Florida healthcare providers that provide home- and community-based services will receive nearly $503 million in Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) payments, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) disclosed this week.
“From the beginning of his administration, Gov. DeSantis has led the charge amongst the nation’s Governors in putting Florida’s seniors and most vulnerable first,” Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) Secretary Simone Marstiller said in a statement. “The agency is pleased to award this enhanced funding to Florida’s home- and community-based services providers who are working hard to address record increases in operational costs and challenges in recruiting and retaining staff.”
The state is planning to send emails to those providers who applied and were granted the funds. The funds, which must be distributed by June 30, 2023, are a result of the federal American Rescue Plan, which took effect on April 1, 2021. Section 9817 of the act authorized a 10% increase to the FMAP to support HCBS.
The additional federal funding allows states to “tailor HCBS enhancements based on the needs and priorities of its residents, while protecting and strengthening the HCBS workforce, safeguarding financial stability for HCBS providers, and accelerating long-term services and supports reform and innovation,” the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement last year.
Providers have been waiting for weeks about the dollar amount of the grants, a Florida Politics news report said. A total of 1,945 providers will receive the funding, the news outlet report.
AHCA also will have supplemental application period for a one-time retention payment for HCBS providers using 1099 contracted workrs who provide services through the agency’s HCBS programs. Providers must apply by May 30, 2022.
