La. Admin. Code tit. 48 § I-5606

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section I-5606 - License Restrictions and Exceptions

A. A BHS provider shall provide only those services or modules:

1. specified on its license; and

2. only to clients residing in the provider's designated geographic service area or at the provider's licensed location.

B. A BHS provider may apply for a waiver from the HSS to provide home or community services to a client residing outside of the provider's designated geographic service area only under the following conditions:

1. A waiver may be granted by HSS if there is no other BHS provider in the client's service area that is licensed and that has the capacity to provide the required services to the client.

2. The provider shall submit a written waiver request to HSS.

3. The written waiver request shall be specific to one client and shall include the reasons for which the waiver is requested.

4. HSS shall approve or deny the waiver request within 30 days of receipt of the written waiver request, and shall provide written notice to the provider via mail or electronic transmission (email or facsimile).

5. The provider shall notify the client of HSS's decision.

C. The provider shall not provide services to a client residing outside of the provider's designated geographic service area unless the provider has received a written waiver request approval from HSS or meets the requirements of Subsection B of this Section.

D. There is no appeal from a decision by HSS to deny a waiver request under this Section.

E. Exception to Service Delivery Area. A BHS homebuilders provider may request the approval of an alternate service delivery area that shall include the following submitted to the HSS:

1. letter of FNR approval for the alternate geographic service delivery area; and

2. attestation that the homebuilders program currently has less than three staff providing homebuilders services in the alternate geographic service delivery area;

F. Exceptions during a Gubernatorial Declared State of Emergency or Disaster

1. To ensure the health and safety of clients, and the coordination and continuation of services to clients, during a gubernatorial declared state of emergency or disaster in Louisiana, the department, through written notice sent electronically to licensed BHS providers, may allow a licensed BHS provider to operate and provide services to existing clients who are receiving outpatient BHS services and who have evacuated or temporarily relocated to another location in the state when the following apply:

a. the client has evacuated or temporarily relocated to a location outside of the provider's licensed region due to the declared state of emergency or disaster;

b. the client shall have been a client of the BHS provider as of the declared state of emergency or disaster, with an approved treatment plan;

c. the provider has sufficient and qualified staff to provide services at the client's temporary location;

d. the provider is responsible for ensuring that all essential services, are provided in accordance with the treatment plan; and

e. the provider shall not interfere with the client's right to choose a provider of his/her choice if the client elects a new BHS provider in the area where the client relocates. The provider shall facilitate client's selection.

2. Under the provisions of §5606.F 1-4, the department's initial written notice to licensed BHS providers to authorize these allowances shall be for a period not to exceed 45 days. The department may extend this initial period, not to exceed an additional 45 days, upon written notice sent electronically to the licensed BHS providers.

3. Under the supervision of §5606.F 1-4, the department, in its discretion, may authorize these allowances statewide or to certain affected parishes.

4. A BHS provider who wants to provide services to a client that has temporarily relocated out of state must contact that state's licensing/certification department to obtain any necessary licensing and/or certification before providing services in that state.

La. Admin. Code tit. 48, § I-5606

Promulgated by the Department of Health, Bureau of Health Services Financing, LR 46588 (4/1/2020), Amended LR 481281 (5/1/2022), Amended LR 482756 (11/1/2022).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 36:254 and R.S. 40:2151-2162.