Direct Care Worker One-Time Bonus and ICF-IID AND HCBS Wage Increase Initiatives
Direct Care Worker One-Time Bonus
The NC Current Operations Appropriations Act of 2021 directed Medicaid to provide one-time bonuses of up to $2,000 to eligible direct care workers (DCWs) and support staff. NC Medicaid appreciates the engagement of all the providers who submitted information to participate in the Direct Care Worker One-Time Bonus initiative and have now paid the bonuses to their eligible direct care workers.
To date, NC Medicaid has distributed to 2,503 providers for payment of bonuses to 62,113 direct care workers and support staff. Distribution of bonus payments to providers began in early March, and NC Medicaid continues to work with providers to reconcile a small number of submissions that were submitted on time but have not yet been validated. The most up-to-date information can be found in SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #241.
The links below will direct employees and providers to NC Medicaid's responses to frequently asked questions.
Direct Care Worker ICF-IID Wage Increase
The Current Operations Appropriations Act of 2021 (S.L. 2021-180) approved a Medicaid budget provision to implement the Intermediate Care Facility for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF-IID) direct care worker wage increases. To meet the administrative and reporting requirements of that Act, NC Medicaid required eligible Medicaid enrolled providers to submit some standard information. The details of provider and worker eligibility and the process for the required provider submissions are outlined in SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #225.
Direct Care Worker HCBS Wage Increase
The Current Operations Appropriations Act of 2021 (S.L. 2021-180) approved a Medicaid budget provision to implement provider rate increases to support home- and community-based (HCBS) direct care workers wage increases. NC Medicaid extended through June 30, 2022, at either current or revised levels, several COVID-19 temporary provider rate increases that are in effect in March 2022. These extended temporary increases are intended to continue helping providers with COVID-19 costs and support providers in increasing direct care worker (DCW) wages toward a minimum of $15 per hour. The most up-to-date information can be found in SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #239.
SPECIAL COVID-19 BULLETINS Related to the DCW One-Time Bonus and Wage Increase
- SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #246: Direct Care Worker One-Time Bonus Reminders & Expectations - April 28, 2022
- SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #241: Direct Care Worker One-Time Bonus Payment Update - March 29, 2022
- SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #239: Update on Temporary Rate Increases and HCBS DCW Rate Implementation - March 24, 2022
- SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #233: Direct Care Worker One-Time Bonus Payments - March 1, 2022
- SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #229: Direct Care Worker Eligibility & Portal Guidance Clarifications - Feb. 4, 2022
- SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #228: Direct Care Worker One-Time Bonus Deadline Extended - Feb. 3, 2022
- SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #227: Direct Care Worker Initiative Webpage Now Available - Feb. 1, 2022
- SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #225: Update on Direct Care Worker ICF-IID Wage Increase - Jan. 28, 2022
- SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #224: Update on Direct Care Worker Bonus and Wage Increase Initiative - Jan. 28, 2022
- SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #218: Direct Care Worker Eligibility Portal - Jan. 19, 2022
- SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #214: Direct Care Worker HCBS Wage Increase - Jan. 14, 2022
- SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #213: Direct Care Worker ICF-IID Wage Increase - Jan. 14, 2022
- SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #212: Direct Care Worker and Support Staff One-Time Bonus - Jan. 14, 2022
Resource Documents
- NPIs with Submissions Under Review - March 1, 2022
- DCW One-Time Bonus Eligibility Portal (register using link in upper right corner)
- DCW Provider NPI Primary Location Code List (for Eligibility Portal Registration)
- DCW Provider Eligibility List (complete location code list)
- ICF-IID Baseline Wage Template
- DCW Bonus and Wage Increase FAQs
- DCW Press Release
- Webinar Presentations (These have been updated since original presentation due to updates in requirements.)
- Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022 – Direct Care Worker One-Time Bonus Presentation
- Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022 - ICF-IID Direct Care Worker Wage Increase Presentation
- Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022 – Direct Care Worker One-Time Bonus Presentation
- Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022 – ICF-IID Direct Care Worker Wage Increase Presentation
- Friday, Jan. 21, 2022 – HCBS Direct Care Worker Wage Increase: Behavioral Health Presentation
- Friday, Jan. 21, 2022 – HCBS Direct Care Worker Wage Increase: Physical Health Presentation
- Monday, Jan. 24, 2022 – HCBS Direct Care Worker Wage Increase: Behavioral Health Presentation
- Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022 – HCBS Direct Care Worker Wage Increase: Physical Health Presentation
Direct care workers and support staff should contact their employers with any questions.
This page was last modified on 06/06/2022