Home and Community Based Services Digital Health Technical Assistance Grant
(HCBS Digital Health TA)

The  Department  of  Healthcare  Finance  (DHCF)  continues  to  offer  incentives  to  qualifying  providers  for meaningfully  using certified  electronic  health  record  (EHR)  systems  and  the DC  Health  Information Exchange (DC HIE) to deliver patient care and connect with patients and other providers. This initiative,known as the Promoting Interoperability (PI) Program (which ended in December 2021), has paid eligible District health care providers and hospitals over $35 million for adopting, implementing, and/or upgrading their EHRs in accordance with Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) certified EHR Technology (CEHRT) standards/criteria and CMS Meaningful Use requirements

To be more inclusive of HCBS providers who have historically been unable to participate in programs such as  the  Medicaid  PI  Program  and  to  ultimately  make  access  to  technology  more  equitable,  DHCF  is leveraging American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Enhanced Funding for Medicaid HCBS to enhance, expand, and  strengthen  home  and  community-based  services  digital  health  infrastructure  to  support  a  more integrated and accessible person-centered system in the District.

In August 2021, The District received official approval for a spending plan and narrative that describes the planned HCBS enhancement activities to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). DHCF, along  with  its  District  partners  at  the  Department  of  Behavioral  Health  (DBH),  the  Department  on Disability  Services  (DDS),  and  Department  of  Housing  Services  (DHS)  have  been  approved  to  deliver tailored  technical  assistance  to  eligible  HCBS  providers.  The  selected  grantee  will  be  responsible  for delivering technical assistance to HCBS providers participating in two DHCF managed programs: (1) HCBS Promoting Interoperability Program and (2) HCBS Telehealth Program.

• WHICH DHCF MANAGED PROGRAMS WILL PROVIDER ORGANIZATIONS BE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN AS PART OF THESE CMS APPROVED HCBS ENHANCED ACTIVITIES?
• WILL  THE  TECHNICAL  ASSISTANCE  OFFERED  AS  PART  OF  THE  DIGITAL  HEALTH  TA  GRANT  BE  FREE  OF CHARGE FOR PARTICIPATING HCBS PROVIDERS?
• WHO WILL BE PROVIDING THE FREE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE HCBS PROVIDER ORGANIZATIONS PARTICIPATING IN THE HCBS PI AND/OR HCBS TELEHEALTH PROGRAMS?
• WHAT SHOULD PROVIDER ORGANIZATIONS PARTICIPATING IN THE HCBS PI AND/OR HCBS TELEHEALTH PROGRAMS EXPECT FROM THE eHEALTHDC TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TEAM?
• WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE HCBS PI AND HCBS TELEHEALTH PROGRAMS?
• HOW DO ELIGIBLE PROVIDERS EARN HCBS PI PROGRAM INCENTIVIES?
• HOW DO I ATTEST TO THE HCBS PI PROGRAM?
• WHO SHOULD I CONTACT FOR ASSISTANCE?

WHICH DHCF MANAGED PROGRAMS WILL PROVIDER ORGANIZATIONS BE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN AS PART OF THESE CMS APPROVED HCBS ENHANCED ACTIVITIES?

Technical assistance is offered to eligible HCBS organizations participating in the following DHCF managed programs via the Digital Health TA grant:

1. The HCBS Promoting Interoperability Program (HCBS PI Program): The HCBS PI Program rewards HCBS providers for meeting milestones to adopt and implement Certified EHR Technology (CEHRT) systems and connect to the DC Health Information Exchange (DC HIE).  The HCBS PI Program is an incentive program.
2. HCBS Telehealth Program:The Technical Assistance (TA) program builds on the efforts to expand the use of CEHRT, extends telehealth investments, and encourages the use of
   remote patient monitoring devices. The HCBS Telehealth Program is not an incentive program

WILL  THE  TECHNICAL  ASSISTANCE  OFFERED  AS  PART  OF  THE  DIGITAL HEALTH   TA   GRANT   BE   FREE   OF   CHARGE   FOR   PARTICIPATING   HCBS
PROVIDERS?

