Provider Notice Issued 04/14/2020

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Date:    April 14, 2020

To:       Community Mental Health Centers and Behavioral Health Clinics

Re:      Case Management – Mental Health – COVID-19 Guidance

This notice provides updated COVID-19 guidance to Community Mental Health Center and Behavioral Health Clinic providers regarding expanded case management services. The expanded case management services are billable retroactively to dates of service beginning March 21, 2020 and will extend only until the termination date of the COVID-19 public health emergency.

HFS encourages providers to use materials available through the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) as part of their internal education of staff, including: 

·         CDC Frequently Asked Questions: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html

·         Printable resources (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/communication/factsheets.html

·         Prevention and treatment suggestions (IDPH): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html

Expanded Case Management – Mental Health Allowable Activities

To support individuals served by Community Mental Health Centers and Behavioral Health Clinics during the COVID-19 public health emergency, Case Management – Mental Health, as described in 89 Ill. Admin. Code Section 140.453(e)(1)(B)(i-vi), may be billed for the following temporarily allowable activities related to “identifying and investigating available resources, explaining options to the individual, and linking the individual with necessary resources:”

i.              Purchasing, packaging and delivering food and groceries (excluding food preparation), medications, household consumer products, supplies needed to work from home, and products necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences for clients who cannot leave their homes due to being included in a high risk category, such as being elderly, having underlying chronic medical conditions, or due to behavioral health conditions that prevent them from leaving their home.

ii.             Delivering phones to clients who do not currently have access to a phone with sufficient capabilities to allow them to participate in medical or behavioral health services via telehealth.

iii.            Assisting clients in managing financial necessities, such as arranging for access to emergency cash, replacing lost debit cards, paying rent and picking up bills for clients for whom the provider is the representative payee.

iv.           Answering phone calls from clients who may have questions or concerns about COVID-19.

All other billing requirements for Case Management – Mental Health must be met, including that this service must be identified as a recommended service on the client’s most recent Illinois Medicaid – Comprehensive Assessment of Needs and Strengths (IM-CANS).

A maximum of 90 minutes per day per client may be billed under Case Management – Mental Health for the above listed temporarily allowable activities. Time billed must reflect the actual time that staff engaged in providing the temporarily allowable activities.

Questions regarding this notice may be directed to the Bureau of Behavioral Health via telephone at 217-557-1000 or via email at HFS.BBH@illinois.gov.

Kelly Cunningham

Interim Medicaid Administrator