Md. Code Regs. 14.31.04.05

Current through Register Vol. 52, No. 1, January 10, 2025

Section 14.31.04.05 - Rate Determination, Approval, and Notification

A. Use of Guidelines.

(1) Rates for child placement agencies, educational programs, and nonresidential programs shall be determined, excluding unallowable costs, consistent with the Cost Guidelines.

(2) Rates for residential child care programs shall be determined consistent with the Class Guidelines.

B. Review of Application. After review of a rate application, the Committee shall take one of the following actions:

(1) Approve the rate requested in the application;

(2) Return the application to the provider, requesting that additional information or changes to the application be resubmitted within 10 business days; or

(3) Deny the rate requested in the application and issue a revised rate.

C. Notification of Approved Renewal Rates.

(1) Except as otherwise provided in §C(2) of this regulation, the Committee shall notify providers of their approved rates for applications timely submitted that meet the requirements of the Provider Instructions by June 15 of each year.

(2) For fiscal year 2025, the Committee shall notify residential child care programs that submit a timely and complete application to the Rate Section, consistent with Regulation .04A(3) of this chapter, by September 15, 2024.

D. Notification of Approved New Rates. The Committee shall review applications, submitted in conformance with the Provider Instructions, and make a rate determination for new programs within 60 days of receipt. Rate determinations are not final until issuance of a license or accreditation.

E. Effective Dates for Rates.

(1) Except as otherwise provided in §E(2) of this regulation, renewal rates shall be in effect at the start of the State fiscal year and remain in effect until the end of that State fiscal year.

(2) For fiscal year 2025, rates approved by the Committee for residential child care programs consistent with §C(2) of this regulation shall be in effect October 1, 2024, and remain in effect until June 30, 2025.

(3) Rates for new child placement agencies, educational programs, and nonresidental programs issued after March 31 of each State fiscal year shall remain in effect until June 30 of the following State fiscal year.

F. Determination of Preferred Providers.

(1) The Committee shall categorize child placement agencies according to service type and, when appropriate, capacity.

(2) The Committee shall use the methodology in the Manual to determine approved rates within each category and determine preferred providers.

G. The Committee shall publish, annually, a list of all providers and approved rates and shall issue quarterly supplements with changes and additions. Child placement agencies shall be designated as preferred or nonpreferred in the listings, in accordance with the Committee's determination.

H. Conformance with Federal Laws. Rates shall be determined in conformance with relevant federal requirements, including Title IV-E of the Social Security Act.

I. Cost Containment. The Committee may impose cost containment measures to bring the rate structure into conformity with the budget appropriations approved by the General Assembly, and nothing in the Manual, Cost and Class Guidelines, or Provider Instructions shall preclude the implementation of cost containment.

Md. Code Regs. 14.31.04.05

Regulation .05 adopted effective 51:10 Md. R. 528, eff. 7/1/2024.