary of the public notice and comments will be incorporated into the amendment. The summary will include modifications to the initial waiver amendment and the reasons why the State of Illinois adopted or did not adopt specific comments or recommendations.