Disability Waivers Rate Setting

Meeting Agenda
TEAM: DWRS Advisory Committee / START/END TIME: 9:30 AM–Noon
DATE: Thursday, March 19, 2015 / LOCATION:
Room 2380
DHS-Elmer Andersen Building
540 Cedar Street, St. Paul
Conference Call Info- dial in from your phone:
Toll-free dial-in number:
(888) 742-5095Conference code: 7128874539
CONVENER: Dan Newman
PURPOSE:
  • Provide department updates and discuss issues related to the Disability Waivers Rate Setting implementation.

PARTICIPANTS:Jan Buck, Nat Graf, Cindy guddal, Barb Hillenbrand, Trish Hoffman, Greg Kruse, Mike Mills, Monty Myler, Lynn Noren, Dennis Price, Bud Rosenfield, Chris Devos, Amy Alexander, Rob Nation, Doug Anderson, Sara Williams, Curtis Buhman, Elyse Bailey, Matt Knutson
# / AGENDA ITEMS / DISCUSSION / ACTION
1 / Welcome, introductions,
review agenda(10mins)
2 / Regional Variation (60 mins)
  • Overview of Truven Regional Variation Analysis and recommendations
  • Next steps discussion
/ Elyse provided overview of Truven Analysis
  • Implementation would begin in July and would occur on a rolling basis
  • Variance would be capped at +/- 3%
Discussion Outcomes:
The group suggested DHS look at the following:
  • What this would do to the allocation system
  • The 3% cap carefully
  • Other wages- particularly hospitality and manufacturing
  • Cost of living
  • Indirect transportation costs
  • Unemployment rate by county
  • Other readily available regional studies
  • The group suggested we revist this after public comment period and recommended more time be spen rather than rushing.
  • Suggested collecting information from public comment in respective regions
  • October implementation is the earliest this can be done if it isn’t done in July.

3 / Brief Status Updates and Feedback (15mins)
  • Coalition bill
  • Residential staffing update
/
  • Brief discussion of coalition bill
  • Matt provided a high level draft residential staffing model development plan.
  • Members indicated they would like a “bridge” between now and the time a new residential staffing model is devleopeed and implemented.

10 Minute Break
4 / Exceptions research discussion (50 mins) /
  • Elyse provided an overview of a contract DHS is engaging in with Improve Group to assist with analysis of Exceptions
  • A summary of the scope statement was provided
  • Research questions were reviewed
Discussion resulted in identification of 2 main areas that need to be developed to streamline the exceptions process.
These areas are:
Development of business rules to include:
  • Tools and training
  • Community integration needs
  • Incoproprate high behavioral needs
Definitions in terms of individuals to include:
  • Characteristics
  • Attributes
  • Vendor response to needs

5 / Next AC meeting(5mins)
  • Topics for next (April)AC meeting
/
  • 4/16 – small group Andersen Bldg. St. Paul Room 2380