Updates from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued three updates and scheduled a webinar, all which impact long-term care:

◼️ New Medicaid Rates Effective October 1, 2023. MDHHS released the Medicaid rates for nursing facilities effective October 1, 2023. The rates are located in CHAMPS under the Archived Documents section for each provider by their National Provider Identification (NPI). If you have trouble accessing MILogin or Archived Documents, please email Medicaid Provider Support or call 1-800-292-2550. Email questions regarding your provider specific reimbursement rate calculation notice to the LTC Reimbursement and Rate Setting Section at [email protected].

◼️ Updated Wage Pass Through FAQs. MDHHS released updated FAQs regarding the direct care worker and non-clinical staff wage increase effective October 1, 2023. Beginning October 1, direct care workers are eligible for an $.85 per hour increase (up to $3.20 per hour), and certain non-clinical staff are newly eligible for an $.85 per hour increase. Eligible non-clinical staff are those whose costs are reported in the following job classifications in nursing facility institutional cost reports shared with the department:

• Other housekeeping
• Other maintenance worker
• Other plant operations
• Other laundry
• Dining room assistants
• Other dietary workers
• Other medical records
• Other social services
• Other diversion therapy
• Beauty and barber
• Gift, flower, coffee, and canteen worker

◼️ Updated Medicaid Provider Manual. MDHHS completed the October update to the online version of its Medicaid Provider Manual. The manual will be available October 1, 2023, on the MDHHS website. If changes were made in a chapter, a note will appear in the affected section/subsection title of that chapter’s table of contents. If both technical and bulletin incorporation changes apply to the section/subsection, color coding will be limited to reflect a bulletin-related change.

◼️ SNF TouchPoint Meeting. MDHHS will host a series of monthly touchpoint meetings with nursing facility providers. Previously known as the Nursing Facility Check-in Meetings, the September TouchPoint webinar will discuss nursing facility topics, updates and current issues. This webinar is an hour and a half, starting at 11 a.m. EST on September 14, 2023. Click here to register.

Visit the Medicaid Nursing Facilities webpage to register for any touchpoint meeting date. Questions or trouble registering? Please email [email protected].