In response to the significant volume of feedback regarding implementation plans for these initiatives, NC Medicaid is making a number of changes.
Direct Care Worker One-Time Bonus UPDATES
This information is an update to SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #212: Direct Care Worker and Support Staff One-Time Bonus. Please review the updated bulletin in its entirety for details.
- The former requirement that providers notify staff has been changed: Providers are now encouraged to identify and notify all employees of direct care worker bonus eligibility and which pay period they can anticipate the payment to be issued.
- The deadline for submission through the Direct Care Worker Eligibility Portal has been extended from Jan. 31, 2022 to Feb. 4, 2022. For providers who submit information by the original deadline of the Jan. 31, 2022, NC Medicaid will pay by March 1, 2022. For providers who submit information after Jan. 31, 2022 but by Feb. 4, 2022, NC Medicaid will pay by March 31, 2022.
- Please note that the Eligibility Portal referenced above is separate from and should not be confused with the CARES Act Testing and Financial Reimbursement portal used for COVID-19 SNF Staff Testing inquiries or information.
- The clarifying statement below has been added to Bulletin #212:
- FOR CLARIFICATION: Providers should report information only on current employees who have been employed since March 10, 2020, and between March 10, 2020 and Aug. 1, 2021 accumulated at least 1,000 hours. Providers are not required to contact former employees to inform them about the one-time bonus.
HCBS Wage Increase UPDATES
This information has been updated in SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #214: Direct Care Worker HCBS Wage Increase. Please review the updated bulletin in its entirety for details.
- The effective date of new rates for HCBS DCW workers is expected to be March 1, 2022, instead of Feb. 1, 2022.
- The former requirement for provider distribution of funds in the HCBS wage increase has been changed: Providers are strongly encouraged to distribute no less than 80% of funds received to increase wages of direct care workers identified using the criteria above within the next practicable pay period, not to exceed 45 days. This wage increase is intended to be in addition to the rate of pay each employee was receiving as of Oct. 1, 2021 (excluding any temporary wage increases made in response to COVID-19).
- The former requirement regarding provider documentation has been changed: Providers are advised to maintain documentation of the percentage of the rate increase that was directly passed on to direct care worker wages. NC Medicaid may conduct provider reviews to ascertain the percentage of the rate that was used to increase the compensation for direct care workers.
Resources for providers:
- DCW Provider NPI and Location Code List for Eligibility Portal Registration (updated to include PACE and Hospice providers)
- DCW and Support Staff One-Time Bonus FAQs
- In the next few days, NC Medicaid will be launching a DCW webpage that will contain all bulletins, links, FAQs, webinar presentations and other resources related to the one-time bonus and wage increase initiative. A bulletin will be shared when that webpage is live.
If you have questions that are not answered in the resources above, please email Medicaid.DCW.HelpDesk@dhhs.nc.gov.
CONTACT
NCTracks Contact Center: 800-688-6696