All technical assistance provided to eligible HCBS organizations participating in the HCBS PI and/or HCBS Telehealth Programs, as part of the Digital Health TA grant, will be 100% free of charge.

WHO WILL BE PROVIDING THE FREE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE HCBS PROVIDER ORGANIZATIONS PARTICIPATING IN THE HCBS PI AND/OR HCBS TELEHEALTH PROGRAMS?

In late July 2022, DHCF awarded a new Digital Health Technical Assistance grant to the District of Columbia Primary Care Association (DCPCA) and its sub-grantees to deliver tailored technical assistance to HCBS provider organizations to adopt digital health technologies and achieve HIE Connectivity in the District. Led by DCPCA, the eHealthDC project partners for this grant are: Clinovations Government + Health, Zane Networks, CRISP DC, and Enlightened.

All eligible HCBS provider organizations interested in taking advantage of the free technical assistancem support should contact eHealthDC staff directly at [email protected]. Providers can also visit their website for more detailed information.

WHAT SHOULD PROVIDER ORGANIZATIONS PARTICIPATING IN THE HCBS PI AND/OR HCBS TELEHEALTH PROGRAMS EXPECT FROM THE eHEALTHDC TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TEAM?

Below you will find an outline of what participating HCBS provider organizations should expect in terms of technical assistance received from eHealthDC:

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE HCBS PI AND HCBS TELEHEALTH PROGRAMS?

To participate, HCBS provider organizations must meet the following eligibility requirements listed below:

• Be a non-profit or for-profit entity or governmental entity Medicaid provider organization that has adjudicated claims from Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) within FY21-FY22 to provide services either through contract or fee-for-service
• A Medicaid provider and have adjudicated claims within FY20 – FY21 from Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) to provide services either through contract or fee-for-service
• Potential Providers must be licensed by:
  • Department of Behavioral Health (DBH):
    • Mental Health Rehabilitation Services (MHRS);
    • Adult Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Services (ASARS); and
    • Other Rehabilitation Services providers certified to provide services to the extent permitted by and in accordance with District law and regulations
  • Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF)
    • Home Health Agencies (HHA)
    • Assisted Living Facilities (ALF)
    • Certified Medical Assistants (CMA) providers licensed to diagnose and treat health care conditions to the extent permitted by and in accordance with District law and regulations.
    • Home and community-based service providers enrolled by DHCF to deliver 1915(c) or 1915(i) services or supports, which includes Adult Day Health Programs (ADHP)
  • Department of Disability Services (DDS)
    • Home and community-based service providers delivering 1915(c) services or supports, which includes services authorized under the People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities HCBS Waiver Program (IDD Waiver) and the Individual and Family Supports HCBS Waiver Program (IFS Waiver)
  • Department of Human Services (DHS)>
    • Home and community-based service providers enrolled by DHCF to deliver 1915(i) services or supports, which includes Housing Support Services

HOW DO ELIGIBLE PROVIDERS EARN HCBS PI PROGRAM INCENTIVIES?

Provider organizations shall enter the HCBS PI program by selecting a track that meets their independent needs (Track 1: Implement a new EHR; Track 2: Upgrade Existing EHR to a CEHRT; and 3) Optimize Existing EHR).

The program is broken down into three (3) different tracks, each with a subsequent six (6) milestones. Each milestone is associated with a designated incentive amount (definitized amount to be determined), which will be paid directly to the provider organization by DHCF upon successfully submitting proper documentation via the SLR and receiving formal approval.

HCBS PI Program tracks and associated milestones incentives will posted on this website.

HOW DO I ATTEST TO THE HCBS PI PROGRAM?

Eligible provider organizations may attest for the HCBS Promoting Interoperability Program by submitting a complete application via the District’s State Level Registry (SLR). DHCF is pleased to announce the opening of the SLR for purposes of HCBS PI Program attestation on October 24, 2022 and will close promptly on March 31, 2024. Please access the SLR here: https://dcslr.thinkhts.com

WHO SHOULD I CONTACT FOR ASSISTANCE?

If you have any further questions regarding the HCBS Promoting Interoperability Program, please contact:

 HCBS PI Program General InquiriesEduarda Koch