Reimbursement

Reimbursement The Division of Medicaid reimburses Rural Health Clinic (RHC) providers at a prospective payment system (PPS) rate per encounter and/or alternative payment methodology (APM). A. The Division of Medicaid uses the PPS methodology for reimbursement to RHC providers per encounter as described below: 1. For services provided on and after January 1, 2001, during calendar year 2001, payment for services shall be calculated, on a per visit basis, in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the average of the RHC’s reasonable costs of providing the Division of Medicaid covered services during fiscal years 1999 and 2000. If a RHC first enrolls during fiscal year 2000, the rate will only be computed from the fiscal year 2000 Medicaid cost report. The PPS baseline calculation shall include the cost of all Medicaid covered services including other ambulatory services that were previously paid under a fee-for-service basis. This rate will be adjusted to take into account any increase or decrease in the scope of services furnished by the RHC during fiscal year 2001. 2. Payment rates may be adjusted by the Division of Medicaid pursuant to changes in federal and/or state laws or regulations. 3. Beginning in calendar year 2002, and for each calendar year thereafter, the RHC is entitled to the payment amount, on a per visit basis, to which the RHC was entitled to in the previous year, increased by the percentage increase in the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) for primary care services for that calendar year, and adjusted to take into account any increase or decrease in the scope of services furnished by the RHC during that calendar year. The rate will be retroactively adjusted to reflect the MEI. 4. New clinics that qualify for the RHC program after January 1, 2001, will be reimbursed the initial PPS rate which will be based on the rates established for other RHCs located in the same or adjacent area with a similar caseload. In the absence of comparable RHCs, the rate for the new provider will be based on projected costs. The RHC’s Medicare final or amended final settlement cost report for the initial cost report period year will be used to calculate a PPS base rate that is equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the RHC’s reasonable costs of providing Medicaid covered services. If the initial cost report period represents a full year of RHC services, this final settlement rate will be considered the base rate. If the initial RHC cost report period does not represent a full year, then the rate from the first full year cost report will be used as the clinic’s base rate. For each subsequent calendar year, the payment rate will be equal to the rate established in the preceding calendar year, increased by the percentage increase in the MEI for primary care services that is published in the Federal Register in the fourth (4th) quarter of the preceding calendar year. B. The Division of Medicaid reimburses no more than four (4) encounters per beneficiary per day, provided that each encounter represents a different provider type, as the Division of Medicaid only reimburses for one (1) medically necessary encounter per beneficiary per day for each of the provider types listed in Miss. Admin. Code, Title 23, Part 212, Rule 1.2.A. except if the beneficiary experiences an illness or injury requiring additional diagnosis or treatment subsequent to the first encounter. Services provided by a nurse practitioner (NP) or physician assistant (PA) are reimbursed the full PPS rate. C. The Division of Medicaid reimburses for telehealth services which meet the requirements in Miss. Admin. Code Part 225 as follows: 1. An encounter for face-to-face telehealth services provided by the RHC acting as a distant site provider. 2. A fee per completed transmission for telehealth services provided by the RHC acting as an originating site provider. The RHC may not bill for an encounter visit unless a separately identifiable service is performed. The originating site facility fee will be paid at the existing fee-for-service rate in effect as of January 1, 2021. 3. Reimburses a RHC for both the distant and originating provider site when such services are appropriately provided by the RHC. D. An alternative payment methodology is an additional fee for certain services provided by the RHC. 1. The Division of Medicaid reimburses a RHC a fee in addition to the PPS rate when certain services are provided outside the Division of Medicaid’s regularly scheduled office hours. a) The Division of Medicaid defines regularly scheduled office hours as the hours between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Saturday, Sunday and federal and state holidays, referred to in Miss. Admin. Code, Part 212, Rule 1.4.B.1. as “office hours”. b) The Division of Medicaid permits RHCs to set regularly scheduled office hours outside of the Division of Medicaid’s definition of office hours, referred to in Miss. Admin. Code, Part 212, Rule 1.4.C.1. as “RHC established office hours”. c) The RHC must maintain records indicating RHC established office hours and any changes including: 1) The date of the change, 2) The RHC established office hours prior to the change, and 3) The new RHC established office hours. d) The Division of Medicaid reimburses a fee in addition to the PPS rate when the encounter occurs: 1) During the RHC’s established office hours which are set outside of the Division of Medicaid’s office hours, or 2) Outside of the Division of Medicaid’s office hours or the RHC’s established office hours only for a condition which is not life-threatening but warrants immediate attention and cannot wait to be treated until the next scheduled appointment during office hours or the RHC established office hours. e) The Division of Medicaid reimburses only the appropriate PPS rate for an encounter scheduled during office hours or RHC’s established office hours but not occurring until after office hours or RHC established office hours. E. The Division of Medicaid reimburses an RHC the PPS rate for the administration, insertion, and/or removal of certain categories of physician administered drugs (PADs), referred to as Clinician Administered Drug and Implantable Drug System Devices (CADDs), reimbursed under the pharmacy benefit to the extent the CADDs were not included in the calculation of the RHC’s PPS rate. 1. CADDs are located on the Division of Medicaid’s website. 