The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) announced on Friday, December 17, 2021, that it is opening the application process for Medicaid home- and community-based services (HCBS) providers to apply for one-time federal funding. The more than $1.1 billion in funding was provided under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) and includes a one-year, 10% increase to the share of state Medicaid spending that is paid for by the federal government.

According to Florida Politics, applications are being accepted for $403 million in one-time payments to aid eligible providers in recruiting and retaining qualified staff, as well as for $266.6 million for retaining employees and recruiting new ones. Providers that qualify for both activities will need to complete and upload a separate application for each program choice.

This funding is offered to eligible providers that are enrolled as provider types (PT) 14, 65, 67, and 91. This includes:

• Providers that deliver assistive care services to enrollees in Florida’s HCBS waiver programs. This can include providers such as assisted living facilities and adult family care homes;
• Providers that deliver home health services to enrollees in Florida’s HCBS waiver programs. This can include providers enrolled as home health agencies (PT 65) or providers of home health services enrolled as HCBS providers (PT 67);
• Providers that deliver case management services to enrollees in Florida’s HCBS waiver programs and who are enrolled as PT 91; and
• Providers that deliver HCBS to enrollees in Florida’s HCBS waiver programs and who are enrolled as PT 67.

Providers are eligible if they have had paid fee-for-service (FFS) claims and/or managed care paid encounter claims for services through an HCBS waiver for dates of services during State Fiscal Year 2020-2021, which spans July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021. Applicants must also be in an “Active” status as a Florida Medicaid provider and in good standing with Florida Medicaid.

Providers who receive a one-time provider stipend and/or one-time provider retention payment must agree to cooperate with monitoring by state and local officials to ensure ongoing compliance with relevant requirements. Failure to abide by any or all requirements may result in the recoupment of funding and/or other administrative actions as deemed necessary.

AHCA is in the process of developing potential distribution methodologies for how to distribute the funds, which will factor in providers’ caseloads. The funding formula is not expected to be finalized until the application period closes on February 14, 2022.

Applications are now posted on AHCA's website here. Click here to watch a video training on the application process. Please submit any questions/concerns to AHCA using the online form.

HCAF fervently advocated that the state apply for the funding since the ARP was signed into law this past spring. In a letter to Florida Medicaid sent on April 7, we underscored the work of more than 76,000 Florida home care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and the vital role of HCBS providers in the Medicaid program.

Following the state's application to draw down the funding from the federal government, HCAF applauded state leaders for answering our call and standing up for the Florida home care community. "This is a significant and well-deserved win for Florida's Medicaid home care providers, who have valiantly served on the front lines since day one of the pandemic," said Executive Director Bobby Lolley.