 Status Update: Iowa’s ARPA HCBS Spending Plan
On March 11, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Section 9817 of the ARPA provides qualifying states with a temporary 10 percentage point increase to the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for certain Medicaid expenditures for HCBS programs from April 1, 2021, through March 31, 2022. States must use these federal funds to supplement existing state funds for Medicaid HCBS in effect as of April 1, 2021.
In addition, states must use state funds equal to the amount of federal funds attributable to the increased FMAP to implement or supplement one or more activities to enhance, expand, or strengthen HCBS under the Medicaid program. States will be permitted to use the increased FMAP funds through March 31, 2024, on activities aligned with the goals of section 9817 of the ARPA and as listed in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) guidance. Under ARPA, states can implement a variety of activities, including enhancements to HCBS services, eligibility, infrastructure, and reimbursement methodologies, to enhance, expand, or strengthen Medicaid HCBS.
- July 17, 2021, Iowa submitted the Preliminary HCBS Spending Plan and Narrative to CMS
- September 13, 2021, CMS gave partial approval of the Preliminary HCBS Spending Plan and Narrative
- October 12, 2021, Iowa submitted the first quarterly HCBS Spending Plan and Narrative and responded to CMS’s request for additional information that was included in the 09/13/21 partial approval
- December 16, 2021, CMS notified Iowa that the projects identified in the spending plan and narrative are approvable
- February 1, 2022, next quarterly Spending Plan and Narrative Update due to CMS
- Additional Information and the Spending Plan and Narratives are posted here: https://dhs.iowa.gov/ime/about/initiatives/ARPA
- Stakeholders can submit questions and comments to the ARPA mailbox. ARPAHCBSPROJECTS@dhs.state.ia.us
- ARAP HCBS Project Updates:
- Provider Training Platform
- Planning sessions are in process with University of Iowa Centers for Excellence in Disabilities and Development (UCEDD)
- Behavioral Health, Aging, and Disability Services System Evaluation (Study)
- RFP was issued 09/03/2021
- DHS awarded the contract to Mathematica 11/30/2021
- Scope of Work to begin following contract signing in January or February 2021
- Development Grant CNRS for Children Pilot
- Planning sessions are in process,
- Public listening sessions were held December 8, 2021
- Request for Information will be issued seeking input into the development of an RFP for this project
- Development Grant Therapeutic Foster Homes planning sessions are in process
- One-Time Recruitment and Retention Grant
- Planning sessions are in process
- Targeting dates in January for Communication of the Application period
- Targeting dates in February for distribution of the funds to eligible providers
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