REGULATIONS
Vol. 30 Iss. 18 - May 05, 2014

TITLE 4. CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES
VIRGINIA SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION BOARD
Final Regulation

Title of Regulation: 4VAC50-70. Resource Management Plans (adding 4VAC50-70-10, 4VAC50-70-20, 4VAC50-70-30, 4VAC50-70-40, 4VAC50-70-50, 4VAC50-70-60, 4VAC50-70-70, 4VAC50-70-80, 4VAC50-70-90, 4VAC50-70-100, 4VAC50-70-110, 4VAC50-70-120, 4VAC50-70-130, 4VAC50-70-140, 4VAC50-70-150).

Statutory Authority: § 10.1-104.8 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: July 1, 2014.

This final action readopts without amendment 4VAC50-70, Resource Management Plans. The regulation initially was adopted by the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board with an effective date of December 6, 2013, as published in 29:18 VA.R. 2198-2207 May 6, 2013. On November 21, 2013, the board suspended the effective date, and notice of the suspension was published in 30:7 VA.R. 814-815 December 2, 2013. At its meeting on April 4, 2014, the board rescinded the suspension of these regulations and readopted the final regulation without amendment; therefore, the text is not set out here. The board established a new effective date of July 1, 2014.

Agency Contact: David C. Dowling, Policy and Planning Director, Department of Conservation and Recreation, 203 Governor Street, Suite 302, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 786-2291, FAX (804) 786-6141, or email david.dowling@dcr.virginia.gov.

VA.R. Doc. No. R12-3140; Filed April 17, 2014, 11:02 a.m.
TITLE 9. ENVIRONMENT
STATE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
Final Regulation

REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The following regulatory action is exempt from Article 2 of the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 c of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to meet the requirements of federal law or regulations provided such regulations do not differ materially from those required by federal law or regulation. The State Air Pollution Control Board will receive, consider, and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.

Title of Regulation: 9VAC5-80. Permits for Stationary Sources (Rev. A14) (amending 9VAC5-80-1695, 9VAC5-80-1715).

Statutory Authority: § 10.1-1308 of the Code of Virginia; Clean Air Act (§§ 110, 112, 165, 173, 182 and Title V); 40 CFR Parts 51, 61, 63, 63, 70, and 72.

Effective Date: June 4, 2014.

Agency Contact: Karen G. Sabasteanski, Department of Environmental Quality, 629 East Main Street, P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone (804) 698-4426, FAX (804) 698-4510, TTY (804) 698-4021, or email karen.sabasteanski@deq.virginia.gov.

Summary:

On December 9, 2013 (78 FR 73698), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency removed certain provisions regarding the significant impact levels and significant monitoring concentration for particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers from its prevention of significant deterioration regulations. The State Air Pollution Control Board administers the new source review program under an approved state implementation plan; therefore, the board has amended the regulation to reflect the federal regulation revisions.

9VAC5-80-1695. Exemptions.

A. The requirements of this article shall not apply to a particular major stationary source or major modification; if:

1. The source or modification would be a major stationary source or major modification only if fugitive emissions, to the extent quantifiable, are considered in calculating the potential to emit of the stationary source or modification and the source does not belong to any of the following categories:

a. Coal cleaning plants (with thermal dryers).

b. Kraft pulp mills.

c. Portland cement plants.

d. Primary zinc smelters.

e. Iron and steel mills.

f. Primary aluminum ore reduction plants.

g. Primary copper smelters.

h. Municipal incinerators capable of charging more than 250 tons of refuse per day.

i. Hydrofluoric acid plants.

j. Sulfuric acid plants.

k. Nitric acid plants.

l. Petroleum refineries.

m. Lime plants.

n. Phosphate rock processing plants.

o. Coke oven batteries.

p. Sulfur recovery plants.

q. Carbon black plants (furnace process).

r. Primary lead smelters.

s. Fuel conversion plants.

t. Sintering plants.

u. Secondary metal production plants.

v. Chemical process plants (which shall not include ethanol production facilities that produce ethanol by natural fermentation included in NAICS codes 325193 or 312140).

w. Fossil-fuel boilers (or combination of them) totaling more than 250 million British thermal units per hour heat input.

x. Petroleum storage and transfer units with a total storage capacity exceeding 300,000 barrels.

y. Taconite ore processing plants.

z. Glass fiber processing plants.

aa. Charcoal production plants.

bb. Fossil fuel-fired steam electric plants of more than 250 million British thermal units per hour heat input.

cc. Any other stationary source category which, as of August 7, 1980, is being regulated under 40 CFR Part 60 or 61; or

2. The source or modification is a portable stationary source that has previously received a permit under this article, and

a. The owner proposes to relocate the source and emissions of the source at the new location would be temporary;

b. The emissions from the source would not exceed its allowable emissions;

c. The emissions from the source would affect no class I area and no area where an applicable increment is known to be violated; and

d. Reasonable notice is given to the board prior to the relocation identifying the proposed new location and the probable duration of operation at the new location. Such notice shall be given to the board not less than 10 days in advance of the proposed relocation unless a different time duration is previously approved by the board.

B. The requirements of this article shall not apply to a major stationary source or major modification with respect to a particular pollutant if the owner demonstrates that, as to that pollutant, the source or modification is located in an area designated as nonattainment in 9VAC5-20-204.

C. The requirements of 9VAC5-80-1715, 9VAC5-80-1735, and 9VAC5-80-1755 shall not apply to a major stationary source or major modification with respect to a particular pollutant, if the allowable emissions of that pollutant from the source, or the net emissions increase of that pollutant from the modification:

1. Would affect no class I area and no area where an applicable increment is known to be violated; and

2. Would be temporary.

D. The requirements of 9VAC5-80-1715, 9VAC5-80-1735, and 9VAC5-80-1755 as they relate to any maximum allowable increase for a class II area shall not apply to a major modification at a stationary source that was in existence on March 1, 1978, if the net increase in allowable emissions of each regulated NSR pollutant from the modification after the application of best available control technology would be less than 50 tons per year.

E. The board may exempt a proposed major stationary source or major modification from the requirements of 9VAC5-80-1735 with respect to monitoring for a particular pollutant if:

1. The emissions increase of the pollutant from the new source or the net emissions increase of the pollutant from the modification would cause, in any area, air quality impacts less than the following amounts:

Carbon monoxide -- 575 μg/m3, 8-hour average

Nitrogen dioxide -- 14 μg/m3, annual average

PM2.5 - 4 0 µg/m3, 24-hour average*

PM10 - 10 µg/m3, 24-hour average

Sulfur dioxide -- 13 μg/m3, 24-hour average

Ozone**

Lead -- 0.1 μg/m3, 3-month average

Fluorides -- 0.25 μg/m3, 24-hour average

Total reduced sulfur -- 10 μg/m3, 1-hour average

Hydrogen sulfide -- 0.2 μg/m3, 1-hour average

Reduced sulfur compounds -- 10 μg/m3, 1-hour average; or

*No exemption is available with regard to PM2.5.

*No **No de minimis air quality level is provided for ozone. However, any net increase of 100 tons per year or more of volatile organic compounds or NOX subject to this article would be required to perform an ambient impact analysis including the gathering of ambient air quality data.

2. The concentrations of the pollutant in the area that the source or modification would affect are less than the concentrations listed in subdivision 1 of this subsection, or the pollutant is not listed in subdivision 1 of this subsection.

F. The requirements of this article shall not apply to a particular major stationary source with respect to the use of an alternative fuel or raw material if the following conditions are met:

1. The owner demonstrates to the board that, as a result of trial burns at the owner's facility or other facilities or other sufficient data, the emissions resulting from the use of the alternative fuel or raw material supply are decreased. No demonstration will be required for the use of processed animal fat, processed fish oil, processed vegetable oil, distillate oil, or any mixture thereof in place of the same quantity of residual oil to fire industrial boilers.

2. The use of an alternative fuel or raw material would not be subject to review under this article as a major modification.

9VAC5-80-1715. Source impact analysis.

A. The following demonstration is required for any new major stationary source or major modification:

1. A. The owner of the proposed source or modification shall demonstrate that allowable emission increases from the proposed source or modification, in conjunction with all other applicable emissions increases or reductions (including secondary emissions), would not cause or contribute to air pollution in violation of:

a. 1. Any ambient air quality standard in any air quality control region; or

b. 2. Any applicable maximum allowable increase over the baseline concentration in any area.

2. For purposes of PM2.5, the demonstration required in subdivision 1 of this subsection is deemed to have been made if the emissions increase from the new stationary source alone or from the modification alone would cause, in all areas, air quality impacts less than the following amounts:

Averaging time

Class I area

Class II area

Class III area

Annual

0.06 µg/m3

0.3 µg/m3

0.3 µg/m3

24-hour

0.07 µg/m3

1.2 µg/m3

1.2 µg/m3

B. The following applies to any new major stationary source or major modification if it would cause or contribute to a violation of any ambient air quality standard.

1. A new major stationary source or major modification will be considered to cause or contribute to a violation of an ambient air quality standard when such source or modification would, at a minimum, exceed the following significance levels at any locality that does not or would not meet the applicable air quality standard:

Pollutant

Annual

Averaging time (hours)

24

8

3

1

SO2

1.0 μg/m3

5.0 μg/m3

25.0 μg/m3

PM10

1.0 μg/m3

5.0 μg/m3

PM2.5

0.3 mg/m3

1.2 mg/m3

NO2

1.0 μg/m3

CO

500 μg/m3

2000 μg/m3

2. A proposed new major stationary source or major modification may reduce the impact of its emissions upon air quality by obtaining sufficient emission reductions to, at a minimum, compensate for its adverse ambient impact where the new major stationary source or major modification would otherwise cause or contribute to a violation of any ambient air quality standard. In the absence of such emission reductions, the board will deny the proposed construction.

3. The requirements of this subsection do not apply to a major stationary source or major modification with respect to a particular pollutant if the owner demonstrates that, as to that pollutant, the source or modification is located in an area designated as nonattainment in 9VAC5-20-204.

VA.R. Doc. No. R14-3965; Filed April 15, 2014, 9:14 a.m.
TITLE 9. ENVIRONMENT
STATE WATER CONTROL BOARD
Final Regulation

REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The State Water Control Board is claiming an exemption from Article 2 of the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 8 of the Code of Virginia, which exempts general permits issued by the State Water Control Board pursuant to the State Water Control Law (§ 62.1-44.2 et seq.), Chapter 24 (§ 62.1-242 et seq.) of Title 62.1, and Chapter 25 (§ 62.1-254 et seq.) of Title 62.1 of the Code of Virginia if the board (i) provides a Notice of Intended Regulatory Action in conformance with the provisions of § 2.2-4007.01; (ii) following the passage of 30 days from the publication of the Notice of Intended Regulatory Action forms a technical advisory committee composed of relevant stakeholders, including potentially affected citizens groups, to assist in the development of the general permit; (iii) provides notice and receives oral and written comment as provided in § 2.2-4007.03; and (iv) conducts at least one public hearing on the proposed general permit.

Title of Regulation: 9VAC25-192. Virginia Pollution Abatement (VPA) General Permit Regulation for Animal Feeding Operations (amending 9VAC25-192-10 through 9VAC25-192-70; adding 9VAC25-192-25, 9VAC25-192-80, 9VAC25-192-90).

Statutory Authority: § 62.1-44.15 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: November 16, 2014.

Agency Contact: Betsy Bowles, Department of Environmental Quality, 629 East Main Street, P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone (804) 698-4059, FAX (804) 698-4116, or email betsy.bowles@deq.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The State Water Control Board is reissuing the general permit regulation for animal feeding operations with a 10-year permit term that expires on November 15, 2024. The regulation governs the pollutant management activities of animal wastes at animal feeding operations not covered by a Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit and having 300 or more animal units utilizing a liquid manure collection and storage system. These animal feeding operations may operate and maintain treatment works for waste storage, treatment, or recycling and may perform land application of manure, wastewater, compost, or sludges.

The amendments include options to (i) transfer animal waste off the farm as long as specific requirements are followed by the permittee and the end-users of the animal waste and (ii) manage imported waste materials as long as specific requirements are followed by the permittee. Amendments since publication of the proposed regulation include modification of the requirements for waste storage not under roof and removal of the option of having an employee of a soil and water conservation district with appropriate engineering approval authority certify compliance with the siting, design, and construction requirements of the permit.

CHAPTER 192
VIRGINIA POLLUTION ABATEMENT (VPA) REGULATION AND GENERAL PERMIT REGULATION FOR ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS AND ANIMAL WASTE MANAGEMENT

9VAC25-192-10. Definitions.

The words and terms used in this chapter shall have the meanings defined in the State Water Control Law (§ 62.1-44.2 et seq. of the Code of Virginia) and the Permit Regulation (9VAC25-32) unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, except that for the purposes of this chapter:

"Agricultural storm water discharge" means storm water that is not the sole result of land application of manure, litter or process wastewater. Where manure, litter or process wastewater has been applied a precipitation-related discharge of manure, litter, or process wastewater that has been applied on land areas under the control of an animal feeding operation or under the control of an animal waste end-user in accordance with a nutrient management plan approved by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and in accordance with site specific nutrient management practices that ensure appropriate agricultural utilization of the nutrients in the manure, litter or process wastewater, a precipitation-related discharge of manure, litter, or process wastewater from land areas under the control of an animal feeding operation is an agricultural storm water discharge.

"Animal feeding operation" means a lot or facility (other than an aquatic animal production facility) where the following conditions are met:

1. Animals (other than aquatic animals) have been, are, or will be stabled or confined and fed or maintained for a total of 45 days or more in any 12-month period; and

2. Crops, vegetation, forage growth or post-harvest residues are not sustained in the normal growing season over any portion of the operation of the lot or facility.

Two or more animal feeding operations under common ownership are a single animal feeding operation for the purposes of determining the number of animals at an operation, if they adjoin each other, or if they use a common area or system for the disposal of wastes.

"Animal waste" means liquid, semi-solid, and solid animal manure [ , poultry waste ] and process wastewater, compost, or sludges associated with [ livestock and poultry ] animal feeding operations including the final treated wastes generated by a digester or other manure treatment technologies.

"Animal waste end-user" or "end-user" means any recipient of transferred animal waste who stores or who utilizes the waste as fertilizer, fuel, feedstock, livestock feed, or other beneficial use for an operation under his control.

"Animal waste fact sheet" means the document that details the requirements regarding utilization, storage, and management of animal waste by end-users. The fact sheet is approved by the department.

"Beneficial use" means a use that is of benefit as a substitute for natural or commercial products and does not contribute to adverse effects on health or environment.

"Confined animal feeding operation," for the purposes of this regulation, has the same meaning as an "animal feeding operation."

"Department" means the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

"Director" means the Director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality or his designee.

"Nutrient management plan" or "NMP" means a plan developed or approved by the Department of Conservation and Recreation that requires proper storage, treatment, and management of animal waste and limits accumulation of excess nutrients in soils and leaching or discharge of nutrients into state waters; except that for an animal waste end-user who is not covered under the general permit, the requirements of 9VAC25-192-90 constitute the NMP.

"Operator" means any person who owns or operates an animal feeding operation.

"Permittee" means the owner whose animal feeding operation is covered under this general permit.

"Organic source" means any nutrient source including, but not limited to, manures, biosolids, compost, and waste or sludges from animals, humans, or industrial processes, but for the purposes of this regulation it excludes waste from wildlife.

"Waste nutrient analysis rate" means a land application rate for animal waste approved by the board as specified in this regulation.

"Waste storage facility" means (i) a waste holding pond or tank used to store manure prior to land application, or (ii) a lagoon or treatment facility used to digest or reduce the solids or nutrients [ , or (iii) a structure used to store manure or waste ].

"Vegetated buffer" means a permanent strip of dense perennial vegetation established parallel to the contours of and perpendicular to the dominant slope of the field for the purposes of slowing water runoff, enhancing water infiltration, and minimizing the risk of any potential nutrients or pollutants from leaving the field and reaching surface waters.

"300 animal units" means 300,000 pounds of live animal weight, or the following numbers and types of animals:

a. 300 slaughter and feeder cattle;

b. 200 mature dairy cattle (whether milked or dry cows);

c. 750 swine each weighing over 25 kilograms (approximately 55 pounds);

d. 150 horses;

e. 3,000 sheep or lambs;

f. 16,500 turkeys;

g. 30,000 laying hens or broilers.

9VAC25-192-20. Purpose; delegation of authority; effective date of permit.

A. This general permit regulation governs the pollutant management activities of animal wastes at animal feeding operations having 300 or more animal units utilizing a liquid manure collection and storage system not covered by a Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) permit, and having 300 or more animal units utilizing a liquid manure collection and storage system and animal waste utilized or stored by animal waste end-users. These animal feeding operations may operate and maintain treatment works for waste storage, treatment, or recycle recycling and may perform land application of manure, wastewater, compost, or sludges.

B. The Director of the Department of Environmental Quality, or his designee, may perform any act of the board provided under this chapter, except as limited by § 62.1-44.14 of the Code of Virginia.

C. This general permit will become effective on November 16, 2004 2014. This general permit will expire 10 years from the effective date.

9VAC25-192-25. Duty to comply.

A. Any person who manages or proposes to manage pollutants regulated by 9VAC25-192 shall comply with the applicable requirements of this chapter.

B. In order to manage pollutants from an animal feeding operation, the owner shall be required to obtain coverage under the Virginia Pollution Abatement (VPA) general permit or an individual VPA permit provided that the owner has not been required to obtain a Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) permit. The owner shall comply with the requirements of this chapter and the permit.

C. An animal waste end-user shall comply with the technical requirements outlined in 9VAC25-192-80 and 9VAC25-192-90.

9VAC25-192-50. Authorization to manage pollutants.

A. Owner of an animal feeding operation. Any owner governed by this general permit is hereby authorized to manage pollutants at animal feeding operations provided that the owner files the registration statement of 9VAC25-192-60, complies with the requirements of 9VAC25-192-70, and provided that:

1. The operator owner has not been required to obtain a VPDES permit or an individual VPA permit according to subdivision 2 of 9VAC25-32-260 B;

2. The operation of the animal feeding operation shall not contravene the Water Quality Standards, as amended and adopted by the board, or any provision of the State Water Control Law. There shall be no point source discharge of wastewater to surface waters of the state except in the case of a storm event greater than the 25-year, 24-hour storm. Agricultural [ stormwater storm water ] discharges are permitted. Domestic sewage or industrial shall not be managed under this general permit. Industrial waste shall not be managed under this general permit, except for wastes that have been approved by the department and are managed in accordance with 9VAC25-192-70;

3. The owner of any proposed pollutant management activities or those which have not previously been issued a valid Virginia Pollution Abatement (VPA) permit or Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) permit must attach to the registration statement, the Local Government Ordinance Form (a notification from the governing body of the county, city or town where the operation is located that the operation is consistent with all ordinances adopted pursuant to Chapter 22 (§ 15.2-2200 et seq.) of Title 15.2 of the Code of Virginia).

4. The owner shall obtain Department of Conservation and Recreation must approve approval of a nutrient management plan for the animal feeding operation prior to the submittal of the registration statement. The operator owner shall attach to the registration statement a copy of the approved Nutrient Management Plan nutrient management plan and a copy of the letter from the Department of Conservation and Recreation certifying approval of the Nutrient Management Plan, and if the plan was written after December 31, 2005, nutrient management plan that the plan was developed by a certified nutrient management planner in accordance with § 10.1-104.2 of the Code of Virginia. The operator owner shall implement the approved nutrient management plan.

5. a. The operator owner shall give notice of the registration statement to all owners or residents of property that adjoins the property on which the animal feeding operation will be located. Such notice shall include (i) the types and maximum number of animals which will be maintained at the facility and (ii) the address and phone number of the appropriate department regional office to which comments relevant to the permit registration statement may be submitted. This notice requirement is waived whenever registration is for the purpose of renewing coverage under the permit and no expansion is proposed and the department has not issued any special or consent order relating to violations under the existing permit.

b. Any person may submit written comments on the proposed operation to the department within 30 days of the date of the filing of the registration statement. If, on the basis of such written comments or his review, the director determines that the proposed operation will not be capable of complying with the provisions of the general permit, the director shall require the owner to obtain an individual permit for the operation. Any such determination by the director shall be made in writing and received by mailed to the owner not more than 45 days after the filing of the registration statement or, if in the director's sole discretion additional time is necessary to evaluate comments received from the public, not more than 60 days after the filing of the registration statement.

6. Each operator As required by § 62.1-44.17:1 F of the Code of Virginia, each owner of a facility covered by this general permit shall have completed the training program offered or approved by the Department of Conservation and Recreation department in the two years prior to submitting the registration statement for general permit coverage, or shall complete such training within one year after the registration statement has been submitted for general permit coverage. All operators permitted owners shall complete the training program at least once every three years.

B. Animal waste end-user. An animal waste end-user shall comply with the requirements outlined in 9VAC25-192-80 and 9VAC25-192-90.

1. When an animal waste end-user does not comply with the requirements of 9VAC25-192-80 and 9VAC25-192-90, the department may choose to do any or all of the following:

a. Initiate enforcement action based upon the violation of the regulation;

b. Require the animal waste end-user to register for coverage under the general permit;

c. Require the animal waste end-user to apply for the VPA individual permit; or

d. Take other actions set forth in the VPA Permit Regulation (9VAC25-32).

2. An animal waste end-user governed by this general permit is hereby authorized to manage pollutants relating to the utilization and storage of animal waste provided that the animal waste end-user files the registration statement of 9VAC25-192-60, complies with the requirements of 9VAC25-192-70, and:

a. The animal waste end-user has not been required to obtain a VPA individual permit according to subdivision 2 of 9VAC25-32-260;

b. The activities of the animal waste end-user shall not contravene the Water Quality Standards, as amended and adopted by the board, or any provision of the State Water Control Law (§ 62.1-44 et seq. of the Code of Virginia). There shall be no point source discharge of wastewater to surface waters of the state except in the case of a storm event greater than the 25-year, 24-hour storm. Agricultural storm water discharges are permitted. Domestic sewage shall not be managed under this general permit. Industrial waste shall not be managed under this general permit, except for wastes that have been approved by the department and are managed in accordance with 9VAC25-192-70;

c. The animal waste end-user shall obtain Department of Conservation and Recreation approval of a nutrient management plan for land application sites where animal waste will be utilized or stored and managed prior to the submittal of the registration statement. The animal waste end-user shall attach to the registration statement a copy of the approved nutrient management plan and a copy of the letter from the Department of Conservation and Recreation certifying approval of the nutrient management plan that was developed by a certified nutrient management planner in accordance with § 10.1-104.2 of the Code of Virginia. The animal waste end-user shall implement the approved nutrient management plan; and

d. As required by § 62.1-44.17:1 F of the Code of Virginia, each permitted animal waste end-user shall complete a training program offered or approved by the department within one year of filing the registration statement for general permit coverage. All permitted animal waste end-users shall complete a training program at least once every three years.

C. Continuation of permit coverage.

1. Any owner that was authorized to manage pollutants under the general permit issued in 2004 and that submits a complete registration statement on or before November 15, 2014, is authorized to continue to manage pollutants under the terms of the 2004 general permit until such time as the board either:

a. Issues coverage to the owner under this general permit; or

b. Notifies the owner that coverage under this permit is denied.

2. When the permittee that was covered under the expiring or expired general permit has violated or is violating the conditions of that permit, the board may choose to do any or all of the following:

a. Initiate enforcement action based upon the expiring or expired general permit;

b. Issue a notice of intent to deny coverage under the reissued general permit. If the general permit coverage is denied, the owner would then be required to cease the activities authorized by the expiring or expired general permit or be subject to enforcement action for operating without a permit;

c. Issue an individual permit with appropriate conditions; or

d. Take other actions set forth in the VPA Permit Regulation (9VAC25-32).

B. D. Receipt of this general permit does not relieve any operator permittee of the responsibility to comply with any other applicable federal, state or local statute, ordinance, or regulation.

9VAC25-192-60. Registration statement.

A. The owner of an animal feeding operation. In order to be covered under the general permit, the operator owner shall file a complete VPA General Permit Registration Statement for the management of pollutants at animal feeding operations in accordance with this chapter. The registration statement shall be deemed complete for registration under the VPA General Permit if it contains the following information:

1. The animal feeding operation owner's name, mailing address, email address (if available), and telephone number;

2. The animal feeding operation operator's name, mailing address, email address (if available), and telephone number of the operator or contact person other than the owner, if applicable;

2. 3. The farm name (if applicable) and location of the animal feeding operation;

3. The name and telephone number of a contact person other than the operator, if necessary;

4. The best time of day and day of the week to contact the operator or the contact person;

5. If the facility has an existing VPA or VPDES permit number, the permit number;

6. The type or types of animals (dairy cattle, slaughter and feeder cattle, swine, other) and the maximum number and average weight of the type or types of animals to be maintained at the animal feeding operation;

7. [ The types of wastes that will be managed at the facility and how much of each type of waste will be managed;

8. If waste will be transferred off-site, the type of waste and how much will be transferred;

9. ] The operator owner of any proposed pollutant management activities or those which have not previously been issued a valid VPA permit or Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) VPDES permit must attach to the registration statement, the Local Government Ordinance Form (the notification from the governing body of the county, city or town where the operation is located that the operation is consistent with all ordinances adopted pursuant to Chapter 22 (§ 15.2-2200 et seq.) of Title 15.2 of the Code of Virginia);

[ 8. 10. ] A copy of the nutrient management plan approved by the Department of Conservation and Recreation and a copy of the letter certifying approval of the plan, and if the plan was written after December 31, 2005, that the plan was developed by a certified nutrient management planner in accordance with § 10.1-104.2 of the Code of Virginia; and

[ 9. 11. ] A copy of the Department of Conservation and Recreation nutrient management plan approval letter that also certifies that the plan was developed by a certified nutrient management planner in accordance with § 10.1-104.2 of the Code of Virginia; and

9. [ 10. 12. ] The following certification: "I certify that notice of the registration statement has been given to all owners or residents of property that adjoins the property on which the animal feeding operation will be located. This notice included the types and numbers of animals which will be maintained at the facility and the address and phone number of the appropriate Department of Environmental Quality regional office to which comments relevant to the permit may be submitted. (The preceding certification is waived if the registration is for renewing coverage under the general permit and no expansion of the operation is proposed and the department has not issued any special or consent order relating to violations under the existing permit.) I certify under penalty of law that all the requirements of the board for the general permit are being met and that this document and all attachments were prepared under my direction or supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel properly gather and evaluate the information submitted. Based on my inquiry of the person or persons who manage the system or those persons directly responsible for gathering the information, the information submitted is to the best of my knowledge and belief true, accurate, and complete. I am aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information including the possibility of fine and imprisonment for knowing violations."

B. The animal waste end-user. In order to be covered under the general permit, the animal waste end-user shall file a complete VPA General Permit Registration Statement in accordance with this chapter. The registration statement shall be deemed complete for registration under the VPA General Permit if it contains the following information:

1. The animal waste end-user's name, mailing address, email address (if available), and telephone number;

2. The name (if applicable) and location of the facility where the animal waste will be utilized, stored, or managed;

3. The best time of day and day of the week to contact the animal waste end-user;

4. If the facility has an existing VPA or VPDES permit number, the permit number;

5. If confined animals are located at the facility, indicate the type or types of animals (dairy cattle, slaughter and feeder cattle, swine, other) and the maximum number and average weight of the type or types of animals;

6. [ The types of wastes that will be managed at the facility and how much of each type of waste will be managed;

7. If waste will be transferred off-site, the type of waste and how much will be transferred;

8. ] A copy of the nutrient management plan approved by the Department of Conservation and Recreation;

[ 7. 9. ] A copy of the Department of Conservation and Recreation nutrient management plan approval letter that also certifies that the plan was developed by a certified nutrient management planner in accordance with § 10.1-104.2 of the Code of Virginia; and

[ 8. 10. ] The following certification: "I certify under penalty of law that all the requirements of the board for the general permit are being met and that this document and all attachments were prepared under my direction or supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel properly gather and evaluate the information submitted. Based on my inquiry of the person or persons who manage the system or those persons directly responsible for gathering the information, the information submitted is to the best of my knowledge and belief true, accurate, and complete. I am aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information including the possibility of fine and imprisonment for knowing violations."

B. C. The registration statement shall be signed in accordance with 9VAC25-32-50 Part II F of 9VAC25-32-70.

9VAC25-192-70. Contents of the general permit.

Any operator owner or animal waste end-user whose registration statement is accepted by the board will receive the following general permit and shall comply with the requirements therein and be subject to the VPA permit regulation, 9VAC25-32.

General Permit No.: VPG1
Effective Date: November 16, 2004 2014
Modification Date:
Expiration Date: November 15, 2014 2024

GENERAL PERMIT FOR POLLUTANT MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES FOR ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS AND ANIMAL WASTE MANAGEMENT

AUTHORIZATION TO MANAGE POLLUTANTS UNDER THE VIRGINIA POLLUTION ABATEMENT PROGRAM AND THE VIRGINIA STATE WATER CONTROL LAW

In compliance with the provisions of the State Water Control Law and State Water Control Board regulations adopted pursuant thereto, owners of animal feeding operations having 300 or more animal units utilizing a liquid manure collection and storage system, and animal waste end-users are authorized to manage pollutants within the boundaries of the Commonwealth of Virginia, except where board regulations or policies prohibit such activities.

The authorized pollutant management activities shall be in accordance with the registration statement, supporting documents submitted to the Department of Environmental Quality, this cover page, Part I-Pollutant Management and Monitoring Requirements for Animal Feeding Operations, Part II-Conditions Applicable to all VPA Permits, and Part III-Pollutant Management and Monitoring Requirements for Animal Waste End-Users, as set forth herein.

Part I
Pollutant Management and Monitoring Requirements for Animal Feeding Operations

A. Pollutant management and monitoring requirements.

1. During the period beginning with the permit's effective date and lasting until the permit's expiration date, the permittee is authorized to manage pollutants at the location or locations identified in the registration statement and the facility's approved nutrient management plan.

2. At earthen liquid waste storage facilities constructed after December 1, 1998, to an elevation below the seasonal high water table or within one foot thereof, ground water groundwater monitoring wells shall be installed. A minimum of one up gradient and one down gradient well shall be installed at each earthen waste storage facility that requires ground water groundwater monitoring. Existing wells may be utilized to meet this requirement if properly located and constructed.

3. All facilities previously covered under a VPA permit that required groundwater monitoring shall continue monitoring consistent with the requirements listed below regardless of where they are located relative to the seasonal high water table.

4. At facilities where groundwater monitoring is required, the following conditions apply:

a. One data set shall be collected from each well prior to any waste being placed in the storage facility.

b. The static water level shall be measured prior to bailing well water for sampling.

c. At least three well volumes of ground water groundwater shall be withdrawn immediately prior to sampling each monitoring well.

5. In accordance with subdivisions 2 and 3 of this subsection, the ground water groundwater shall be monitored by the permittee at the monitoring wells as specified below. Additional groundwater monitoring may be required in the facility's approved nutrient management plan.


GROUNDWATER MONITORING

PARAMETERS

LIMITATIONS

UNITS

MONITORING REQUIREMENTS

Frequency

Sample Type

Static Water Level

NL

Ft

1/3 years

Measured

Ammonia Nitrogen

NL

mg/L

1/3 years

Grab

Nitrate Nitrogen

NL

mg/L

1/3 years

Grab

pH

NL

SU

1/3 years

Grab

Conductivity

NL

umhos/cm

1/3 years

Grab

NL = No limit, this is a monitoring requirement only.

6. Soil at the land application sites shall be monitored as specified below. Additional soils monitoring may be required in the facility's approved nutrient management plan.

SOILS MONITORING

PARAMETERS

LIMITATIONS

UNITS

MONITORING REQUIREMENTS

Frequency

Sample Type

pH

NL

SU

1/3 years

Composite

Phosphorus

NL

ppm or lbs/ac

1/3 years

Composite

Potash

NL

ppm or lbs/ac

1/3 years

Composite

Calcium

NL

ppm or lbs/ac

1/3 years

Composite

Magnesium

NL

ppm or lbs/ac

1/3 years

Composite

NL = No limit, this is a monitoring requirement only.

SU = Standard Units

7. Soil monitoring shall be conducted at a depth of between 0-6 inches, unless otherwise specified in the facility's approved nutrient management plan.

8. Waste shall be monitored as specified below. Additional waste monitoring may be required in the facility's approved nutrient management plan.

WASTE MONITORING

PARAMETERS

LIMITATIONS

UNITS

MONITORING REQUIREMENTS

Frequency

Sample Type

Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen

NL

*

1/year

Composite

Ammonia Nitrogen

NL

*

1/year

Composite

Total Phosphorus

NL

*

1/year

Composite

Total Potassium

NL

*

1/year

Composite

Calcium

NL

*

1/year

Composite

Magnesium

NL

*

1/year

Composite

Moisture Content

NL

%

1/year

Composite

NL = No limit, this is a monitoring requirement only.

*Parameters for waste may be reported as a percent, as lbs/ton or lbs/1000 gallons, or as ppm where appropriate.


9. Analysis of soil and waste shall be according to methods specified in the facility's approved nutrient management plan.

10. All monitoring data collected as required by this section and any additional monitoring shall be maintained on site for a period of five years and shall be made available to department personnel upon request.

B. Other requirements or special conditions.

1. Any liquid manure collection and storage facility shall be designed and operated to (i) prevent point source discharges of pollutants to state waters except in the case of a storm event greater than the 25-year, 24-hour storm and (ii) provide adequate waste storage capacity to accommodate periods when the ground is frozen or saturated, periods when land application of nutrients should not occur due to limited or nonexistent crop nutrient uptake, and periods when physical limitations prohibit the land application of waste.

2. Waste storage facilities constructed after December 1, 1998, shall not be located on a 100-year floodplain.

3. Earthen waste storage facilities constructed after December 1, 1998, shall include a properly designed and installed liner. Such liner shall be either a synthetic liner of at least 20 mils thickness or a compacted soil liner of at least one foot thickness with a maximum permeability rating of 0.0014 inches per hour. A Virginia licensed professional engineer [ , or ] an employee of the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the United States Department of Agriculture with appropriate engineering approval authority [ , or an employee of a soil and water conservation district with appropriate engineering approval authority ] shall certify that the siting, design, and construction of the waste storage facility comply with the requirements of this permit. This certification shall be maintained on site.

4. At earthen waste storage facilities constructed below the seasonal high water table, the top surface of the waste must be maintained at a level of at least two feet above the water table.

5. All liquid waste storage or treatment facilities shall maintain at least one foot of freeboard at all times, except in the case of a storm event greater than a up to and including [ a ] 25-year, 24-hour storm.

6. For new waste storage or treatment facilities constructed after November 16, 2014, the facilities shall be constructed, operated, and maintained in accordance with the applicable practice standard adopted by the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and approved by the department. A Virginia licensed professional engineer [ , or ] an employee of the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture with appropriate engineering approval authority [ or an employee of a soil and water conservation district with appropriate engineering approval authority ] shall certify that the siting, design, and construction of the waste storage facility comply with the requirements of this permit. This certification shall be maintained on site.

7. The permittee shall notify the department's regional office at least 14 days prior to (i) animals being initially placed in the confined facility or (ii) utilization of any new waste storage or treatment facilities.

8. [ Semi-solid and solid waste shall be stored in a manner that prevents contact with surface water and groundwater. Waste that is stockpiled outside for more than 14 days shall be kept in a facility or at a site that provides adequate storage. Adequate storage shall, at a minimum, include the following:

a. Waste shall be covered to protect it from precipitation and wind;

b. Stormwater shall not run onto or under the stored waste;

c. A minimum of two feet separation distance to the seasonal high water table or an impermeable barrier shall be used under the stored waste. All waste storage facilities that use an impermeable barrier shall maintain a minimum of one foot separation between the seasonal high water table and the impermeable barrier. "Seasonal high water table" means that portion of the soil profile where a color change has occurred in the soil as a result of saturated soil conditions or where soil concretions have formed. Typical colors are gray mottlings, solid gray, or black. The depth in the soil at which these conditions first occur is termed the seasonal high water table. Impermeable barriers shall be constructed of at least 12 inches of compacted clay, at least four inches of reinforced concrete, or another material of similar structural integrity that has a minimum permeability rating of 0.0014 inches per hour (1X10-6 centimeters per second); and

d. ] For waste that is not stored [ in a waste storage facility or ] under roof, the storage site must be at least 100 feet from any surface water, intermittent drainage, wells, sinkholes, rock outcrops, and springs.

9. All equipment needed for the proper operation of the permitted facilities shall be maintained in good working order. The manufacturer's operating and maintenance manuals shall be retained for references to allow for timely maintenance and prompt repair of equipment when appropriate. The operator permittee shall periodically inspect for leaks on equipment used for land application of waste.

10. When wastes are treated by a digester or other manure treatment technologies, the waste treatment process shall be approved by the department and shall be managed by a facility covered under this permit and in accordance with the following conditions:

a. All treated wastes generated by a digester or other manure treatment technologies must be managed through an approved nutrient management plan or transferred to another entity in accordance with animal waste transfer requirements in Part 1 B 15 and 16.

b. When a facility covered under this permit generates a treated waste from animal waste and other feedstock, the permittee shall maintain records related to the production of the treated waste.

(1) If off-site wastes are added to generate the treated waste, the permittee shall record the following items:

(a) The amount of waste brought to the facility; and

(b) From whom and where the waste originated.

(2) For all treated wastes generated by the facility, the permittee shall record the following items:

(a) The amount of treated waste generated;

(b) The nutrient analysis of the treated waste; and

(c) The final use of the treated waste.

(3) Permittees shall maintain the records required by Part I B 10 b (1) and (2) on site for a period of three years. All records shall be made available to department personnel upon request.

11. Animal waste generated by this facility shall not be applied to fields owned by or under the operational control of either the permittee or a legal entity in which the permittee has an ownership interest unless the fields are included in the facility's approved nutrient management plan.

7. 12. The operator permittee shall implement a nutrient management plan (NMP) approved by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. All NMPs written after December 31, 2005, shall be developed by a certified nutrient management planner in accordance with § 10.1-104.2 of the Code of Virginia. The NMP shall be maintained and approved by the Department of Conservation and Recreation and maintain the plan on site. The NMP shall address the form, source, amount, timing, and method of application of nutrients on each field to achieve realistic production goals, while minimizing nitrogen and phosphorus loss to ground and surface waters. NMPs written after December 31, 2005, and NMPs implemented after December 31, 2006, shall also include provisions to minimize phosphorus loss to ground and surface waters according to the most current standards and criteria developed by DCR at the time the plan is written. The terms of the NMP shall be enforceable through this permit. The NMP shall contain at a minimum the following information:

a. Site map indicating the location of the waste storage facilities and the fields where waste will be applied;

b. Site evaluation and assessment of soil types and potential productivities;

c. Nutrient management sampling including soil and waste monitoring;

d. Storage and land area requirements;

e. Calculation of waste application rates; and

f. Waste application schedules; and.

g. A plan for waste utilization in the event the operation is discontinued.

8. 13. Waste shall not be land applied within buffer zones. Buffer zones at waste application sites shall, at a minimum, be maintained as follows:

a. Distance from occupied dwellings not on the owner's permittee's property .....: 200 feet (unless the occupant of the dwelling signs a waiver of the buffer zone);

b. Distance from water supply wells or springs .....: 100 feet;

c. Distance from surface water courses

(1) 100 feet (without a vegetated buffer); or

(2) 35-foot wide vegetated buffer; or

c. Distance from surface water courses: 100 feet (without a permanent vegetated buffer) or 35 feet (if a permanent vegetated buffer exists). (3) Other site-specific conservation practices may be approved by the department that will provide pollutant reductions equivalent or better than the reductions that would be achieved by the 100-foot buffer, or 35-foot wide vegetated buffer.;

d. Distance from rock outcropping (except limestone) .....: 25 feet;

e. Distance from limestone outcroppings .....: 50 feet; and

f. Waste shall not be applied in such a matter that it would discharge to sinkholes that may exist in the area.

9. 14. Records shall be maintained to demonstrate where and at what rate waste has been applied, that the application schedule has been followed, and what crops have been planted. The following land application records shall be maintained:

a. The identification of the land application field sites where the waste is utilized or stored;

b. The application rate;

c. The application dates; and

d. What crops have been planted.

These records shall be maintained on site for a period of five years after recorded the date the application is made and shall be made available to department personnel upon request.

10. The permittee shall notify the department's regional office at least 14 days prior to: (i) animals being initially placed in the confined facility or (ii) utilization of any new waste storage facilities.

15. Animal waste generated by this facility may be transferred from the permittee to another person if one or more of the following conditions are met:

a. Animal waste generated by this facility may be transferred off-site for land application or another acceptable use approved by the department, if:

(1) The sites where the animal waste will be utilized are included in this permitted facility's approved nutrient management plan; or

(2) The sites where the animal waste will be utilized are included in another permitted facility's approved nutrient management plan.

b. Animal waste generated by this facility may be transferred off-site without identifying in the permittee's approved nutrient management plan the fields where such waste will be utilized, if one of the following conditions are met:

(1) The animal waste is registered with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in accordance with regulations adopted pursuant to subdivision A 2 of § 3.2-3607 of the Code of Virginia; or

(2) When the permittee transfers to another person more than 10 tons of solid or semi-solid animal waste (solid or semi-solid animal waste contains less than 85% moisture) or more than 6,000 gallons of liquid animal waste (liquid animal waste contains 85% or more moisture) in any 365-day period, the permittee shall maintain records in accordance with Part I B 16.

16. Animal waste may be transferred from a permittee to another person without identifying the fields where such waste will be utilized in the permittee's approved nutrient management plan if the following conditions are met:

a. When a permittee transfers to another person more than 10 tons of solid or semi-solid animal waste (solid or semi-solid animal waste contains less than 85% moisture) or more than 6,000 gallons of liquid animal waste (liquid animal waste contains 85% or more moisture) in any 365-day period, the permittee shall provide that person with:

(1) Permittee's name, address, and permit number;

(2) A copy of the most recent nutrient analysis of the animal waste; and

(3) An animal waste fact sheet.

b. When a permittee transfers to another person more than 10 tons of solid or semi-solid animal waste (solid or semi-solid animal waste contains less than 85% moisture) or more than 6,000 gallons of liquid animal waste (liquid animal waste contains 85% or more moisture) in any 365-day period, the permittee shall keep a record of the following:

(1) The recipient name and address;

(2) The amount of animal waste received by the person;

(3) The date of the transaction;

(4) The nutrient analysis of the animal waste;

(5) The locality in which the recipient intends to utilize the animal waste (i.e., nearest town or city and zip code);

(6) The name of the stream or waterbody, if known, to the recipient that is nearest to the animal waste utilization or storage site; and

(7) The signed waste transfer records form acknowledging the receipt of the following:

(a) The animal waste;

(b) The nutrient analysis of the animal waste; and

(c) An animal waste fact sheet.

c. Permittees shall maintain the records required by Part I B 16 a and b for at least three years after the date of the transaction and shall make them available to department personnel upon request.

17. When the waste storage or treatment facility is no longer needed, the permittee shall close it in a manner that (i) minimizes the need for further maintenance and (ii) controls, minimizes, or eliminates, to the extent necessary to protect human health and the environment, the postclosure escape of uncontrolled leachate, surface runoff, or waste decomposition products to the groundwater, surface water, or the atmosphere. At closure, the permittee shall remove all waste residue from the animal waste storage or treatment facility. Removed waste materials shall be utilized according to the approved NMP.

11. Each operator of a facility 18. As required by § 62.1-44.17:1 F of the Code of Virginia, each permittee covered by under this general permit shall have completed the training program offered or approved by the Department of Conservation and Recreation department in the two years prior to submitting the registration statement for general permit coverage, or shall complete such training within one year after the registration statement has been submitted for general permit coverage. All operators permittees shall complete the training program at least once every three years.

Part II
Conditions Applicable to all VPA Permits

A. Sampling and analysis methods.

1. Samples and measurements taken as required by this permit shall be representative of the volume and nature of the monitored activity.

2. Unless otherwise specified in this permit all sample preservation methods, maximum holding times and analysis methods for pollutants shall comply with requirements set forth in Guidelines Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants (40 CFR 136 (2001)) (40 CFR Part 136).

3. The sampling and analysis program to demonstrate compliance with the permit shall at a minimum, conform to Part I of this permit.

4. The permittee shall periodically calibrate and perform maintenance procedures on all monitoring and analytical instrumentation at intervals that will ensure accuracy of measurements.

B. Recording of results. For each measurement or sample taken pursuant to the requirements of this permit, the permittee shall record the following information:

1. The date, exact place and time of sampling or measurements;

2. The persons who performed the sampling or measurements;

3. The dates analyses were performed;

4. The persons who performed each analysis;

5. The analytical techniques or methods used; and

6. The results of such analyses and measurements.

C. Records retention. All records and information resulting from the monitoring activities required by this permit, including all records of analyses performed and calibration and maintenance of instrumentation and recording from continuous monitoring instrumentation shall be retained on site for five years from the date of the sample, measurement or report. This period of retention shall be extended automatically during the course of any unresolved litigation regarding the regulated activity or regarding control standards applicable to the permittee, or as requested by the director.

D. Additional monitoring by permittee. If the permittee monitors any pollutant at the locations designated herein more frequently than required by this permit, using approved analytical methods as specified above, the results of such monitoring shall be included in the calculation and reporting of the values required in the project report. Such increased frequency shall also be reported.

E. Reporting requirements.

1. If, for any reason, the permittee does not comply with one or more limitations, standards, monitoring or management requirements specified in this permit, the permittee shall submit to the department at least the following information:

a. A description and cause of noncompliance;

b. The period of noncompliance, including exact dates and times or the anticipated time when the noncompliance will cease; and

c. Actions taken or to be taken to reduce, eliminate, and prevent recurrence of the noncompliance. Whenever such noncompliance may adversely affect state waters or may endanger public health, the permittee shall submit the above required information by oral report within 24 hours from the time the permittee becomes aware of the circumstances and by written report within five days. The director may waive the written report requirement on a case-by-case basis if the oral report has been received within 24 hours and no adverse impact on state waters has been reported.

2. The permittee shall report any unpermitted, unusual or extraordinary discharge which enters or could be expected to enter state waters. The permittee shall provide information, specified in Part II E 1 a through c, regarding each such discharge immediately, that is, as quickly as possible upon discovery, however, in no case later than 24 hours. A written submission covering these points shall be provided within five days of the time the permittee becomes aware of the circumstances covered by this paragraph.

NOTE: The immediate (within 24 hours) reports required in Parts II E 1 and 2 may be made to the department's regional office. Reports may be made by telephone or by fax. For reports outside normal working hours, a message shall fulfill the immediate reporting requirement. For emergencies, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management maintains a 24-hour telephone service at 1-800-468-8892.

F. Signatory requirements. Any registration statement or certification required by this permit shall be signed as follows:

1. For a corporation, by a responsible corporate official. For purposes of this section, a responsible corporate official means (i) a president, secretary, treasurer, or vice-president of the corporation in charge of a principal business function, or any other person who performs similar policy or decision-making functions for the corporation, or (ii) the manager of one or more manufacturing, production, or operating facilities employing more than 250 persons or having gross annual sales or expenditures exceeding $25,000,000 (in second quarter 1980 dollars), if authority to sign documents has been assigned or delegated to the manager in accordance with corporate procedures.

2. For a municipality, state, federal or other public agency by either a principal executive officer or ranking elected official. (A principal executive officer of a federal, municipal, or state agency includes the chief executive officer of the agency or head executive officer having responsibility for the overall operation of a principal geographic unit of the agency.)

3. For a partnership or sole proprietorship, by a general partner or proprietor respectively.

Part III

A. G. Change in management of pollutants. 1. All pollutant management activities authorized by this permit shall be made in accordance with the terms and conditions of the permit. The permittee shall submit a new registration statement 30 days prior to all expansions, production increases, or process modifications, that will result in the management of new or increased pollutants. The management of any pollutant at a level greater than that identified and authorized by this permit, shall constitute a violation of the terms and conditions of this permit.

2. The permittee shall promptly provide written notice of the following:

a. Any new introduction of pollutant or pollutants, into treatment works or pollutant management activities which represents a significant increase in the management of pollutant or pollutants which may interfere with, pass through, or otherwise be incompatible with such works or activities, from an establishment or treatment works, if such establishment, treatment works has the potential to discharge pollutants to state waters; and

b. Any substantial change, whether permanent or temporary, in the volume or character of pollutants being introduced into such treatment works by an establishment, treatment works, or pollutant management activity that was introducing pollutants into such treatment works at the time of issuance of the permit.

Such notice shall include information on: (i) the characteristics and quantity of pollutants to be introduced into or from such treatment works or pollutant management activities; (ii) any anticipated impact of such change in the quantity and characteristics of the pollutants to be managed at a pollutant management activity; and (iii) any additional information that may be required by the director.

B. H. Treatment works operation and quality control.

1. Design and operation of facilities or treatment works and disposal of all wastes shall be in accordance with the registration statement filed with the department. The permittee has the responsibility of designing and operating the facility in a reliable and consistent manner to meet the facility performance requirements in the permit. If facility deficiencies, design or operational, are identified in the future which could affect the facility performance or reliability, it is the responsibility of the permittee to correct such deficiencies.

2. All waste collection, control, treatment, management of pollutant activities and disposal facilities shall be operated in a manner consistent with the following:

a. At all times, all facilities and pollutant management activities shall be operated in a prudent and workmanlike manner.

b. The permittee shall provide an adequate operating staff to carry out the operation, maintenance and testing functions required to ensure compliance with the conditions of this permit.

c. Maintenance of treatment facilities or pollutant management activities shall be carried out in such a manner that the monitoring and limitation requirements are not violated.

d. Collected solids shall be stored and utilized as specified in the approved Nutrient Management Plan nutrient management plan in such a manner as to prevent entry of those wastes (or runoff from the wastes) into state waters.

C. I. Adverse impact. The permittee shall take all feasible steps to minimize any adverse impact to state waters resulting from noncompliance with any limitation or limitations or conditions specified in this permit, and shall perform and report such accelerated or additional monitoring as is necessary to determine the nature and impact of the noncomplying limitation or limitations or conditions.

D. J. Duty to halt, reduce activity or to mitigate.

1. It shall not be a defense for a permittee in an enforcement action that it would have been necessary to halt or reduce the permitted activity in order to maintain compliance with the conditions of this permit.

2. The permittee shall take all reasonable steps to minimize, correct or prevent any discharge in violation of this permit which has a reasonable likelihood of adversely affecting human health or the environment.

E. K. Structural stability. The structural stability of any of the units or parts of the facilities herein permitted is the sole responsibility of the permittee and the failure of such structural units or parts shall not relieve the permittee of the responsibility of complying with all terms and conditions of this permit.

F. L. Compliance with state law. Compliance with this permit during its term constitutes compliance with the State Water Control Law. Nothing in this permit shall be construed to preclude the institution of any legal action under, or relieve the permittee from any responsibilities, liabilities, or penalties established pursuant to any other state law or regulation.

G. M. Property rights. The issuance of this permit does not convey any property rights in either real or personal property, or any exclusive privileges, nor does it authorize any injury to private property or any invasion of personal rights, nor any infringement of federal, state, or local laws or regulations.

H. N. Severability. The provisions of this permit are severable.

I. O. Duty to reregister. If the permittee wishes to continue to operate under a general permit after the expiration date of this permit, the permittee must submit a new registration statement at least 30 days prior to the expiration date of this permit.

J. P. Right of entry. The permittee shall allow, or secure necessary authority to allow, authorized state representatives, upon the presentation of credentials:

1. To enter upon the permittee's premises on which the establishment, treatment works, pollutant management activities, or discharge or discharges is located or in which any records are required to be kept under the terms and conditions of this permit;

2. To have access to inspect and copy at reasonable times any records required to be kept under the terms and conditions of this permit;

3. To inspect at reasonable times any monitoring equipment or monitoring method required in this permit;

4. To sample at reasonable times any waste stream, process stream, raw material or by-product; and

5. To inspect at reasonable times any collection, treatment, or pollutant management activities required under this permit. For purposes of this section, the time for inspection shall be deemed reasonable during regular business hours, and whenever the facility is discharging or involved in managing pollutants. Nothing contained here shall make an inspection time unreasonable during an emergency.

K. Q. Transferability of permits. This Coverage under this permit may be transferred to a new owner by a permittee if:

1. The current permittee notifies the department 30 days in advance of the proposed transfer of the title to the facility or property;

2. The notice to the department includes a written agreement between the existing and proposed new permittee containing a specific date of transfer of permit responsibility, coverage and liability between them; and

3. The department does not within the 30-day time period notify the existing permittee and the proposed permittee of the board's intent to modify or revoke and reissue transfer coverage under the permit. Such a transferred coverage under this permit shall, as of the date of the transfer, be as fully effective as if it had been issued directly to the new permittee.

L. R. Permit modification. The permit may be modified when any of the following developments occur: 1. When a change is made in the promulgated standards or regulations on which the permit was based; or.

2. When the level of management of a pollutant, not limited in the permit, exceeds applicable Water Quality Standards or the level which can be achieved by technology-based treatment requirements appropriate to the permittee.

M. S. Permit termination. After public notice and opportunity for a hearing, coverage under the general permit may be terminated for cause.

N. T. When an individual permit may be required. The director may require any permittee authorized to manage pollutants covered under this general permit to apply for and obtain an individual permit. Cases where an individual permit may be required include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. The pollutant management activities violate the terms or conditions of this permit;

2. When additions or alterations have been made to the affected facility which that require the application of permit conditions that differ from those of the existing permit or are absent from it; and

3. When new information becomes available about the operation or pollutant management activities covered by under this permit which that were not available at the time of permit issuance and would have justified the application of different permit conditions at the time of permit issuance coverage.

This Coverage under this general permit may be terminated as to an individual permittee for any of the reasons set forth above after appropriate notice and an opportunity for a hearing.

O. U. When an individual permit may be requested. Any permittee operating under this permit may request to be excluded from the coverage of under this permit by applying for an individual permit. When an individual permit is issued to a permittee the applicability of this general permit to the individual permittee is automatically terminated on the effective date of the individual permit.

P. V. Civil and criminal liability. Nothing in this permit shall be construed to relieve the permittee from civil and criminal penalties for noncompliance with the terms of this permit.

Q. W. Oil and hazardous substance liability. Nothing in this permit shall be construed to preclude the institution of any legal action or relieve the permittee from any responsibilities, liabilities, or penalties to which the permittee is or may be subject under § 311 of the Clean Water Act or §§ 62.1-44.34:14 through 62.1-44.34:23 of the Code of Virginia.

R. X. Unauthorized discharge of pollutants. Except in compliance with this permit, it shall be unlawful for any permittee to:

1. Discharge into state waters sewage, industrial wastes, other wastes or any noxious or deleterious substances; or

2. Otherwise alter the physical, chemical or biological properties of such state waters and make them detrimental to the public health, or to animal or aquatic life, or to the uses of such waters for domestic or industrial consumption, or for recreation, or for other uses.

Part III
Pollutant Management and Monitoring Requirements for Animal Waste End-Users

A. Pollutant management and monitoring requirements.

1. During the period beginning with the permit's effective date and lasting until the permit's expiration date, the permittee is authorized to manage pollutants at the location or locations identified in the registration statement and the facility's approved nutrient management plan.

2. At earthen liquid waste storage facilities constructed after December 1, 1998, to an elevation below the seasonal high water table or within one foot thereof, groundwater monitoring wells shall be installed. A minimum of one up gradient and one down gradient well shall be installed at each earthen waste storage facility that requires groundwater monitoring. Existing wells may be utilized to meet this requirement if properly located and constructed.

3. All facilities previously covered under a VPA permit that required groundwater monitoring shall continue monitoring consistent with the requirements listed below regardless of where they are located relative to the seasonal high water table.

4. At facilities where groundwater monitoring is required, the following conditions apply:

a. One data set shall be collected from each well prior to any waste being placed in the storage facility.

b. The static water level shall be measured prior to bailing well water for sampling.

c. At least three well volumes of groundwater shall be withdrawn immediately prior to sampling each monitoring well.

5. In accordance with subdivisions 2 and 3 of this subsection, the groundwater shall be monitored by the permittee at the monitoring wells as specified below. Additional groundwater monitoring may be required in the facility's approved nutrient management plan.


GROUNDWATER MONITORING

PARAMETERS

LIMITATIONS

UNITS

MONITORING REQUIREMENTS

Frequency

Sample Type

Static Water Level

NL

Ft

1/3 years

Measured

Ammonia Nitrogen

NL

mg/L

1/3 years

Grab

Nitrate Nitrogen

NL

mg/L

1/3 years

Grab

pH

NL

SU

1/3 years

Grab

Conductivity

NL

umhos/cm

1/3 years

Grab

NL = No limit, this is a monitoring requirement only.

6. Soil at the land application sites shall be monitored as specified below. Additional soils monitoring may be required in the facility's approved nutrient management plan.

SOILS MONITORING

PARAMETERS

LIMITATIONS

UNITS

MONITORING REQUIREMENTS

Frequency

Sample Type

pH

NL

SU

1/3 years

Composite

Phosphorus

NL

ppm or lbs/ac

1/3 years

Composite

Potash

NL

ppm or lbs/ac

1/3 years

Composite

Calcium

NL

ppm or lbs/ac

1/3 years

Composite

Magnesium

NL

ppm or lbs/ac

1/3 years

Composite

NL = No limit, this is a monitoring requirement only.

SU = Standard Units

7. Soil monitoring shall be conducted at a depth of between 0-6 inches, unless otherwise specified in the facility's approved nutrient management plan.

8. Waste shall be monitored as specified below. Additional waste monitoring may be required in the facility's approved nutrient management plan.

WASTE MONITORING

PARAMETERS

LIMITATIONS

UNITS

MONITORING REQUIREMENTS

Frequency

Sample Type

Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen

NL

*

1/year

Composite

Ammonia Nitrogen

NL

*

1/year

Composite

Total Phosphorus

NL

*

1/year

Composite

Total Potassium

NL

*

1/year

Composite

Calcium

NL

*

1/year

Composite

Magnesium

NL

*

1/year

Composite

Moisture Content

NL

%

1/year

Composite

NL = No limit, this is a monitoring requirement only.

*Parameters for waste may be reported as a percent, as lbs/ton or lbs/1000 gallons, or as ppm where appropriate.


9. Analysis of soil and waste shall be according to methods specified in the facility's approved nutrient management plan.

10. All monitoring data collected as required by this section and any additional monitoring shall be maintained on site for a period of five years and shall be made available to department personnel upon request.

B. Other requirements or special conditions.

1. Any liquid manure collection and storage facility shall be designed and operated to (i) prevent point source discharges of pollutants to state waters except in the case of a storm event greater than the 25-year, 24-hour storm and (ii) provide adequate waste storage capacity to accommodate periods when the ground is frozen or saturated, periods when land application of nutrients should not occur due to limited or nonexistent crop nutrient uptake, and periods when physical limitations prohibit the land application of waste.

2. Waste storage facilities constructed after December 1, 1998, shall not be located on a 100-year floodplain.

3. Earthen waste storage facilities constructed after December 1, 1998, shall include a properly designed and installed liner. Such liner shall be either a synthetic liner of at least 20 mils thickness or a compacted soil liner of at least one foot thickness with a maximum permeability rating of 0.0014 inches per hour. A Virginia licensed professional engineer [ , or ] an employee of the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture with appropriate engineering approval authority [ , or an employee of a soil and water conservation district with appropriate engineering approval authority ] shall certify that the siting, design, and construction of the waste storage facility comply with the requirements of this permit. This certification shall be maintained on site.

4. At earthen waste storage facilities constructed below the seasonal high water table, the top surface of the waste must be maintained at a level of at least two feet above the water table.

5. All liquid waste storage or treatment facilities shall maintain at least one foot of freeboard at all times, up to and including [ a ] 25-year, 24-hour storm.

6. For new waste storage or treatment facilities constructed after November 16, 2014, the facilities shall be constructed, operated, and maintained in accordance with the applicable practice standard adopted by the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and approved by the department. A Virginia licensed professional engineer [ , or ] an employee of the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture with appropriate engineering approval authority [ , or an employee of a soil and water conservation district with appropriate engineering approval authority ] shall certify that the siting, design, and construction of the waste storage facility comply with the requirements of this permit. This certification shall be maintained on site.

7. The permittee shall notify the department's regional office at least 14 days prior to (i) animals being initially placed in the confined facility or (ii) utilization of any new waste storage or treatment facilities.

8. [ Semi-solid and solid waste shall be stored in a manner that prevents contact with surface water and groundwater. Waste that is stockpiled outside for more than 14 days shall be kept in a facility or at a site that provides adequate storage. Adequate storage shall, at a minimum, include the following:

a. Waste shall be covered to protect it from precipitation and wind;

b. Stormwater shall not run onto or under the stored waste;

c. A minimum of two feet separation distance to the seasonal high water table or an impermeable barrier shall be used under the stored waste. All waste storage facilities that use an impermeable barrier shall maintain a minimum of one foot separation between the seasonal high water table and the impermeable barrier. "Seasonal high water table" means that portion of the soil profile where a color change has occurred in the soil as a result of saturated soil conditions or where soil concretions have formed. Typical colors are gray mottlings, solid gray, or black. The depth in the soil at which these conditions first occur is termed the seasonal high water table. Impermeable barriers shall be constructed of at least 12 inches of compacted clay, at least four inches of reinforced concrete, or another material of similar structural integrity that has a minimum permeability rating of 0.0014 inches per hour (1X10-6 centimeters per second); and

d. ] For waste that is not stored [ in a waste storage facility or ] under roof, the storage site must be at least 100 feet from any surface water, intermittent drainage, wells, sinkholes, rock outcrops, and springs.

9. All equipment needed for the proper operation of the permitted facilities shall be maintained in good working order. The manufacturer's operating and maintenance manuals shall be retained for references to allow for timely maintenance and prompt repair of equipment when appropriate. The permittee shall periodically inspect for leaks on equipment used for land application of waste.

10. All treated wastes generated by a digester or other manure treatment technologies shall be approved by the department and shall be managed by a facility covered under this permit and in accordance with the following conditions:

a. All treated wastes generated by a digester or other manure treatment technologies must be managed through an approved nutrient management plan or transferred to another entity in accordance with animal waste transfer requirements in Part III B 15 and 16.

b. When a facility covered under this permit generates a treated waste from animal waste and other feedstock, the permittee shall maintain records related to the production of the treated waste.

(1) If off-site wastes are added to generate the treated waste, the permittee shall record the following items:

(a) The amount of waste brought to the facility; and

(b) From whom and where the waste originated.

(2) For all treated wastes generated by the facility, the permittee shall record the following items:

(a) The amount of treated waste generated;

(b) The nutrient analysis of the treated waste; and

(c) The final use of the treated waste.

(3) Permittees shall maintain the records required by Part III B 10 b (1) and (2) on site for a period of three years. All records shall be made available to department personnel upon request.

11. Animal waste generated by this facility shall not be applied to fields owned by or under the operational control of either the permittee or a legal entity in which the permittee has an ownership interest unless the fields are included in the facility's approved nutrient management plan.

12. The permittee shall implement a nutrient management plan (NMP) developed by a certified nutrient management planner in accordance with § 10.1-104.2 of the Code of Virginia and approved by the Department of Conservation and Recreation and maintain the plan on site. The NMP shall address the form, source, amount, timing, and method of application of nutrients on each field to achieve realistic production goals, while minimizing nitrogen and phosphorus loss to ground and surface waters. The terms of the NMP shall be enforceable through this permit. The NMP shall contain at a minimum the following information:

a. Site map indicating the location of the waste storage facilities and the fields where waste will be applied;

b. Site evaluation and assessment of soil types and potential productivities;

c. Nutrient management sampling including soil and waste monitoring;

d. Storage and land area requirements;

e. Calculation of waste application rates; and

f. Waste application schedules.

13. Waste shall not be land applied within buffer zones. Buffer zones at waste application sites shall, at a minimum, be maintained as follows:

a. Distance from occupied dwellings not on the permittee's property: 200 feet (unless the occupant of the dwelling signs a waiver of the buffer zone);

b. Distance from water supply wells or springs: 100 feet;

c. Distance from surface water courses: 100 feet (without a permanent vegetated buffer) or 35 feet (if a permanent vegetated buffer exists). Other site-specific conservation practices may be approved by the department that will provide pollutant reductions equivalent or better than the reductions that would be achieved by the 100-foot buffer or 35-foot wide vegetated buffer;

d. Distance from rock outcropping (except limestone): 25 feet;

e. Distance from limestone outcroppings: 50 feet; and

f. Waste shall not be applied in such a matter that it would discharge to sinkholes that may exist in the area.

14. The following land application records shall be maintained:

a. The identification of the land application field sites where the waste is utilized or stored;

b. The application rate;

c. The application dates; and

d. What crops have been planted.

These records shall be maintained on site for a period of five years after the date the application is made and shall be made available to department personnel upon request.

15. Animal waste generated by this facility may be transferred from the permittee to another person, if one or more of the following conditions are met:

a. Animal waste generated by this facility may be transferred off-site for land application or another acceptable use approved by the department, if:

(1) The sites where the animal waste will be utilized are included in this permitted facility's approved nutrient management plan; or

(2) The sites where the animal waste will be utilized are included in another permitted facility's approved nutrient management plan.

b. Animal waste generated by this facility may be transferred off-site without identifying in the permittee's approved nutrient management plan the fields where such waste will be utilized, if the following conditions are met:

(1) The animal waste is registered with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in accordance with regulations adopted pursuant to subdivision A 2 of § 3.2-3607 of the Code of Virginia; or

(2) When the permittee transfers to another person more than 10 tons of solid or semi-solid animal waste (solid or semi-solid animal waste contains less than 85% moisture) or more than 6,000 gallons of liquid animal waste (liquid animal waste contains 85% or more moisture) in any 365-day period, the permittee shall maintain records in accordance with Part III B 16.

16. Animal waste may be transferred from a permittee to another person without identifying the fields where such waste will be utilized in the permittee's approved nutrient management plan if the following conditions are met:

a. When a permittee transfers to another person more than 10 tons of solid or semi-solid animal waste (solid or semi-solid animal waste contains less than 85% moisture) or more than 6,000 gallons of liquid animal waste (liquid animal waste contains 85% or more moisture) in any 365-day period, the permittee shall provide that person with:

(1) Permittee's name, address, and permit number;

(2) A copy of the most recent nutrient analysis of the animal waste; and

(3) An animal waste fact sheet.

b. When a permittee transfers to another person more than 10 tons of solid or semi-solid animal waste (solid or semi-solid animal waste contains less than 85% moisture) or more than 6,000 gallons of liquid animal waste (liquid animal waste contains 85% or more moisture) in any 365-day period, the permittee shall keep a record of the following:

(1) The recipient name and address;

(2) The amount of animal waste received by the person;

(3) The date of the transaction;

(4) The nutrient analysis of the animal waste;

(5) The locality in which the recipient intends to utilize the animal waste (i.e., nearest town or city and zip code);

(6) The name of the stream or waterbody, if known, to the recipient that is nearest to the animal waste utilization or storage site; and

(7) The signed waste transfer records form acknowledging the receipt of the following:

(a) The animal waste;

(b) The nutrient analysis of the animal waste; and

(c) An animal waste fact sheet.

c. Permittees shall maintain the records required by Part III B 16 a and b for at least three years after the date of the transaction and shall make them available to department personnel upon request.

17. When the waste storage or treatment facility is no longer needed, the permittee shall close it in a manner that (i) minimizes the need for further maintenance and (ii) controls, minimizes, or eliminates, to the extent necessary to protect human health and the environment, the postclosure escape of uncontrolled leachate, surface runoff, or waste decomposition products to the groundwater, surface water, or the atmosphere. At closure, the permittee shall remove all waste residue from the animal waste storage or treatment facility. Removed waste materials shall be utilized according to the approved NMP.

18. As required by § 62.1-44.17:1 F of the Code of Virginia, each permittee covered under this general permit shall have completed the training program offered or approved by the department in the two years prior to submitting the registration statement for general permit coverage or shall complete such training within one year after the registration statement has been submitted for general permit coverage. All permittees shall complete the training program at least once every three years.

9VAC25-192-80. Tracking and accounting requirements for animal waste end-users.

A. When an animal waste end-user is the recipient of more than 10 tons of solid or semi-solid animal waste (solid or semi-solid animal waste contains less than 85% moisture) or more than 6,000 gallons of liquid animal waste (liquid animal waste contains 85% percent or more moisture) in any 365-day period from an owner or operator of an animal feeding operation covered by a VPA or VPDES permit, the end-user shall maintain records regarding the transfer and land application of animal waste.

1. The animal waste end-user shall provide the permittee with the following items:

a. End-user name and address;

b. The locality in which the end-user intends to utilize the waste (i.e., nearest town or city and zip code);

c. The name of the stream or waterbody, if known, to the end-user that is nearest to the waste utilization or storage site; and

d. Written acknowledgement of receipt of:

(1) The waste;

(2) The nutrient analysis of the waste; and

(3) An animal waste fact sheet.

2. The animal waste end-user shall record the following items regarding the waste transfer:

a. The source name, address, and permit number (if applicable);

b. The amount of animal waste that was received;

c. The date of the transaction;

d. The final use of the animal waste;

e. The locality in which the waste was utilized (i.e., nearest town or city and zip code); and

f. The name of the stream or waterbody, if known, to the recipient that is nearest to the waste utilization or storage site.

Records regarding animal waste transfers shall be maintained on site for a period of three years after the date of the transaction. All records shall be made available to department personnel upon request.

3. If waste is land applied, the animal waste end-user shall keep a record of the following items regarding the land application of the waste:

a. The nutrient analysis of the waste;

b. Maps indicating the animal waste land application fields and storage sites;

c. The land application rate;

d. The land application dates;

e. What crops were planted;

f. Soil test results, if obtained;

g. NMP, if applicable; and

h. The method used to determine the land application rates (i.e., phosphorus crop removal, waste nutrient analysis rate, soil test recommendations, or a nutrient management plan).

Records regarding land application of animal waste shall be maintained on site for a period of three years after the date the application is made. All records shall be made available to department personnel upon request.

B. Any duly authorized agent of the board may, at reasonable times and under reasonable circumstances, enter any establishment or upon any property, public or private, for the purpose of obtaining information or conducting surveys or investigations necessary in the enforcement of the provisions of this regulation.

9VAC25-192-90. Utilization and storage requirements for transferred animal waste.

A. An animal waste end-user who receives animal waste from an owner or operator of an animal feeding operation covered by a VPA or VPDES permit shall comply with the requirements outlined in this section.

B. Storage requirements. An animal waste end-user who receives animal waste from an owner or operator of an animal feeding operation covered by a VPA or VPDES permit shall comply with the requirements outlined in this subsection regarding storage of animal waste in his possession or under his control.

1. Animal waste shall be stored in a manner that prevents contact with surface water and groundwater. Animal waste that is stockpiled outside for more than 14 days shall be kept in a facility or at a site that provides adequate storage. Adequate storage shall, at a minimum, include the following:

a. Animal waste shall be covered to protect it from precipitation and wind;

b. Storm water shall not run onto or under the stored animal waste;

c. A minimum of two feet separation distance to the seasonal high water table or an impermeable barrier shall be used under the stored [ poultry ] waste. All waste storage facilities that use an impermeable barrier shall maintain a minimum of one foot separation between the seasonal high water table and the impermeable barrier. "Seasonal high water table" means that portion of the soil profile where a color change has occurred in the soil as a result of saturated soil conditions or where soil concretions have formed. Typical colors are gray mottlings, solid gray, or black. The depth in the soil at which these conditions first occur is termed the seasonal high water table. Impermeable barriers shall be constructed of at least 12 inches of compacted clay, at least four inches of reinforced concrete, or another material of similar structural integrity that has a minimum permeability rating of 0.0014 inches per hour [ (1X10-6 (1X10-6 ] centimeters per second); and

d. For animal waste that is not stored [ in a waste storage facility or ] under roof, the storage site must be at least 100 feet from any surface water, intermittent drainage, wells, sinkholes, rock outcrops, and springs.

2. Any liquid animal waste collection and storage facility shall be designed and operated to (i) prevent point source discharges of pollutants to state waters except in the case of a storm event greater than the 25-year, 24-hour storm and (ii) provide adequate waste storage capacity to accommodate periods when the ground is frozen or saturated, periods when land application of nutrients should not occur due to limited or nonexistent crop nutrient uptake, and periods when physical limitations prohibit the land application of waste.

3. Waste storage facilities constructed after December 1, 1998, shall not be located on a 100-year floodplain.

4. Earthen waste storage facilities constructed after December 1, 1998, shall include a properly designed and installed liner. Such liner shall be either a synthetic liner of at least 20 mils thickness or a compacted soil liner of at least one foot thickness with a maximum permeability rating of 0.0014 inches per hour. A Virginia licensed professional engineer [ , or ] an employee of the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture with appropriate engineering approval authority [ or an employee of a soil and water conservation district with appropriate engineering approval authority ] shall certify that the siting, design, and construction of the waste storage facility comply with the requirements of this subsection. This certification shall be maintained on site.

5. At earthen waste storage facilities constructed below the seasonal high water table, the top surface of the waste must be maintained at a level of at least two feet above the water table.

6. All liquid waste storage or [ waste ] treatment facilities shall maintain at least one foot of freeboard at all times, [ except in the case of a storm event ] up to and including a 25-year, 24-hour storm.

C. Land application requirements. An animal waste end-user who (i) receives more than 10 tons of solid or semi-solid animal waste (solid or semi-solid animal waste contains less than 85% moisture) or more than 6,000 gallons of liquid animal waste (liquid animal waste contains 85% or more moisture) from an owner or operator of an animal feeding operation covered by a VPA or VPDES permit and (ii) land applies animal waste shall follow appropriate land application requirements as outlined in this subsection. The application of animal waste shall be managed to minimize adverse water quality impacts.

1. The maximum application rates can be established by the following methods:

a. Phosphorus crop removal application rates can be used when:

(1) Soil test phosphorus levels do not exceed the values listed in the table below:

Region

Soil Test P (ppm)

VPI & SU Soil Test (Mehlich I) *

Eastern Shore and Lower Coastal Plain

135

Middle and Upper Coastal Plain and Piedmont

136

Ridge and Valley

162

* If results are from another laboratory the Department of Conservation and Recreation approved conversion factors must be used.

(2) The phosphorus crop removal application rates are set forth by regulations promulgated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation in accordance with § 10.1-104.2 of the Code of Virginia.

b. Animal waste may be applied to any crop once every three years at a rate of no greater than 80 pounds [ of plant available phosphorus ] per acre when:

(1) The plant available phosphorus supplied by the animal waste is based on a waste nutrient analysis obtained in the last two years;

(2) In the absence of current soil sample analyses and recommendations; and

(3) Nutrients have not been supplied by an organic source, other than pastured animals, to the proposed land application sites within the previous three years of the proposed land application date of animal waste.

c. Soil test recommendations can be used when:

(1) Accompanied by analysis results for soil tests that have been obtained from the proposed field or fields in the last three years;

(2) The analytical results are from procedures in accordance with [ 4VAC5-15-150 A 2 f 4VAC50-85-140 A 2 f ]; and

(3) Nutrients from the waste application do not exceed the nitrogen or phosphorus recommendations for the proposed crop or double crops. The recommendations shall be in accordance with [ 4VAC5-15-150 A 2 a 4VAC50-85-140 A 2 a ].

d. A nutrient management plan developed by a certified nutrient management planner in accordance with § 10.1-104.2 of the Code of Virginia.

2. The timing of land application of animal waste shall be appropriate for the crop, and in accordance with [ 4VAC5-15-150 A 4 4VAC50-85-140 A 4 ], except that no waste may be applied to ice covered or snow covered ground or to soils that are saturated.

3. Animal waste shall not be land applied within buffer zones. Buffer zones at waste application sites shall, at a minimum, be maintained as follows:

a. Distance from occupied dwellings: 200 feet (unless the occupant of the dwelling signs a waiver of the buffer zone);

b. Distance from water supply wells or springs: 100 feet;

c. Distance from surface water courses: 100 feet (without a permanent vegetated buffer) or 35 feet (if a permanent vegetated buffer exists). Other site-specific conservation practices may be approved by the department that will provide pollutant reductions equivalent or better than the reductions that would be achieved by the 100-foot buffer;

d. Distance from rock outcropping (except limestone): 25 feet;

e. Distance from limestone outcroppings: 50 feet; and

f. Waste shall not be applied in such a manner that it would discharge to sinkholes that may exist in the area.

D. Animal waste end-users shall maintain the records demonstrating compliance with the requirements of subsections B and C of this section for at least three years and make them available to department personnel upon request.

E. The activities of the animal waste end-user shall not contravene the Water Quality Standards, as amended and adopted by the board, or any provision of the State Water Control Law (§ 62.1-44 et seq. of the Code of Virginia).

F. Any duly authorized agent of the board may, at reasonable times and under reasonable circumstances, enter any establishment or upon any property, public or private, for the purpose of obtaining information or conducting surveys or investigations necessary in the enforcement of the provisions of this regulation.

NOTICE: The following forms used in administering the regulation were filed by the agency. The forms are not being published; however, online users of this issue of the Virginia Register of Regulations may click on the name of a form with a hyperlink to access it. The forms are also available from the agency contact or may be viewed at the Office of the Registrar of Regulations, General Assembly Building, 2nd Floor, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

FORMS (9VAC25-192)

Virginia Pollution Abatement General Permit Registration Statement for Animal Feeding Operations (rev. 8/04).

Virginia DEQ Registration Statement for VPA General Permit for Animal Feeding Operations for Owners of Animal Feeding Operations, RS VPG1 (rev. [ 2/13) 3/14) ]

Virginia DEQ Registration Statement for VPA General Permit for Animal Feeding Operations for Animal Waste End-Users, RS End-Users, VPG1 [ (2/13) (rev. 3/14) ]

Local Government Ordinance Form (eff. 11/94)

[ Virginia DEQ Fact Sheet for Animal Waste Use and Storage (rev. 4/14) ]

VA.R. Doc. No. R12-3285; Filed April 15, 2014, 10:01 a.m.
TITLE 9. ENVIRONMENT
STATE WATER CONTROL BOARD
Notice of Effective Date

Title of Regulation: 9VAC25-260. Water Quality Standards (amending 9VAC25-260-450).

Statutory Authority: § 62.1-44.15 of the Code of Virginia; 33 USC § 1251 et seq. of the federal Clean Water Act; 40 CFR Part 131.

Effective Date: April 23, 2014.

On August 4, 2011, the State Water Control Board adopted revisions to the Water Quality Standards in 9VAC25-260-450. This revision designates approximately 1.34 miles of the Dan River and its tributaries as a public water supply. The proposed amendment was published in 27:12 VA.R. 1367-1376 February 14, 2011, with a comment period ending April 15, 2011, and the final amendment was published in 29:26 VA.R. 3763-3770 August 26, 2013. The State Water Control Board hereby notices EPA approval of these revisions to the water quality standards via a letter dated April 16, 2014, from Jon M. Capacasa, Director of the Water Protection Division, EPA Region 3, to David K. Paylor, Director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. The effective date of these amendments is April 23, 2014. Copies are available online at http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/Water
QualityInformationTMDLs/WaterQualityStandards.aspx, by calling (804) 698-4121, by written request to David Whitehurst, P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218, or by email request to david.whitehurst@deq.virginia.gov.

Agency Contact: David C. Whitehurst, Department of Environmental Quality, P.O. Box 1105, 629 East Main Street, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone (804) 698-4121, FAX (804) 698-4116, or email david.whitehurst@deq.virginia.gov.

VA.R. Doc. No. R09-24; Filed April 23, 2014, 10:00 a.m.
TITLE 9. ENVIRONMENT
STATE WATER CONTROL BOARD
Final Regulation

REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The State Water Control Board is claiming an exemption from Article 2 of the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 3, which excludes regulations that consist only of changes in style or form or corrections of technical errors. The State Water Control Board will receive, consider, and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.

Title of Regulation: 9VAC25-600. Designated Groundwater Management Areas (amending 9VAC25-600-20).

Statutory Authority: § 62.1-256 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: June 4, 2014.

Agency Contact: Melissa Porterfield, Department of Environmental Quality, 629 East Main Street, P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone (804) 698-4238, FAX (804) 698-4346, TTY (804) 698-4021, or email melissa.porterfield@deq.virginia.gov.

Summary:

This regulatory action removes Arlington County from the list of counties east of Interstate 95 that are included in the Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Area. Arlington County is located entirely west of Interstate 95 and was inadvertently listed in the regulation as being partially in the Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Area.

9VAC25-600-20. Declaration of groundwater management areas.

A. The board hereby orders the declaration of the eastern part of Virginia as a groundwater management area. This area shall be known as the Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Area. This area encompasses the counties of Charles City, Essex, Gloucester, Isle of Wight, James City, King George, King and Queen, King William, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex, New Kent, Northumberland, Prince George, Richmond, Southampton, Surry, Sussex, Westmoreland, and York; the areas of Arlington, Caroline, Chesterfield, Fairfax, Hanover, Henrico, Prince William, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties east of Interstate 95; and the cities of Chesapeake, Franklin, Hampton, Hopewell, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg.

B. The board hereby orders the declaration of the Eastern Shore of Virginia as a groundwater management area. This area shall be known as the Eastern Shore Groundwater Management Area. The area encompasses the counties of Accomack and Northampton.

C. All aquifers located between the land surface and basement rock within the geographic area defined will be included in the area and will be subject to the corrective controls set forth in Act.

VA.R. Doc. No. R14-3964; Filed April 15, 2014, 9:10 a.m.
TITLE 9. ENVIRONMENT
STATE WATER CONTROL BOARD
Final Regulation

REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The following regulatory action is exempt from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 c of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to meet the requirements of federal law or regulations provided such regulations do not differ materially from those required by federal law or regulation. The State Water Control Board will receive, consider, and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.

Title of Regulation: 9VAC25-720. Water Quality Management Planning Regulation (amending 9VAC25-720-60).

Statutory Authority: § 62.1-44.15 of the Code of Virginia; 33 USC § 1313(e) of the Clean Water Act.

Effective Date: June 4, 2014.

Agency Contact: Elizabeth McKercher, Department of Environmental Quality, 629 East Main Street, P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone (804) 698-4291, FAX (804) 698-4032, or email elizabeth.mckercher@deq.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The amendments add four total maximum daily load wasteload allocations for the James River Basin.


9VAC25-720-60. James River Basin.

A. Total maximum daily load (TMDLs).

TMDL #

Stream Name

TMDL Title

City/County

WBID

Pollutant

WLA

Units

1.

Pheasanty Run

Benthic TMDL Reports for Six Impaired Stream Segments in the Potomac-Shenandoah and James River Basins

Bath

I14R

Organic Solids

1,231.00

LB/YR

2.

Wallace Mill Stream

Benthic TMDL Reports for Six Impaired Stream Segments in the Potomac-Shenandoah and James River Basins

Augusta

I32R

Organic Solids

2,814.00

LB/YR

3.

Montebello Sp. Branch

Benthic TMDL Reports for Six Impaired Stream Segments in the Potomac-Shenandoah and James River Basins

Nelson

H09R

Organic Solids

37.00

LB/YR

4.

Unnamed Tributary to Deep Creek

General Standard Total Maximum Daily Load for Unnamed Tributary to Deep Creek

Nottoway

J11R

Raw Sewage

0

GAL/YR

5.

Unnamed Tributary to Chickahominy River

Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Development for the Unnamed Tributary to the Chickahominy River

Hanover

G05R

Total Phosphorus

409.35

LB/YR

6.

Rivanna River

Benthic TMDL Development for the Rivanna River Watershed

Albemarle, Greene, Nelson, and Orange

H27R
H28R

Sediment

10,229

Lbs/Day

7.

Jackson River

Benthic TMDL Development for the Jackson River, Virginia

Alleghany, Bath, Highland

I04R, I09R

Total Phosphorus

72,955

LB/GS1

8.

Jackson River

Benthic TMDL Development for the Jackson River, Virginia

Alleghany, Bath, Highland

I04R, I09R

Total Nitrogen

220,134

LB/GS

9.

Little Calfpasture

Total Maximum Daily Load Development to Address a Benthic Impairment in the Little Calfpasture River, Rockbridge County, Virginia

Rockbridge

132R

Sediment

30.4

T/YR

10.

Phelps Branch

Phelps Branch Sediment TMDL Development Report for a Benthic Impairment in Appomattox County, Virginia

Appomattox

H06R

Sediment

115.7

T/YR

11.

Long Branch

Sediment TMDL Development Report for Benthic Impairments in Long Branch and Buffalo River in Amherst County, Virginia

Amherst

H11R

Sediment

16.2

T/YR

12.

Buffalo River

Sediment TMDL Development Report for Benthic Impairments in Long Branch and Buffalo River in Amherst County, Virginia

Amherst

H11R

Sediment

306.4

T/YR

13.

Chickahominy River

Benthic TMDL Development for Chickahominy River, Virginia

Hanover, Henrico

G05R

Sediment

294.03

T/YR

1 GS means growing season.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Subsections B and C of 9VAC25-720-60 are not amended; therefore, the text of those subsections is not set out.

VA.R. Doc. No. R14-4021; Filed April 15, 2014, 9:07 a.m.
TITLE 11. GAMING
VIRGINIA RACING COMMISSION
Final Regulation

REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The Virginia Racing Commission is claiming an exemption from the Administrative Process Act pursuant to subdivision B 21 of § 2.2-4002 of the Code of Virginia when promulgating regulations relating to the Virginia Breeders Fund created pursuant to § 59.1-372.

Title of Regulation: 11VAC10-130. Virginia Breeders Fund (amending 11VAC10-130-10, 11VAC10-130-20, 11VAC10-130-40, 11VAC10-130-51).

Statutory Authority: § 59.1-369 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: May 31, 2014.

Agency Contact: David S. Lermond, Jr., Regulatory Coordinator, Virginia Racing Commission, 10700 Horsemen's Lane, New Kent, VA 23024, telephone (804) 966-7404, FAX (804) 966-7418, or email david.lermond@vrc.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The amendments clarify the regulation to reflect the actual practices for the administration of the Virginia Breeders Fund related to the registration process and requirements.

Part I
Definitions

11VAC10-130-10. Definitions.

The following words and terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Breeding season" means a period of time beginning on February 1 and ending on August 1 of each year. For Standardbreds, the breeding season means a period of time beginning February 15 and ending on July 15 of each year.

"Registered" means the completion of the process of filing an application with the commission or its designee to satisfy the requirements for participation in the Virginia Breeders Fund.

"Stallion owner" means an owner or lessee of record of a stallion that covered mares in the Commonwealth of Virginia during the breeding season in which it sired a Virginia-bred horse.

"Virginia-bred Arabian horse" means a registered Arabian horse foaled in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

"Virginia Arabian horse breeder" means the owner or lessee of record of the mare at the time of foaling of a Virginia-bred Arabian horse.

"Virginia Arabian sire" means a registered Arabian stallion that covered mares only in the Commonwealth of Virginia during the breeding season in which it sired a Virginia-bred Arabian horse.

"Virginia-bred Quarter Horse" means a registered Quarter Horse foaled or conceived in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

"Virginia Quarter Horse breeder" means the owner or lessee of record of the mare at the time of conception of a Virginia-bred Quarter Horse.

"Virginia Quarter Horse sire" means a registered Quarter Horse stallion or registered Virginia Thoroughbred stallion that covered mares only in the Commonwealth of Virginia during the breeding season in which it sired a Virginia-bred Quarter Horse.

"Virginia resident" means a person legally required to file a resident income tax return with the Commonwealth of Virginia or a partnership, corporation, stable name or other entity that is solely owned by Virginia residents and owners legally required to file resident income tax returns with the Commonwealth.

"Virginia-bred Standardbred horse" means a registered Standardbred horse sired by a Virginia Standardbred sire, a registered Standardbred horse foaled in the Commonwealth of Virginia provided that the foal-producing mare is domiciled in the Commonwealth from July 15 through December 31 of the year in which the horse is foaled, or a registered Standardbred horse foaled in the Commonwealth provided that the foal-producing mare is bred back that same breeding season to a Virginia Standardbred sire with the following exceptions:

1. A registered Standardbred horse that is purchased in its two-year-old year by a Virginia resident before April 1, 2007, prior to making its first start in a nonqualifying race;

2. A registered Standardbred horse that is purchased or owned by a Virginia resident after December 31, 2004, and before April 30, 2007, provided that the horse was sired by a Virginia Standardbred sire; or

3. A registered Standardbred horse that was foaled in the Commonwealth of Virginia prior to April 30, 2007.

"Virginia Standardbred horse breeder" means the owner or lessee of record of the mare at the time of conception of a Virginia-bred Standardbred horse.

"Virginia Standardbred sire" means a registered Standardbred stallion that stood only in the Commonwealth of Virginia during the breeding season in which it sired a Virginia-bred Standardbred horse. Shipment of semen for the breeding of mares outside the Commonwealth shall be permitted so long as any resulting foals meet the requirements of this chapter in all other respects.

"Virginia-bred Thoroughbred horse" means a registered Thoroughbred horse foaled in Virginia.

"Virginia-sired Thoroughbred horse" means a registered Thoroughbred horse sired by a Virginia Thoroughbred sire, but not foaled in Virginia or not otherwise satisfying the requirements for a Virginia-bred Thoroughbred horse.

"Virginia Thoroughbred horse breeder" means the owner or lessee listed on The Jockey Club registration papers as the owner or lessee of record of the mare at the time of foaling a Virginia-bred Thoroughbred horse.

"Virginia Thoroughbred sire" means a registered Thoroughbred stallion that covers mares, other than test mares, only in the Commonwealth during the breeding season in which it sires a Virginia-bred Thoroughbred horse, or only during that part of the breeding season after entering the Commonwealth.

Part II
General

11VAC10-130-20. Generally.

The purpose of this chapter is to establish procedures for the administration of the Virginia Breeders Fund by the Virginia Racing Commission as provided for in § 59.1-372 of the Code of Virginia.

A. Certification. The commission or its designee shall certify that a racehorse is Virginia bred for eligibility for entry into races restricted to Virginia-bred horses, and to qualify its owner, the stallion owner, if applicable, and breeder for awards.

B. Determination of eligibility. The final determination of all questions, disputes or protests relating to the registration, eligibility for certification or breeding of a Virginia-bred horse and the final determination of eligibility of any horse to enter a race restricted to Virginia-bred horses shall rest solely with the commission.

C. Documentation. In making its determination, the commission or its designee, in its discretion, may require the submission of any certificate of foal registration, eligibility paper or any other registration document, affidavits or other substantive proof to support or deny any claim concerning registration of a horse as Virginia bred.

D. False statements. Any person who submits false or misleading information to a breed registry, to the commission or its designee, or to any racing official may be fined, have his permit suspended or revoked, be denied participation in the Virginia Breeders Fund for a period of time deemed appropriate by the commission, or any or all of the foregoing.

E. Forfeiture of awards and purse moneys. Any person who is denied participation in the Virginia Breeders Fund under the provisions of this chapter shall forfeit and restore to the fund any awards and purse moneys received based upon the submission of false or misleading information. Until the awards and purse moneys are restored, the commission may suspend the person's permit to participate in horse racing at licensed facilities.

F. Recognized registries. The commission shall recognize certificates of registration from the following breed registries:

1. Thoroughbred: The Jockey Club;

2. Standardbred: The United States Trotting Association;

3. Quarter Horse: The American Quarter Horse Association; and

4. Arabian horse: The Arabian Horse Registry of America.

G. Payment of awards. All awards for owners, stallion owners and breeders shall be distributed from the Virginia Breeders Fund in a manner prescribed by the commission. The following provisions shall apply to payment of owner, stallion owner and breeder awards:

1. Determination of individual distributions to a stallion owner shall be in the same ratio as the amount of first-place purse money won by the Virginia-bred horse at the race meeting, which qualifies the stallion owner for an award, to the total amount of first-place purse money won by all Virginia-bred horses that qualify stallion owners for awards at the race meeting;

2. Determination of individual distributions to a breeder shall be in the same ratio as the amount of first-place purse money won by the Virginia-bred horse at the race meeting, which qualifies the breeder for an award, to the total amount of first-place purse money won by all Virginia-bred horses at the race meeting;

3. Determination of individual distributions to an owner shall be in the same ratio as the amount of nonsupplemented first-place purse money won by the Virginia-bred horse at the race meeting that qualifies the owner for an award to the total amount of nonsupplemented first-place purse money won by all Virginia-bred horses at the race meeting;

4. To become eligible for an owner, a stallion owner or a breeder award from the Virginia Breeders Fund, the owner, stallion owner or breeder must be certified by the commission or its designee prior to receiving any award, unless his racehorse, stallion or foal has been previously registered with the commission or its designee;

5. A stallion owner or breeder will have 25 days after the closing of the race meeting, at which he becomes eligible for an award, to be certified by the commission or its designee unless his stallion or foal has been previously registered with the commission or its designee;

6. 5. A stallion owner or breeder need only be certified once per racehorse; and

7. 6. Any unclaimed awards from the Virginia Breeders Fund shall be remitted to the fund.

H. Distribution by breeds. The funds generated by the breed of horse through pari-mutuel wagering at a race meeting shall be distributed to that breed of horse through owner awards, stallion owner awards, breeder awards, purses and purse supplements.

I. Reimbursement of funds. The source of funding is 1.0% of all pari-mutuel pools, which shall be paid to the commission within five days of the date that the funds were generated. Purse moneys shall be paid from the horsemen's account when approval is granted by the stewards. The commission shall reimburse the horsemen's account to the extent that funds are available from the Virginia Breeders Fund.

J. Restrictions. In disbursing the Virginia Breeders Fund, the following restrictions shall apply:

1. Supplements to purses from the Virginia Breeders Fund shall not be considered in determining owner awards;

2. The amount of the purses for races restricted to Virginia-bred horses or any adjustments must be fair, equitable and appropriate to the quality of the horses competing for those purses;

3. Purses from the Virginia Breeders Fund shall be considered for stallion owner and breeder awards.

4. Funds allocated for purses shall be credited to the owner's account by the horsemen's bookkeeper in accordance with procedures established elsewhere in this chapter; and

5. Underpayment of moneys generated by each breed shall be remitted to the Virginia Breeders Fund.

K. Reservation of funds. The commission may set aside funds for distribution in future years if the commission, in its discretion, determines that there is an insufficient supply of Virginia-bred horses of a certain breed to warrant a distribution. In this event, the funds shall be deposited in an interest-bearing account for future distribution of awards and purse supplements to the breed that generated the funds so set aside.

L. Assignment of awards. Awards distributable to breeders and stallion owners are only assignable pursuant to a court order.

M. Advisory committee. To assist it in establishing this awards and incentive program to foster the industry of breeding racehorses in Virginia, the commission shall appoint an advisory committee composed of two members from each of the registered breed associations representing each breed of horse participating in the fund program, one member representing the owners and operators of racetracks and one member representing all the meets sanctioned by the National Steeplechase Association.

The commission, in its discretion, may establish and appoint the members of subcommittees of the advisory committee for each breed of horse participating in the fund program. Each subcommittee shall be composed of one commissioner, the executive secretary of the commission, two advisory committee members, a member representing an owner or operator of a horse racing facility, and an at-large member associated with the breed of horse participating in the fund program. All appointments shall be approved by the commission.

11VAC10-130-40. Stallion registration.

A. Initial registration. For a stallion owner to be certified to receive stallion owner awards from the Virginia Breeders Fund, the stallion owner shall register his stallion with the commission or its designee by satisfying the following requirements:

1. Each year prior to the commencement of the breeding season, but no later than January 31, or within 30 days following the entry into stud in Virginia if entry is after the breeding season commences, the owner or authorized agent shall submit an application on a form approved by the commission that shall set forth the name of the stallion, year of foaling, registration number, pedigree, including sire, dam and sire of the dam, where the stallion is standing at stud, the date of entry to stud if after the commencement of the breeding season, and the names and addresses of owners and lessees; and

2. The application shall be signed and dated by the owner or lessee, or the authorized agent;.

3. A notarized copy of the stallion's Certificate of Foal Registration, clearly showing the front and transfer side of the document, shall accompany the application;

4. If the stallion is held under a lease or a syndicate agreement, a copy of the lease or agreement shall accompany the application, and the lease or agreement must include a statement that the lessee or syndicate manager is authorized to sign the service certificate and receive stallion awards; and

5. The owner or authorized agent shall submit to the commission or its designee a notarized copy of The Jockey Club's Report of Mares Bred at the conclusion of the breeding season but no later than August 1.

B. Registration fees. A stallion may be registered with the commission or its designee for the breeding season after January 31 or 30 days following its entry into stud in Virginia. A registration fee of $100 for current members of the Virginia Thoroughbred Association (VTA) and $200 for non-VTA members shall accompany the application. A late registration fee of $250 for current VTA members and $350 for non-VTA members shall be assessed. A late registration of a stallion shall be accepted by the commission or its designee until August 1 for that breeding year.

C. Change of ownership. If there is a change in ownership or the stallion is subsequently leased or syndicated or the location of where the stallion is standing is changed, the new owner, lessee or syndicate manager shall submit to the commission or its designee a new application for stallion registration.

11VAC10-130-51. Foal registration.

A. Requirements. For an owner or lessee of a dam to be certified to receive breeder awards from the Virginia Breeders Fund, the owner or lessee must register his foal with the commission or its designee by satisfying the following requirements:

1. The breeder, owner, lessee, or his authorized agent must submit an application on a form approved by the commission, including the name of the stallion; the name of the dam; the sire of the dam; the sex; color; year of birth; the location of foaling; and name, address and telephone number of the owner, lessee or his authorized agent;

2. The application must be signed and dated by the breeder, owner, lessee, or his authorized agent; and

3. If the dam is held under a lease, a statement to that effect and a copy of the lease which must include a statement that the lessee is authorized to register the foal must accompany the application;

4. If the dam of the foal was not bred to a Virginia Thoroughbred sire or is not bred back to a Virginia Thoroughbred sire, then the owner, lessee or his authorized agent must sign the affidavit stating that the dam has been domiciled in the Commonwealth of Virginia from September 1 of the preceding year to February 1; and

5. 3. As of September 1, 1999, all Virginia-bred Thoroughbred horses must be registered with the commission or its designee prior to being entered in any race at race meeting designated by the commission for purse supplements or awards from the Virginia Breeders Fund.

B. Registration fees. A foal may be registered by December 31 of its year of foaling by submitting a $25 fee for current members of the Virginia Thoroughbred Association (VTA) and $125 for non-VTA members that must accompany the application for foal registration. A yearling may be registered by December 31 of its yearling year by submitting a $50 fee for current VTA members and $150 for non-VTA members that must accompany the application for foal registration. A two-year-old or older may be registered by submitting a $200 fee for current VTA members and $300 for non-VTA members which must accompany the application for foal registration.

VA.R. Doc. No. R14-3986; Filed April 16, 2014, 11:51 a.m.
TITLE 12. HEALTH
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES
Final Regulation

REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The following regulatory action is exempt from Article 2 of the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 c of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to meet the requirements of federal law or regulations, provided such regulations do not differ materially from those required by federal law or regulation. The Department of Medical Assistance Services will receive, consider, and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.

Titles of Regulations: 12VAC30-60. Standards Established and Methods Used to Assure High Quality Care (amending 12VAC30-60-75).

12VAC30-70. Methods and Standards for Establishing Payment Rates - Inpatient Hospital Services (amending 12VAC30-70-221).

12VAC30-80. Methods and Standards for Establishing Payment Rates; Other Types of Care (amending 12VAC30-80-20, 12VAC30-80-30).

12VAC30-95. Standards Established and Methods Used for Fee-For-Service Reimbursement (adding 12VAC30-95-5).

12VAC30-130. Amount, Duration and Scope of Selected Services (amending 12VAC30-130-800).

Statutory Authority § 32.1-325 of the Code of Virginia; 42 USC § 1396 et seq.

Effective Date: June 5, 2014.

Agency Contact: Lois Gray, Regulatory Coordinator, Division of Policy and Research, Department of Medical Assistance Services, 600 East Broad Street, Suite 1300, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 371-4300, FAX (804) 786-1680, or email lois.gray@dmas.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The amendments update references to the 10th edition of the International Classification of Diseases in compliance with federal requirements (77 FR 54664 (September 5, 2012)).

12VAC30-60-75. Durable medical equipment (DME) and supplies.

A. No provider shall have a claim of ownership on DME reimbursed by Virginia Medicaid once it has been delivered to the Medicaid individual. Providers shall only be permitted to recover DME, for example, when DMAS determines that it does not fulfill the required medically necessary purpose as set out in the Certificate of Medical Necessity (CMN), when there is an error in the ordering practitioner's CMN, or when the equipment was rented. DMAS shall not reimburse the DME and supply provider for services that are provided either: (i) prior to the date prescribed by the licensed practitioner; (ii) prior to the date of the delivery; or (iii) when services are not provided in accordance with DMAS' published regulations and guidance documents. In instances when the DME or supply is shipped directly to the Medicaid individual, the DME provider shall confirm that the DME or supplies have been received by the individual before submitting his claim for payment to DMAS.

