You are receiving this important information as a Member service of the Ohio Provider Resource Association. Unless messages and/or replies are specifically directed, each posting/response is sent to the entire listserv group, a large and diverse body. The views of individual listserv users do not necessarily reflect the views of the OPRA Board or Staff. To send a message to this listserv, please use the reply button. To reply only to the original sender, please respond to the email listed after -on behalf of- in the FROM line of the message header. Thank you.Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Officials Tout Rate Hike For DD Providers, Hope For More Regular Increases
State leaders and stakeholders on Tuesday celebrated plans to raise Medicaid reimbursement rates for developmental disability service providers – a key Medicaid focus during budget discussions.
Legislative leaders also said they hope providers don't have to wait another 15 years for a significant increase, as they did for this adjustment.
The rate increase for direct support professionals, or DSPs, was a major topic of discussion during negotiations on the biennial budget (HB 166), although Gov. Mike DeWine eventually vetoed the language setting those rates in statute. Department of Developmental Disabilities Director Jeff Davis said the administration is seeking the same increases – from $11.12 an hour to $13.23 by Jan. 1, 2021 – through rulemaking. (See Gongwer Ohio Report, July 18, 2019)
"We are in the process of enacting exactly what the legislature's intent was in this," he said at a Statehouse news conference.
The DeWine Administration initially sought a roughly 11% increase to $12.38. Director Davis said they viewed that as aggressive and optimistic. (See Gongwer Ohio Report, April 1, 2019)
"There is no way that we set out on this journey with an anticipation that we could get to $13.23," he said.
Lawmakers said the effort to get that number increased even higher was not easy, but it found support from legislative leaders. Rep. Scott Lipps (R-Franklin), who served on the House Finance Subcommittee on Health & Human Services, hoped to get that number up to $12.62.
The lawmaker said Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford) then proposed boosting it to $13 an hour. The Senate then changed the rates, with a lower rate in 2020 balanced by the $13.23 rate in 2021.
"We think it was important that in both chambers of the legislature, in the House and then in the Senate and frankly in the administration, people listened, did everything they can to understand the specific needs of Ohioans with developmental disabilities and understand the importance of support professionals," said Senate President Larry Obhof (R-Medina).
Speaker Householder said the last significant increase was during the last time he was speaker, in 2004.
"I'm pretty proud of the way it worked, and I hope that we're not standing here another 15 years from now talking about the need for this vital funding to be increased," he said. "I think this is something that needs to be looked at on a fairly regular basis."
President Obhof echoed the sentiment, saying DSP rates and other similar issues should be dealt with regularly, without allowing a need to build up over a decade or more.
"My hope moving forward on a lot of these things is that we continue every two years to update them," he said.
Stakeholders in the DD system, meanwhile, said the increases are essential to helping a workforce that faces extremely high turnover rates.
Director Davis said annual surveys place the rate of turnover for DSPs around 50-55%. Wages are a significant part of that, although other factors, such as the environment and support from providers, also play a role. Another factor is a lack of awareness of the profession, which officials hope to change.
"It can be a rewarding career," he said. "The position itself can be rewarding and many stay in it for many years."
Jason Umstot, superintendent/CEO of the Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities, said county boards worked with the state to ensure the increase could be as significant as possible.
"What is most notable about the Medicaid reimbursement rate increase is that it represents a historic partnership between the state of Ohio and the county boards," he said.
"We're very grateful for the state's provider community for agreeing to work with the state and the county boards in ensuring that the money that is used for this increase goes to the individuals that perform the services," he added.
Peter Moore, president and CEO of the Ohio Provider Resource Association, said the pay increase will help a group of providers who offer a wide variety of services.
"This budget will help us keep and attract good professionals," he said. "In order to achieve success we cannot do this every 15 years. We have to talk about the importance of direct support professionals on a daily basis. We have to celebrate them."
Decreasing turnover will help families of people with developmental disabilities, said Jan Dougherty, a Stark County parent whose son receives DSP services. Currently, families deal with a "revolving door" of providers as DSPs move on to jobs with higher wages.
"Though we understand this, it is very difficult not just for our family but for thousands and for people receiving services across the state of Ohio," she said.
Director Davis said the increase was the result of advocacy from across the DD system.
"I can't say enough on how grateful I am personally on behalf of our system and the efforts and this coalescence of so many people and all that they've done to get us where we are today," he said.
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTE: This message (and its attachments) is intended for use only by the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential, Protected Health Information (PHI) as defined by HIPAA or exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication or any attachments is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please erase/destroy all copies of the message and its attachments and notify the securityofficer@havar.org or HIPAA Security Officer (740-594-3533) immediately.
You are receiving this important information as a Member service of the Ohio Provider Resource Association. Unless messages and/or replies are specifically directed, each posting/response is sent to the entire listserv group, a large and diverse body. The views of individual listserv users do not necessarily reflect the views of the OPRA Board or Staff. To send a message to this listserv, please use the reply button. To reply only to the original sender, please respond to the email listed after -on behalf of- in the FROM line of the message header. Thank you.