Dear Benchmarks' Members, 

Please see below for the latest information, guidance and technical assistance regarding Governor Cooper's Executive Order signed today, resources to find personal protective equipment in your county and a Provider Notification regarding rate enhancement from Trillium.

Take care of each other and stay safe and healthy!

The Benchmarks' Team


Other announcements from Governor Cooper's press conference today include keeping all K thru 12 NC public schools closed for face to face school thru May 15th at least.  Schools will work toward offering some online classes and more.

Personal Protective Equipment Resource:
Agencies who need to access personal protective equipment (PPEs) need to reach out to their Local Emergency Managers (LEM) to make requests. They are triaging requests so when they call, they need to answer some questions. 

Questions will include -what is your service and how long it will be before they run out of needed PPEs. Below is the link for your agency to use to find the LEM in your county.


Trillium Urgent Notice
March 23, 2020

Rate Enhancement on Services
 
Trillium is providing a 10-30% rate enhancement on services that may require providers to pay overtime for staff when other staff cannot work due to COVID-19, OR due to paying direct care staff a higher rate for hazard pay during this event. Specific services and funding sources impacted include:
 
State funds:
  • Group Living
  • Facility Based Crisis
  • Supervised Living
Medicaid Funds:
  • CLFS (all levels)
  • Facility Based Crisis
  • IAFT
  • ICF
  • Residential Level III/IV
  • Residential Treatment Level II Single Family
Medicaid Innovations:
  • Residential Supports
  • Supported Living
 
Trillium is currently in the process of updating rates and codes (adding the appropriate modifier) in contracts for the above services, along with  contract amendments. The rates may be used between the time period of March 23, 2020 to June 30, 2020  and may be extended or lifted early by Trillium if necessary. Trillium may audit records for providers that bill these codes to assure compliance with the billing and to ensure these enhanced rates go to direct care staff. If the rates and contract amendments are not received by your agency in time to impact cash flow, you may consider billing the regular service and then replacing the claim once the code/rate are updated in your contract. Please note that it may take up to three weeks to load all applicable contracts.
 
We are continuing to work internally to address any concerns related to service delivery for our members, so please be patient as we work to address all populations.
 
If you have any questions regarding this communication, please email [email protected] . Please email only as we are experiencing higher than normal call volume at this time. Please do NOT email asking for your exact rates as all of those are being worked on at this time and so we cannot provide that answer right now.

The Latest DHHS Updates and Guidance Related to COVID-19: