Prospective HCBS Provider

 
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Medicaid Related Assistance
Developmental Disabilities
 
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What would you like to do?

What you need to know

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Are you interested in becoming a DHHS-approved provider of Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiver services? It is a helpful public service you can do for eligible Nebraskans. You can help people live in their home or a community setting. You can help families keep their kids with disabilities at home instead of in an institution.

Medicaid HCBS providers give Nebraskans choices on how and where to live. DHHS-approved service providers are paid for their work.

If you want to be a provider, the first thing you need to decide is which type. Once you have decided, this page will help you through the process.


Provider Types

There are different types of service providers for HCBS Waivers.

Aged and Disabled (AD) Waiver

  • AD Agency Provider - start your own business, or expand your company, to provide AD services to eligible people
  • AD Independent Provider - provide AD services to an eligible person
  • Assisted Living Facility - provide a range of services in your facility 

Developmental Disabilities (DD) Waivers

  • DD Agency Provider - start your own business to provide DD services to eligible people
  • DD Independent Provider - provide DD services to an eligible person 
​

Family Support Waiver

​Learn about becoming a FSW provider. 

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Waiver

  • TBI Agency Provider - start your own business, or expand your company, to provide TBI services to eligible people
  • TBI Independent Provider - provide TBI services to an eligible person​​
  • TBI Assisted Living Facility - provide Supported Residential Living services to eligible people

Becoming a HCBS Waiver Provider

The process you follow to become a provider depends under which waiver you will provide services. 

​

AD Agency Provider - I would like my company to provide AD Waiver services

AD agency providers are important for participants who qualify to live in a nursing facility, but choose to receive services in the community. 

  • Agency providers are responsible for all administration related to the oversight of services, such as hiring, firing, scheduling, training, and paying wages. 
  • Agency providers must be approved by the state, sign an agreement with DHHS, and meet specific regulations.

Steps to become an AD agency provider:

  1. Work with a DHHS or a Resource Developer with the Area Office on Aging (AAAs) or the League of Human Dignity (LHDs) to complete a provider referral and begin the online provider enrollment process.
  2. Provide your agency's hiring and reporting policies for:
    • B​ackground checks of the Adult Protective Services Central Registry and Child Abuse/Neglect Central Registry​; 
    • Verification that there are no substantiated or inconclusive reports of abuse or neglect by you and your current direct care staff, as well as all new hires; and
    • General provider standards.​
  3. Become a Medicaid Provider.

AD Independent Provider - I would like to provide AD Waiver services to someone I know

AD independent providers are important for participants who qualify to live in a nursing facility, but choose to receive services in the community. 

  • AD independent providers are not employees of DHHS or the State of Nebraska. They work for the participant.
  • DHHS pays the independent provider on behalf of the person (with the exception of adult family homes. In that case, the participant pays the adult family home sponsor.)

Steps to become an AD independent provider:

  1. Find a participant who wants you to provide a Medicaid HCBS AD Waiver service.
  2. Contact the participant's service coordinator to start the process of becoming an AD provider.
  3. Become a Medicaid Provider. You must meet standards and pass background checks, including:
    • Criminal history
    • Adult Protective Services registry
    • Child central registry
    • Sex offender registry
    • Nurse aide registry​

Assisted Living Facility - I would like my facility to provide AD Waiver services

Meet all requirements applicable to an assisted living provider in 480 NAC Chapters 2, 4, and 5.

DD Agency Provider - I would like my company to offer DD Waiver services

DD agency providers are important for participants who qualify to live in an Intermediate Care Facility for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IID), but choose to receive services in the community.

  • Agency providers are responsible for all administrative aspects related to the oversight of services, such as hiring, firing, scheduling, training, and paying wages. 
  • Agency providers must be approved by the state, sign an agreement with DHHS and meet specific regulations.
  • The process of becoming an agency provider can be intimidating. You are starting a business. You must have all the elements and skills as any successful business: organization, experience and education.

Steps to become a DD agency provider:

  1. Attend Prospective Provider Orientation. Email us to register.
    • ​Currently, DDD is recruiting providers statewide for the Family Support Waiver (FSW) and for CDD/DDAD providers outside of Lancaster, Douglas, and Sarpy counties. ​​​
  2. Electronically submit a letter of intent, application form, and policies and procedure worksheet.
    • The letter must include:
      • The type of service(s) you propose to provide; and
      • The location(s) where you will provide the service(s).
    • Application - must be completed and signed
    • Policies & Procedure Worksheet - must be complete and explain how you will comply with regulations
  3. Become a Medicaid Provider.
  4. As a provider, you may join the Nebraska Association of Service Providers (NASP) for community guidance and advocacy.

You may find it helpful to refer to:

DD Independent Provider - I would like to provide DD Waiver services to someone I know

DD independent providers are important for participants who qualify to live in an Intermediate Care Facility for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF-IID), but choose to receive services in the community and want to self-direct their services. Services provided by independent providers may be more flexible than those provided by a DD agency provider. 

  • DD independent providers are not employees of DHHS or the State of Nebraska. They work for the participant.
  • DHHS pays the provider on behalf of the participant. 

Steps to become a DD independent provider:

  1. Find a participant who wants you to provide a Medicaid HCBS DD Waiver service.
  2. Contact the participant's service coordinator to start the process of becoming an independent provider.
  3. Become a Medicaid Provider. You must meet standards and pass background checks, including:
    • Criminal history
    • Adult Protective Services registry
    • Child central registry
    • Sex offender registry
  4. Attend Independent Provider Orientation. 
  5. Access DD Provider Page​ for billing information and other resources.

You may find it helpful to refer to: 

TBI Waiver Providers - I would like to provide TBI Waiver services

​DDD held a meeting is to introduce changes to the TBI Waiver for providers, including updates to provider requirements and expectations.