Home and Community-Based Waiver for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (ID Waiver)
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State Medicaid rules defining authority, purpose, settings requirements, and descriptions of Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) for individuals with intellectual disabilities who would otherwise require ICF/IID-level care; applies to providers, program administrators, and eligible Medicaid recipients under the ID Waiver.
No material clinical or coverage changes in this revision.
Coverage criteria and service rules
Eligibility and necessity — General coverage criteria and program scope
General coverage criteria and program scope
HCBS settings compliance — Settings and person-centered safeguards
Settings and person-centered safeguards
Service descriptions and limits — Service-specific coverage limits and delivery requirements
Service-specific coverage limits and delivery requirements
Service-level coverage criteria (therapy, supports, and supplies) — Service-specific coverage criteria, provider qualifications, documentation, unit/billing rules, age/EPSDT exclusions, self-direction rule...
Service-specific coverage criteria, provider qualifications, documentation, unit/billing rules, age/EPSDT exclusions, self-direction rules, and limits as specified in the waiver.
Therapies (OT, PT, Speech)
- Therapies require a physician's prescription, an initial assessment and a documented treatment plan with established goals present in the case record.
- Services must be listed on the person‑centered care plan and documented in service logs and treatment notes; therapists must sign notes and may use compliant e‑signatures.
- Occupational and Physical Therapy are billed in 15‑minute units and are limited to no more than 50 hours (200 units) for the initial plan; group therapy will not be reimbursed.
- Speech and Language Therapy is billed as encounter units with documentation required for each encounter; Therapies are not available under the waiver for children under age 21 when provided as a result of EPSDT screening because they are covered under the State Plan.
Positive Behavior Support
- Positive Behavior Support (PBS) provides functional behavior analysis, BSP development and implementation, consultation and training focused on developing adaptive behavior.
- Unit of service for PBS is 15 minutes; BSP usage must be re‑justified in the case record every 30 days.
- Maximum annual units of PBS combined (professional + technician) cannot exceed 1,200 and professional‑level units cannot exceed 800; group therapy will not be reimbursed.
Crisis Intervention Services
- Crisis Intervention provides immediate 24‑hour therapeutic intervention, is brief (maximum 10 weeks), and a unit of service is 15 minutes provided by the waiver planning team directed by a graduate psychologist or licensed social worker.
- When needed, Crisis Intervention will be added to the approved person‑centered care plan and a separate crisis intervention plan developed; all Crisis Intervention Services require prior approval by the ADMH regional community service office before initiation.
Self‑direction and provider qualifications
- Some services (Environmental Accessibility Adaptations, Assistive Technology, Skilled Nursing, Respite, Personal Care) may be self‑directed subject to service‑specific restrictions (e.g., not self‑directable for children under 21 for certain services) and adherence to standard service rules.
- Providers of services (including habilitation aides, attendants, and supported employment providers) must meet required certifications, training and qualifications specified by ADMH/waiver rules; habilitation aides require ADMH‑approved course completion and annual retraining as needed.
Environmental/Equipment and Supplies
- Environmental Accessibility Adaptations are limited to extraordinary alterations necessary for health, welfare and independence and must comply with building codes; total costs shall not exceed $5,000 per waiver year per recipient.
- Assistive Technology items require verbal/written orders from a physician or licensed provider and are limited to $5,000 per waiver year per recipient; Specialized Medical Supplies cover necessary supplies and exclude common over‑the‑counter personal care items.
Respite and other limits
- Respite Care is available up to a maximum of 1080 hours (45 days) per waiver recipient per waiver year; respite may be self‑directed with restrictions on legally responsible individuals.
- Personal Care Services may be self‑directed except for children under 21 on the State Plan; relatives may be employed when qualified and justified in the record, subject to restrictions.
Billing and units
- A unit of service is 15 minutes for applicable services and payment is fee‑for‑service by procedure code with payment based on HCPCS units reported.
- Providers must maintain service logs documenting specific days services were delivered; claims must be submitted within 12 months of date of service and providers should bill no more than one month's services per claim.
Assessment and planning
- An Individual Habilitation Plan (IHP) / person‑centered care plan is required for each recipient; assessments and annual reevaluations must be performed and documented.
- Benefits and Career Counseling includes Benefits Reporting Assistance (BRA) and Benefits Counseling delivered by Certified Work Incentives Counselors (CWIC) who must be SSA‑trained and certified.
Community Experience and Transportation
- Community Experience Services are non‑work community activities with staffing ratios of one‑to‑one for individual services or up to one‑to‑four for group services; transportation for these services is included in the rate.
- Supported Employment Transportation may be authorized when necessary to support employment and is limited in scope/duration and not to exceed applicable annual caps.
Payment and exclusions
- Services, items or supplies that are the responsibility of other agencies, general‑utility home improvements, or covered under the State Plan are excluded from waiver payment.
Waiver coverage criteria and service rules — Eligibility and limits for HCBS under the ID Waiver
Eligibility and limits for HCBS under the ID Waiver:
Admission and level-of-care criteria — Criteria and process for admission, level-of-care determination, and initiation of services under the ID Waiver
Criteria and process for admission, level-of-care determination, and initiation of services under the ID Waiver.
