Attention: All Providers – COVID-19 Update: DMMA Efforts to Streamline Provider Enrollment

In response to coronavirus COVID-19, DMMA has been approved for an 1135 Medicaid waiver from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the following requirements to expedite Provider Screening and Enrollment processes.

• Application Fee for Institutional Providers (42 CFR 455.460); Certain providers are currently required to pay an application fee at the time of enrollment. These fees will be waived during the emergency period.
• Criminal background checks (42 CFR 455.434); Providers deemed “high-risk” are normally required to undergo criminal background checks before enrollment. This requirement shall be waived during the emergency period.
• Site Visit (42 CFR 455.432); The State Medicaid Agency normally conducts site visits for providers deemed “moderate-risk” or “high-risk” before enrollment. This requirement shall be waived during the emergency period.
• Postponement of provider enrollment revalidations (42 CFR 455.414); The issuance of revalidation letters was suspended as of March 19, 2020. All revalidations currently in process will be completed. Any provider who has been notified of an upcoming revalidation will not be terminated during the period of this waiver. They would then be expected to complete their revalidation after the waiver is lifted.
• In-state/territory licensure requirements (42 CFR 455.412); Under current regulations, a provider must be licensed in the state in which they are practicing. This requirement will be relaxed, allowing enrolled providers who are properly licensed in their home states to practice in Delaware.
• Moderate and High-Risk Screening level processes for Medicaid providers (42 CFR 455.450); For the duration of the emergency period, all newly enrolling providers will be considered “limited-risk.”

The section 1135 waivers described above are effective March 1, 2020 and will terminate upon termination of the public health emergency, including any extensions. In no case will any of these waivers extend past the last day of the public health emergency (or any extension thereof).
 

Source: https://medicaid.dhss.delaware.gov/provider/Home/tabid/135/Default.aspx