B. DME providers, as defined in 12VAC30-50-165, shall retain copies on file of the fully completed CMN and all applicable supporting documentation for post payment audit reviews. Reimbursement that has been made by Medicaid shall be retracted if the DME and supplies have not been ordered on the CMN. Additional supporting documentation is allowed to justify the medical need for durable medical equipment and supplies. Supporting documentation shall not replace the requirement for a properly completed CMN. The dates of the supporting documentation shall coincide with the dates of service on the CMN. The licensed practitioner providing the supporting documentation shall be identified by name and title. DME providers shall not create or revise CMNs or supporting documentation for durable medical equipment and supplies that have been provided once the post payment audit review has been initiated.

C. Individuals requiring only DME or supplies may obtain such services directly from the DME provider without having to consult or obtain services from a home health service or home health provider. Supplies used for treatment during a home health visit shall be included in the visit rate of the home health provider. Treatment supplies left in the home to maintain treatment after the visits shall be charged separately.

D. CMN requirements. The CMN shall have two required components: (i) the licensed practitioner's order and (ii) the clinical diagnosis. Failure to have a complete CMN may result in nonpayment of services rendered or retraction of payments made subsequent to post payment audits.

1. Licensed practitioner's order.

a. The licensed practitioners' complete order shall appear on the face of the CMN. A complete order on the CMN shall consist of the item's complete description, the quantity ordered, the frequency of use, and the licensed practitioner's signature and complete date of signing as defined in 12VAC30-50-165. If the DME provider determines that the prescribing licensed practitioner's signature and complete date of signing are missing, he shall consider the CMN to be invalid and he shall request a new CMN.

b. The following CMN fields (as indicated by an asterisk on the CMN) shall be required for reimbursement:

(1) The ordered item's description. If the item is an E1399 (miscellaneous), the description of the item shall not be "miscellaneous DME," but the provider shall specify the DME item or supply.

(2) The quantity ordered as found in the licensed practitioner's order. For expendable supplies the provider shall designate supplies needed for one month. If an item is not needed every month, the provider may designate an alternate time frame.

(3) The frequency of use of the DME item or supply.

(4) The licensed practitioner's signature and full date. If either the licensed practitioner's signature or full date, or both, are missing, then the entire CMN shall be deemed to be invalid and a new CMN shall be obtained. The licensed practitioner's signature certifies that the ordered DME and supplies are a part of the treatment plan and are medically necessary for the Medicaid individual.

c. The begin service date on the CMN is optional.

(1) If the provider enters a begin service date, the CMN must be signed and dated by the licensed practitioner within 60 days of the begin service date in order for the CMN to start from the begin date.

(2) If no begin service date is documented on the CMN, the date of the practitioner's signature shall be the start date of the CMN.

2. The clinical diagnosis.

a. The narrative description of the clinical diagnosis shall be recorded on the face of the CMN.

b. The recording on the face of the CMN of the relevant ICD-9 ICD diagnosis code shall be optional. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

3. Supporting documentation.

a. Supporting documentation may be included in the additional information attached to the CMN.

b. The attachment of supporting documentation shall not replace the requirement for a properly completed CMN.

Article 2
Prospective (DRG-Based) Payment Methodology

12VAC30-70-221. General.

A. Effective July 1, 2000, the prospective (DRG-based) payment system described in this article shall apply to inpatient hospital services provided in enrolled general acute care hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, and freestanding psychiatric facilities licensed as hospitals, unless otherwise noted.

B. The following methodologies shall apply under the prospective payment system:

1. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-231, operating payments for DRG cases that are not transfer cases shall be determined on the basis of a hospital specific operating rate per case times relative weight of the DRG to which the case is assigned.

2. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-241, operating payments for per diem cases shall be determined on the basis of a hospital specific operating rate per day times the covered days for the case with the exception of payments for per diem cases in freestanding psychiatric facilities. Payments for per diem cases in freestanding psychiatric facilities licensed as hospitals shall be determined on the basis of a hospital specific rate per day that represents an all-inclusive payment for operating and capital costs.

3. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-251, operating payments for transfer cases shall be determined as follows: (i) the transferring hospital shall receive an operating per diem payment, not to exceed the DRG operating payment that would have otherwise been made and (ii) the final discharging hospital shall receive the full DRG operating payment.

4. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-261, additional operating payments shall be made for outlier cases. These additional payments shall be added to the operating payments determined in subdivisions 1 and 3 of this subsection.

5. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-271, payments for capital costs shall be made on an allowable cost basis.

6. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-281, payments for direct medical education costs of nursing schools and paramedical programs shall be made on an allowable cost basis. Payment for direct graduate medical education (GME) costs for interns and residents shall be made quarterly on a prospective basis, subject to cost settlement based on the number of full time equivalent (FTE) interns and residents as reported on the cost report.

7. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-291, payments for indirect medical education costs shall be made quarterly on a prospective basis.

8. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-301, payments to hospitals that qualify as disproportionate share hospitals shall be made quarterly on a prospective basis.

C. The terms used in this article shall be defined as provided in this subsection:

"Base year" means the state fiscal year for which data is used to establish the DRG relative weights, the hospital case-mix indices, the base year standardized operating costs per case, and the base year standardized operating costs per day. The base year will change when the DRG payment system is rebased and recalibrated. In subsequent rebasings, the Commonwealth shall notify affected providers of the base year to be used in this calculation.

"Base year standardized costs per case" reflects means the statewide average hospital costs per discharge for DRG cases in the base year. The standardization process removes the effects of case-mix and regional variations in wages from the claims data and places all hospitals on a comparable basis.

"Base year standardized costs per day" reflects means the statewide average hospital costs per day for per diem cases in the base year. The standardization process removes the effects of regional variations in wages from the claims data and places all hospitals on a comparable basis. Base year standardized costs per day were calculated separately, but using the same calculation methodology, for the different types of per diem cases identified in this subsection under the definition of "per diem cases."

"Cost" means allowable cost as defined in Supplement 3 (12VAC30-70-10 through 12VAC30-70-130) and by Medicare principles of reimbursement.

"Disproportionate share hospital" means a hospital that meets the following criteria:

1. A Medicaid utilization rate in excess of 14%, or a low-income patient utilization rate exceeding 25% (as defined in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 and as amended by the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act of 1988); and

2. At least two obstetricians with staff privileges at the hospital who have agreed to provide obstetric services to individuals entitled to such services under a state Medicaid plan. In the case of a hospital located in a rural area (that is, an area outside of a Metropolitan Statistical Area as defined by the Executive Office of Management and Budget), the term "obstetrician" includes any physician with staff privileges at the hospital to perform nonemergency obstetric procedures.

3. Subdivision 2 of this definition does not apply to a hospital:

a. At which the inpatients are predominantly individuals under 18 years of age; or

b. Which does not offer nonemergency obstetric services as of December 21, 1987.

"DRG cases" means medical/surgical cases subject to payment on the basis of DRGs. DRG cases do not include per diem cases.

"DRG relative weight" means the average standardized costs for cases assigned to that DRG divided by the average standardized costs for cases assigned to all DRGs.

"Groupable cases" means DRG cases having coding data of sufficient quality to support DRG assignment.

"Hospital case-mix index" means the weighted average DRG relative weight for all cases occurring at that hospital.

"Medicaid utilization percentage" is equal to the hospital's total Medicaid inpatient days divided by the hospital's total inpatient days for a given hospital fiscal year. The Medicaid utilization percentage includes days associated with inpatient hospital services provided to Medicaid patients but reimbursed by capitated managed care providers. This definition includes all paid Medicaid days (from DMAS MR reports for fee-for-service days and managed care organization or hospital reports for HMO days) and nonpaid/denied Medicaid days to include medically unnecessary days, inappropriate level of care service days, and days that exceed any maximum day limits (with appropriate documentation). The definition of Medicaid days does not include any general assistance, Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS), State and Local Hospitalization (SLH), charity care, low-income, indigent care, uncompensated care, bad debt, or Medicare dually eligible days. It does not include days for newborns not enrolled in Medicaid during the fiscal year even though the mother was Medicaid eligible during the birth.

"Medicare wage index" and the "Medicare geographic adjustment factor" are published annually in the Federal Register by the Health Care Financing Administration. The indices and factors used in this article shall be those in effect in the base year.

"Operating cost-to-charge ratio" equals the hospital's total operating costs, less any applicable operating costs for a psychiatric DPU, divided by the hospital's total charges, less any applicable charges for a psychiatric DPU. The operating cost-to-charge ratio shall be calculated using data from cost reports from hospital fiscal years ending in the state fiscal year used as the base year.

"Outlier adjustment factor" means a fixed factor published annually in the Federal Register by the Health Care Financing Administration. The factor used in this article shall be the one in effect in the base year.

"Outlier cases" means those DRG cases, including transfer cases, in which the hospital's adjusted operating cost for the case exceeds the hospital's operating outlier threshold for the case.

"Outlier operating fixed loss threshold" means a fixed dollar amount applicable to all hospitals that shall be calculated in the base year so as to result in an expenditure for outliers operating payments equal to 5.1% of total operating payments for DRG cases. The threshold shall be updated in subsequent years using the same inflation values applied to hospital rates.

"Per diem cases" means cases subject to per diem payment and include includes (i) covered psychiatric cases in general acute care hospitals and distinct part units (DPUs) of general acute care hospitals (hereinafter "acute care psychiatric cases"), (ii) covered psychiatric cases in freestanding psychiatric facilities licensed as hospitals (hereinafter "freestanding psychiatric cases"), and (iii) rehabilitation cases in general acute care hospitals and rehabilitation hospitals (hereinafter "rehabilitation cases").

"Psychiatric cases" means cases with a principal diagnosis that is a mental disorder as specified in the ICD-9-CM ICD, as defined in 12VAC30-95-5. Not all mental disorders are covered. For coverage information, see Amount, Duration, and Scope of Services, Supplement 1 to Attachment 3.1 A & B (12VAC30-50-95 through 12VAC30-50-310). The limit of coverage of 21 days in a 60-day period for the same or similar diagnosis shall continue to apply to adult psychiatric cases.

"Psychiatric operating cost-to-charge ratio" for the psychiatric DPU of a general acute care hospital means the hospital's operating costs for a psychiatric DPU divided by the hospital's charges for a psychiatric DPU. In the base year, this ratio shall be calculated as described in the definition of "operating cost-to-charge ratio" in this subsection, using data from psychiatric DPUs.

"Readmissions" occur means when patients are readmitted to the same hospital for the same or a similar diagnosis within five days of discharge. Such cases shall be considered a continuation of the same stay and shall not be treated as a new case cases. Similar diagnoses shall be defined as ICD-9-CM ICD diagnosis codes possessing the same first three digits. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

"Rehabilitation operating cost-to-charge ratio" for a rehabilitation unit or hospital means the provider's operating costs divided by the provider's charges. In the base year, this ratio shall be calculated as described in the definition of "operating cost-to-charge ratio" in this subsection, using data from rehabilitation units or hospitals.

"Statewide average labor portion of operating costs" means a fixed percentage applicable to all hospitals. The percentage shall be periodically revised using the most recent reliable data from the Virginia Health Information (VHI), or its successor.

"Transfer cases" means DRG cases involving patients (i) who are transferred from one general acute care hospital to another for related care or (ii) who are discharged from one general acute care hospital and admitted to another for the same or a similar diagnosis within five days of that discharge. Similar diagnoses shall be defined as ICD-9-CM ICD diagnosis codes possessing the same first three digits. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12 VAC 30-95-5.

"Type One" hospitals means those hospitals that were state-owned teaching hospitals on January 1, 1996. "Type Two" hospitals means all other hospitals.

"Ungroupable cases" means cases assigned to DRG 469 (principal diagnosis invalid as discharge diagnosis) and DRG 470 (ungroupable) as determined by the AP-DRG Grouper.

D. The All Patient Diagnosis Related Groups (AP-DRG) Grouper shall be used in the DRG payment system. Until notification of a change is given, Version 14.0 of this grouper shall be used. DMAS shall notify hospitals when updating the system to later grouper versions.

E. The primary data sources used in the development of the DRG payment methodology were the department's hospital computerized claims history file and the cost report file. The claims history file captures available claims data from all enrolled, cost-reporting general acute care hospitals, including Type One hospitals. The cost report file captures audited cost and charge data from all enrolled general acute care hospitals, including Type One hospitals. The following table identifies key data elements that were used to develop the DRG payment methodology and that will be used when the system is recalibrated and rebased.

Data Elements for DRG Payment Methodology

Data Elements

Source

Total charges for each groupable case

Claims history file

Number of groupable cases in each DRG

Claims history file

Total number of groupable cases

Claims history file

Total charges for each DRG case

Claims history file

Total number of DRG cases

Claims history file

Total charges for each acute care psychiatric case

Claims history file

Total number of acute care psychiatric days for each acute care hospital

Claims history file

Total charges for each freestanding psychiatric case

Medicare cost reports

Total number of psychiatric days for each freestanding psychiatric hospital

Medicare cost reports

Total charges for each rehabilitation case

Claims history file

Total number of rehabilitation days for each acute care and freestanding rehabilitation hospital

Claims history file

Operating cost-to-charge ratio for each hospital

Cost report file

Operating cost-to-charge ratio for each freestanding psychiatric facility licensed as a hospital

Medicare cost reports

Psychiatric operating cost-to-charge ratio for the psychiatric DPU of each general acute care hospital

Cost report file

Rehabilitation cost-to-charge ratio for each rehabilitation unit or hospital

Cost report file

Statewide average labor portion of operating costs

VHI

Medicare wage index for each hospital

Federal Register

Medicare geographic adjustment factor for each hospital

Federal Register

Outlier operating fixed loss threshold

Claims history file

Outlier adjustment factor

Federal Register

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (12VAC30-70)

All Patient Diagnosis Related Groups (AP-DRG) Grouper, DRG and MDC Code Listings, Version 12, January 1995

Health Care Cost Review, Third Quarter 2009, IHS Global Insight

International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9-CM) Physician, Volumes 1 and 2, American Medical Association, 2007

12VAC30-80-20. Services that are reimbursed on a cost basis.

A. Payments for services listed below shall be on the basis of reasonable cost following the standards and principles applicable to the Title XVIII Program with the exception provided for in subdivision D 1 d of this section. The upper limit for reimbursement shall be no higher than payments for Medicare patients on a facility by facility basis in accordance with 42 CFR 447.321 and 42 CFR 447.325. In no instance, however, shall charges for beneficiaries of the program be in excess of charges for private patients receiving services from the provider. The professional component for emergency room physicians shall continue to be uncovered as a component of the payment to the facility.

B. Reasonable costs will be determined from the filing of a uniform cost report by participating providers. The cost reports are due not later than 150 days after the provider's fiscal year end. If a complete cost report is not received within 150 days after the end of the provider's fiscal year, the Program shall take action in accordance with its policies to assure that an overpayment is not being made. The cost report will be judged complete when DMAS has all of the following:

1. Completed cost reporting form(s) provided by DMAS, with signed certification(s);

2. The provider's trial balance showing adjusting journal entries;

3. The provider's financial statements including, but not limited to, a balance sheet, a statement of income and expenses, a statement of retained earnings (or fund balance), and a statement of changes in financial position;

4. Schedules that reconcile financial statements and trial balance to expenses claimed in the cost report;

5. Depreciation schedule or summary;

6. Home office cost report, if applicable; and

7. Such other analytical information or supporting documents requested by DMAS when the cost reporting forms are sent to the provider.

C. Item 398 D of the 1987 Appropriation Act (as amended), effective April 8, 1987, eliminated reimbursement of return on equity capital to proprietary providers.

D. The services that are cost reimbursed are:

1. Outpatient hospital services, including rehabilitation hospital outpatient services and excluding laboratory services.

a. Definitions. The following words and terms when used in this regulation shall have the following meanings when applied to emergency services unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"All-inclusive" means all emergency department and ancillary service charges claimed in association with the emergency room visit, with the exception of laboratory services.

"DMAS" means the Department of Medical Assistance Services consistent with Chapter 10 (§ 32.1-323 et seq.) of Title 32.1 of the Code of Virginia.

"Emergency hospital services" means services that are necessary to prevent the death or serious impairment of the health of the recipient. The threat to the life or health of the recipient necessitates the use of the most accessible hospital available that is equipped to furnish the services.

"Recent injury" means an injury that has occurred less than 72 hours prior to the emergency department visit.

b. Scope. DMAS shall differentiate, as determined by the attending physician's diagnosis, the kinds of care routinely rendered in emergency departments and reimburse for nonemergency care rendered in emergency departments at a reduced rate.

(1) With the exception of laboratory services, DMAS shall reimburse at a reduced and all-inclusive reimbursement rate for all services, including those obstetric and pediatric procedures contained in 12VAC30-80-160, rendered in emergency departments that DMAS determines were nonemergency care.

(2) Services determined by the attending physician to be emergencies shall be reimbursed under the existing methodologies and at the existing rates.

(3) Services performed by the attending physician that may be emergencies shall be manually reviewed. If such services meet certain criteria, they shall be paid under the methodology for subdivision 1 b (2) of this subsection. Services not meeting certain criteria shall be paid under the methodology of subdivision 1 b (1) of this subsection. Such criteria shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) The initial treatment following a recent obvious injury.

(b) Treatment related to an injury sustained more than 72 hours prior to the visit with the deterioration of the symptoms to the point of requiring medical treatment for stabilization.

