MHCP Providers

Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) policy updates due to end of State’s COVID-19 peacetime emergency

The Minnesota COVID-19 peacetime emergency ended July 1, 2021, and the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) will end some temporary peacetime emergency EIDBI changes and keep others based on feedback from stakeholders throughout the past year.

Changes remaining in effect
The following changes will remain in effect:

• EIDBI providers will be able to continue to provide EIDBI intervention services (e.g., service codes 97153 and 97154) to a person via telehealth when medically necessary and appropriate for the person and family. Medical necessity is determined by the EIDBI provider or qualified supervising professional, in consultation with the DHS EIDBI policy team, if necessary. This is a change to the policy on EIDBI Intervention. See the Intervention EIDBI policy manual webpage.
• EIDBI providers will be able to continue to provide family caregiver training and counseling services without intervention or other EIDBI services. See the Family/caregiver training and counseling EIDBI policy manual webpage.

Changes that will expire
The state peacetime emergency ended July 1, 2021. The following changes will expire at the end of the 60-day transition period, which runs July 2, 2021, through Aug. 30, 2021:

• EIDBI providers must now request an exception on the comprehensive multi-disciplinary evaluation (CMDE)if a member requires an exception to the recommended medical necessity guidelines. See the Comprehensive multi-disciplinary evaluation (CMDE) and Medical necessity criteria webpages of the EIDBI policy manual.
• DHS will now require progress monitoring updates to the individual treatment plan (ITP) and annual updates to the CMDE to continue authorization for EIDBI services. We will no longer approve service authorizations after Sept. 1, 2021, without an updated ITP or CMDE. See the Individual treatment plan (ITP) development and progress monitoring and Comprehensive multi-disciplinary evaluation (CMDE) webpages of the EIDBI policy manual.
• A well-child checkup or medical evaluation within the past 12 months is now required for initial CMDEs and annual updates. Providers may still cite a screening exception under the Child and Teen Checkup guidelines. See the Child and Teen Checkups (C&TC) section of the Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) provider manual.

The status of COVID Waivers and modifications not specific to EIDBI, such as telehealth, will be communicated through Minnesota Health Care Programs.

Questions
Email the EIDBI policy team at ASD.DHS@state.mn.us if you have questions about this message.