Per capita cost limit — Cost limitation for waiver services
Cost limitation for waiver services
Procedure codes, units, and billing limits
| No codes listed |
| Level 1 professional; Level 2 professional; Level 3 technical — each level has its own procedure code and rate; specific codes not listed in source. |
| HCPCS | Payment will be based on the number of units of service reported for HCPCS codes. |
| HCPCS | Each covered service is identified on a claim by a procedure code; payment is based on reported HCPCS units; claims must be submitted within 12 months of date of service. |
Provider responsibilities, documentation, and operational steps
Provider contract, qualifications, and legal compliance required
Each provider of Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) must have a signed provider contract, meet provider qualifications, and comply with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations before providing waiver services.
- Ensure signed provider contract is on file prior to service delivery.
- Maintain and document provider qualifications consistent with state and federal requirements.
- Comply with applicable laws and regulations; services reimbursable through EPSDT cannot be billed as waiver HCBS.
Therapy prescription, assessment, treatment plan, documentation, and unit billing
Occupational and physical therapy require a physician's prescription, an initial assessment and a treatment plan with established goals documented in the case record; services must be listed on the person-centered care plan and are billed in 15‑minute units.
- Maintain physician prescription and initial assessment/treatment plan in the case record.
- Document goals and justify ongoing need for service in the case record and on the person-centered plan.
- Bill therapy services in 15-minute units; occupational and physical therapy initial plan limited to 50 hours (200 units).
- Keep service logs and signed treatment notes (physical therapist must sign each note; e-signatures permitted if they meet privacy/security requirements).
Positive Behavior Support: level-based coding, rates, and 30-day review
Positive Behavior Support (PBS) services use distinct level-based procedure codes and rates tied to provider level and supervision requirements; the BSP must be reviewed and re-justified in the case record every 30 days.
- Use the appropriate procedure code and rate for the provider level (professional levels and technician level as specified).
- Document BSP implementation and review progress; re-justify continued BSP use every 30 days.
- Bill PBS in 15-minute units.
Obtain ADMH regional prior approval for Crisis Intervention Services
All Crisis Intervention Services must be approved by the regional community service office of the Alabama Department of Mental Health (ADMH) before initiation and added to the approved person-centered care plan with a separate crisis intervention plan.
- Obtain regional ADMH prior approval before starting Crisis Intervention Services.
- Ensure Crisis Intervention Service is added to the recipient's approved person-centered care plan.
- Develop and maintain a separate crisis intervention plan detailing activities and supports.
Include services in approved care plan; prior approval and 12‑month claim deadline
Services must be included in the approved person-centered care plan; Crisis Intervention Services require ADMH regional prior approval; claims must be filed within 12 months of the date of service and payment is based on HCPCS units reported.
- Verify that every billed service appears on the approved person-centered care plan prior to billing.
- For Crisis Intervention Services, secure ADMH regional approval before service initiation and document it in the care plan.
- Submit claims within 12 months from date of service; report number of HCPCS units for payment.
Screening, assessment, QIDP level-of-care determination, and ADMH approval
The operating agency or its designee (case manager) must screen and assess applicants; the Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professional (QIDP) completes the level-of-care determination and plan of care; ADMH designates a qualified medical professional to approve level of care.
- Ensure applicant is screened and assessed to determine whether ID Waiver services meet community needs.
- Have the QIDP complete level-of-care determination and develop the plan of care.
- Follow ADMH/Alabama Medicaid procedures and federal/state guidelines for level-of-care approval.
Submit LTC Admissions Notification electronically; begin services after acceptance
Upon receipt of the financial award letter, submit the LTC Admissions Notification Form electronically to Medicaid's Fiscal Agent; services can begin when the transmission is accepted.
- Complete and electronically forward the LTC Admissions Notification Form after the financial award letter is received.
- Begin rendering and billing services only after the Fiscal Agent accepts the transmission and the information is written to the Long Term Care file.
Handle LTC Admissions transmission rejections and retransmit
If the Fiscal Agent rejects the LTC Admissions Notification Form, the operating agency or designee must determine the rejection reason and retransmit the form until accepted.
- Monitor transmission status the next business day following submission.
- Investigate rejection reason promptly and correct/retransmit the LTC Admissions Notification Form.
Appeal to DMH Associate Commissioner within 15 days; continuation of services rules
Individuals may appeal a Notice of Action to the DMH Associate Commissioner within 15 calendar days of the effective date; services continue if appealed within 10 days of the effective date unless limited by specific conditions, and the DMH Associate Commissioner will issue a written decision within 21 days of review.
- Inform recipients of appeal rights and timelines in the Notice of Action.
- If the recipient files an appeal within 10 days, continue services pending the hearing outcome unless the issue is strictly a matter of federal/state law or policy and the beneficiary is notified in writing.
- If dissatisfied with the DMH Associate Commissioner's decision, the individual may request a Fair Hearing from Alabama Medicaid within 15 days of that decision letter.
Terms and definitions
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