2. CADDs not included on the Division of Medicaid’s list of CADD-classified drugs will be denied if billed through the pharmacy point-of-sale (POS). F. If a physician employed by an RHC provides physician services at an inpatient, outpatient, or emergency room hospital setting, the services must be billed under the individual physician’s Medicaid provider number and payment will be made directly to the physician. The financial arrangement between the physician and the RHC must be handled through an agreement. G. Change in the Scope of Services 1. An RHC must notify the Division of Medicaid in writing of any change in the scope of services by the end of the calendar year in which the change occurred, including decreases in scope of services. The Division of Medicaid will adjust an RHC PPS rate if the following criteria are met: a) The RHC can demonstrate there is a valid and documented change in the scope of services, and b) The change in scope of services results in at least a five percent (5%) increase or decrease in the RHC PPS rate for the calendar year in which the change in scope of service took place. 2. An RHC must submit a request for an adjustment to its PPS rate no later than one hundred eighty (180) days after the settlement date of the RHC Medicare final settlement cost report for the RHC’s first full fiscal year of operation with the change in scope of services. The request must include the first final settlement cost report that includes twelve (12) months of costs for the new service. The adjustment will be granted only if the cost related to the change in scope of services results in at least a five percent (5%) increase or decrease in the RHC PPS rate for the calendar year in which the change in scope of services took place. The cost related to a change in scope of services will be subject to reasonable cost criteria identified in accordance with federal regulations. 3. It is the responsibility of the RHC to notify the Division of Medicaid of any change in the scope of service(s) and provide the required proper and valid documentation to support the rate change. Such required documentation must include, at minimum, a detailed working trial balance demonstrating the increase or decrease in the RHC’s PPS rate as a result of the change in scope of service(s). The Division of Medicaid will require the RHC to provide such documentation in a format acceptable to the Division of Medicaid, including providing such documentation upon the Division of Medicaid’s pre-approved forms. The Division of Medicaid will also request additional information as it sees fit in order to sufficiently determine whether any change in scope of service(s) has occurred. The instructions and forms for submitting a request due to a change in scope of services can be found on the Division of Medicaid’s website. 4. Adjustments to the PPS rate for the increase or decrease in scope of services are reflected in the PPS rate for services provided in the calendar year following the calendar year in which the change in scope of services took place. The revised PPS rate generally cannot exceed the cost per visit from the most recent audited cost report. 5. The RHC PPS rate will not be adjusted solely for a change in ownership status between freestanding and provider-based. H. Cost Reports 1. All RHCs must submit to the Division of Medicaid a copy of their Medicare cost report for information purposes using the appropriate Medicare forms postmarked on or before the last day of the fifth (5th) month following the close of its Medicare cost-reporting year. All filing requirements shall be the same as for Title XVIII. When the due date of the cost report falls on a weekend or State of Mississippi or federal holiday, the cost report is due on the following business day. Extensions of time for filing cost reports will not be granted by the Division of Medicaid except for those supported by written notification of the extension granted by Title XVIII. Cost reports must be prepared in accordance with the State Plan for reimbursement of RHCs. The RHC’s cost report should include information on all satellite RHCs. 2. If the Medicare cost report is not received within thirty (30) days of the due date, payment of claims will be suspended until receipt of the required report. This penalty can only be waived by the Executive Director of the Division of Medicaid. 3. An RHC that does not file a Medicare cost report within six (6) calendar months after the close of its Medicare cost reporting year may be subject to cancellation of its provider agreement at the Division of Medicaid’s discretion. I. Medicaid payments are not be made to any organization prior to the date of approval and execution of a valid Medicaid provider agreement. J. The Division of Medicaid reimburses an outside laboratory for laboratory services not listed in Miss. Admin. Code Part 212, Rule 1.2.C. separate from the PPS rate.