(c) The initial treatment for medical emergencies including indications of severe chest pain, dyspnea, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, spontaneous abortion, loss of consciousness, status epilepticus, or other conditions considered life threatening.

(d) A visit in which the recipient's condition requires immediate hospital admission or the transfer to another facility for further treatment or a visit in which the recipient dies.

(e) Services provided for acute vital sign changes as specified in the provider manual.

(f) Services provided for severe pain when combined with one or more of the other guidelines.

(4) Payment shall be determined based on ICD-9-CM ICD diagnosis codes and necessary supporting documentation. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

(5) DMAS shall review on an ongoing basis the effectiveness of this program in achieving its objectives and for its effect on recipients, physicians, and hospitals. Program components may be revised subject to achieving program intent, the accuracy and effectiveness of the ICD-9-CM ICD code designations, and the impact on recipients and providers. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

c. Limitation of allowable cost. Effective for services on and after July 1, 2003, reimbursement of Type Two hospitals for outpatient services shall be at various percentages as noted in subdivisions 1 c (1) and (2) of this subsection of allowable cost, with cost to be determined as provided in subsections A, B, and C of this section. For hospitals with fiscal years that do not begin on July 1, outpatient costs, both operating and capital, for the fiscal year in progress on that date shall be apportioned between the time period before and the time period after that date, based on the number of calendar months in the cost reporting period, falling before and after that date.

(1) Type One hospitals.

(a) Effective July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2010, hospital outpatient operating reimbursement shall be at 94.2% of allowable cost and capital reimbursement shall be at 90% of allowable cost.

(b) Effective July 1, 2010, through September 30, 2010, hospital outpatient operating reimbursement shall be at 91.2% of allowable cost and capital reimbursement shall be at 87% of allowable cost.

(c) Effective October 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011, hospital outpatient operating reimbursement shall be at 94.2% of allowable cost and capital reimbursement shall be at 90% of allowable cost.

(d) Effective July 1, 2011, hospital outpatient operating reimbursement shall be at 90.2% of allowable cost and capital reimbursement shall be at 86% of allowable cost.

(2) Type Two hospitals.

(a) Effective July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2010, hospital outpatient operating and capital reimbursement shall be 80% of allowable cost.

(b) Effective July 1, 2010, through September 30, 2010, hospital outpatient operating and capital reimbursement shall be 77% of allowable cost.

(c) Effective October 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011, hospital outpatient operating and capital reimbursement shall be 80% of allowable cost.

(d) Effective July 1, 2011, hospital outpatient operating and capital reimbursement shall be 76% of allowable cost.

d. Payment for direct medical education costs of nursing schools, paramedical programs and graduate medical education for interns and residents.

(1) Direct medical education costs of nursing schools and paramedical programs shall continue to be paid on an allowable cost basis.

(2) Effective with cost reporting periods beginning on or after July 1, 2002, direct graduate medical education (GME) costs for interns and residents shall be reimbursed on a per-resident prospective basis. See 12VAC30-70-281 for prospective payment methodology for graduate medical education for interns and residents.

2. Rehabilitation agencies or comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation.

a. Effective July 1, 2009, rehabilitation agencies or comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities that are operated by community services boards or state agencies shall be reimbursed their costs. For reimbursement methodology applicable to all other rehabilitation agencies, see 12VAC30-80-200.

b. Effective October 1, 2009, rehabilitation agencies or comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities operated by state agencies shall be reimbursed their costs. For reimbursement methodology applicable to all other rehabilitation agencies, see 12VAC30-80-200.

12VAC30-80-30. Fee-for-service providers.

A. Payment for the following services, except for physician services, shall be the lower of the state agency fee schedule (12VAC30-80-190 has information about the state agency fee schedule) or actual charge (charge to the general public):

1. Physicians' services. Payment for physician services shall be the lower of the state agency fee schedule or actual charge (charge to the general public). The following limitations shall apply to emergency physician services.

a. Definitions. The following words and terms, when used in this subdivision 1 shall have the following meanings when applied to emergency services unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"All-inclusive" means all emergency service and ancillary service charges claimed in association with the emergency department visit, with the exception of laboratory services.

"DMAS" means the Department of Medical Assistance Services consistent with Chapter 10 (§ 32.1-323 et seq.) of Title 32.1 of the Code of Virginia.

"Emergency physician services" means services that are necessary to prevent the death or serious impairment of the health of the recipient. The threat to the life or health of the recipient necessitates the use of the most accessible hospital available that is equipped to furnish the services.

"Recent injury" means an injury that has occurred less than 72 hours prior to the emergency department visit.

b. Scope. DMAS shall differentiate, as determined by the attending physician's diagnosis, the kinds of care routinely rendered in emergency departments and reimburse physicians for nonemergency care rendered in emergency departments at a reduced rate.

(1) DMAS shall reimburse at a reduced and all-inclusive reimbursement rate for all physician services, including those obstetric and pediatric procedures contained in 12VAC30-80-160, rendered in emergency departments that DMAS determines are nonemergency care.

(2) Services determined by the attending physician to be emergencies shall be reimbursed under the existing methodologies and at the existing rates.

(3) Services determined by the attending physician that may be emergencies shall be manually reviewed. If such services meet certain criteria, they shall be paid under the methodology in subdivision 1 b (2) of this subsection. Services not meeting certain criteria shall be paid under the methodology in subdivision 1 b (1) of this subsection. Such criteria shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) The initial treatment following a recent obvious injury.

(b) Treatment related to an injury sustained more than 72 hours prior to the visit with the deterioration of the symptoms to the point of requiring medical treatment for stabilization.

(c) The initial treatment for medical emergencies including indications of severe chest pain, dyspnea, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, spontaneous abortion, loss of consciousness, status epilepticus, or other conditions considered life threatening.

(d) A visit in which the recipient's condition requires immediate hospital admission or the transfer to another facility for further treatment or a visit in which the recipient dies.

(e) Services provided for acute vital sign changes as specified in the provider manual.

(f) Services provided for severe pain when combined with one or more of the other guidelines.

(4) Payment shall be determined based on ICD-9-CM ICD diagnosis codes and necessary supporting documentation. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

(5) DMAS shall review on an ongoing basis the effectiveness of this program in achieving its objectives and for its effect on recipients, physicians, and hospitals. Program components may be revised subject to achieving program intent objectives, the accuracy and effectiveness of the ICD-9-CM ICD code designations, and the impact on recipients and providers. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

2. Dentists' services.

3. Mental health services including: (i) community mental health services;, (ii) services of a licensed clinical psychologist;, or (iii) mental health services provided by a physician.

a. Services provided by licensed clinical psychologists shall be reimbursed at 90% of the reimbursement rate for psychiatrists.

b. Services provided by independently enrolled licensed clinical social workers, licensed professional counselors or licensed clinical nurse specialists-psychiatric shall be reimbursed at 75% of the reimbursement rate for licensed clinical psychologists.

4. Podiatry.

5. Nurse-midwife services.

6. Durable medical equipment (DME) and supplies.

Definitions. The following words and terms when used in this part shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"DMERC" means the Durable Medical Equipment Regional Carrier rate as published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/DMEPOSFeeSched/DMEPOS-Fee-Schedule.html.

"HCPCS" means the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System, Medicare's National Level II Codes, HCPCS 2006 (Eighteenth edition), as published by Ingenix, as may be periodically updated.

a. Obtaining prior authorization shall not guarantee Medicaid reimbursement for DME.

b. The following shall be the reimbursement method used for DME services:

(1) If the DME item has a DMERC rate, the reimbursement rate shall be the DMERC rate minus 10%.

(2) For DME items with no DMERC rate, the agency shall use the agency fee schedule amount.The reimbursement rates for DME and supplies shall be listed in the DMAS Medicaid Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and Supplies Listing and updated periodically. The agency fee schedule shall be available on the agency website at www.dmas.virginia.gov.

(3) If a DME item has no DMERC rate or agency fee schedule rate, the reimbursement rate shall be the manufacturer's net charge to the provider, less shipping and handling, plus 30%. The manufacturer's net charge to the provider shall be the cost to the provider minus all available discounts to the provider. Additional information specific to how DME providers, including manufacturers who are enrolled as providers, establish and document their cost or costs for DME codes that do not have established rates can be found in the relevant agency guidance document.

c. DMAS shall have the authority to amend the agency fee schedule as it deems appropriate and with notice to providers. DMAS shall have the authority to determine alternate pricing, based on agency research, for any code that does not have a rate.

d. The reimbursement for incontinence supplies shall be by selective contract. Pursuant to § 1915(a)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act and 42 CFR 431.54(d), the Commonwealth assures that adequate services/devices shall be available under such arrangements.

e. Certain durable medical equipment used for intravenous therapy and oxygen therapy shall be bundled under specified procedure codes and reimbursed as determined by the agency. Certain services/durable medical equipment such as service maintenance agreements shall be bundled under specified procedure codes and reimbursed as determined by the agency.

(1) Intravenous therapies. The DME for a single therapy, administered in one day, shall be reimbursed at the established service day rate for the bundled durable medical equipment and the standard pharmacy payment, consistent with the ingredient cost as described in 12VAC30-80-40, plus the pharmacy service day and dispensing fee. Multiple applications of the same therapy shall be included in one service day rate of reimbursement. Multiple applications of different therapies administered in one day shall be reimbursed for the bundled durable medical equipment service day rate as follows: the most expensive therapy shall be reimbursed at 100% of cost; the second and all subsequent most expensive therapies shall be reimbursed at 50% of cost. Multiple therapies administered in one day shall be reimbursed at the pharmacy service day rate plus 100% of every active therapeutic ingredient in the compound (at the lowest ingredient cost methodology) plus the appropriate pharmacy dispensing fee.

(2) Respiratory therapies. The DME for oxygen therapy shall have supplies or components bundled under a service day rate based on oxygen liter flow rate or blood gas levels. Equipment associated with respiratory therapy may have ancillary components bundled with the main component for reimbursement. The reimbursement shall be a service day per diem rate for rental of equipment or a total amount of purchase for the purchase of equipment. Such respiratory equipment shall include, but not be limited to, oxygen tanks and tubing, ventilators, noncontinuous ventilators, and suction machines. Ventilators, noncontinuous ventilators, and suction machines may be purchased based on the individual patient's medical necessity and length of need.

(3) Service maintenance agreements. Provision shall be made for a combination of services, routine maintenance, and supplies, to be known as agreements, under a single reimbursement code only for equipment that is recipient owned. Such bundled agreements shall be reimbursed either monthly or in units per year based on the individual agreement between the DME provider and DMAS. Such bundled agreements may apply to, but not necessarily be limited to, either respiratory equipment or apnea monitors.

7. Local health services.

8. Laboratory services (other than inpatient hospital).

9. Payments to physicians who handle laboratory specimens, but do not perform laboratory analysis (limited to payment for handling).

10. X-Ray services.

11. Optometry services.

12. Medical supplies and equipment.

13. Home health services. Effective June 30, 1991, cost reimbursement for home health services is eliminated. A rate per visit by discipline shall be established as set forth by 12VAC30-80-180.

14. Physical therapy; occupational therapy; and speech, hearing, language disorders services when rendered to noninstitutionalized recipients.

15. Clinic services, as defined under 42 CFR 440.90.

16. Supplemental payments for services provided by Type I physicians.

a. In addition to payments for physician services specified elsewhere in this State Plan, DMAS provides supplemental payments to Type I physicians for furnished services provided on or after July 2, 2002. A Type I physician is a member of a practice group organized by or under the control of a state academic health system or an academic health system that operates under a state authority and includes a hospital, who has entered into contractual agreements for the assignment of payments in accordance with 42 CFR 447.10.

b. Effective July 2, 2002, the supplemental payment amount for Type I physician services shall be the difference between the Medicaid payments otherwise made for Type I physician services and Medicare rates. Effective August 13, 2002, the supplemental payment amount for Type I physician services shall be the difference between the Medicaid payments otherwise made for physician services and 143% of Medicare rates. This percentage was determined by dividing the total commercial allowed amounts for Type I physicians for at least the top five commercial insurers in CY 2004 by what Medicare would have allowed. The average commercial allowed amount was determined by multiplying the relative value units times the conversion factor for RBRVS procedures and by multiplying the unit cost times anesthesia units for anesthesia procedures for each insurer and practice group with Type I physicians and summing for all insurers and practice groups. The Medicare equivalent amount was determined by multiplying the total commercial relative value units for Type I physicians times the Medicare conversion factor for RBRVS procedures and by multiplying the Medicare unit cost times total commercial anesthesia units for anesthesia procedures for all Type I physicians and summing.

c. Supplemental payments shall be made quarterly.

d. Payment will not be made to the extent that this would duplicate payments based on physician costs covered by the supplemental payments.

17. Supplemental payments for services provided by physicians at Virginia freestanding children's hospitals.

a. In addition to payments for physician services specified elsewhere in this State Plan, DMAS provides supplemental payments to Virginia freestanding children's hospital physicians providing services at freestanding children's hospitals with greater than 50% Medicaid inpatient utilization in state fiscal year 2009 for furnished services provided on or after July 1, 2011. A freestanding children's hospital physician is a member of a practice group (i) organized by or under control of a qualifying Virginia freestanding children's hospital, or (ii) who has entered into contractual agreements for provision of physician services at the qualifying Virginia freestanding children's hospital and that is designated in writing by the Virginia freestanding children's hospital as a practice plan for the quarter for which the supplemental payment is made subject to DMAS approval. The freestanding children's hospital physicians also must have entered into contractual agreements with the practice plan for the assignment of payments in accordance with 42 CFR 447.10.

b. Effective July 1, 2011, the supplemental payment amount for freestanding children's hospital physician services shall be the difference between the Medicaid payments otherwise made for freestanding children's hospital physician services and 143% of Medicare rates as defined in the supplemental payment calculation for Type I physician services subject to the following reduction. Final payments shall be reduced on a pro-rated basis so that total payments for freestanding children's hospital physician services are $400,000 less annually than would be calculated based on the formula in the previous sentence. Payments shall be made on the same schedule as Type I physicians.

18. Supplemental payments to nonstate government-owned or operated clinics.

a. In addition to payments for clinic services specified elsewhere in the regulations, DMAS provides supplemental payments to qualifying nonstate government-owned or operated clinics for outpatient services provided to Medicaid patients on or after July 2, 2002. Clinic means a facility that is not part of a hospital but is organized and operated to provide medical care to outpatients. Outpatient services include those furnished by or under the direction of a physician, dentist or other medical professional acting within the scope of his license to an eligible individual. Effective July 1, 2005, a qualifying clinic is a clinic operated by a community services board. The state share for supplemental clinic payments will be funded by general fund appropriations.

b. The amount of the supplemental payment made to each qualifying nonstate government-owned or operated clinic is determined by:

(1) Calculating for each clinic the annual difference between the upper payment limit attributed to each clinic according to subdivision 18 d of this subsection and the amount otherwise actually paid for the services by the Medicaid program;

(2) Dividing the difference determined in subdivision 18 b (1) of this subsection for each qualifying clinic by the aggregate difference for all such qualifying clinics; and

(3) Multiplying the proportion determined in subdivision 18 b (2) of this subsection by the aggregate upper payment limit amount for all such clinics as determined in accordance with 42 CFR 447.321 less all payments made to such clinics other than under this section.

c. Payments for furnished services made under this section may be made in one or more installments at such times, within the fiscal year or thereafter, as is determined by DMAS.

d. To determine the aggregate upper payment limit referred to in subdivision 18 b (3) of this subsection, Medicaid payments to nonstate government-owned or operated clinics will be divided by the "additional factor" whose calculation is described in Attachment 4.19-B, Supplement 4 (12VAC30-80-190 B 2) in regard to the state agency fee schedule for RBRVS. Medicaid payments will be estimated using payments for dates of service from the prior fiscal year adjusted for expected claim payments. Additional adjustments will be made for any program changes in Medicare or Medicaid payments.

19. Personal Assistance Services (PAS) for individuals enrolled in the Medicaid Buy-In program described in 12VAC30-60-200. These services are reimbursed in accordance with the state agency fee schedule described in 12VAC30-80-190. The state agency fee schedule is published on the Single State Agency Website DMAS website (http://dmasva.dmas.virginia.gov).

B. Hospice services payments must be no lower than the amounts using the same methodology used under Part A of Title XVIII, and take into account the room and board furnished by the facility, equal to at least 95% of the rate that would have been paid by the state under the plan for facility services in that facility for that individual. Hospice services shall be paid according to the location of the service delivery and not the location of the agency's home office.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (12VAC30-80)

Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations, 25th Edition, 2005, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

International Classification of Diseases, ICD-9-CM 2007 (effective for claims with dates of service through September 30, 2014), Physician, Volumes 1 and 2, 9th Revision-Clinical Modification, American Medical Association

Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics/Orthotics & Supplies Fee Schedules, Jan. 2012, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Virginia Medicaid Durable Medical Equipment and Supplies Provider Manual, Appendix B (rev. 1/11), Department of Medical Assistance Services

CHAPTER 95
STANDARDS ESTABLISHED AND METHODS USED FOR FEE-FOR-SERVICE REIMBURSEMENT

12VAC30-95-5. General definitions.

The following words and terms when used in 12VAC30 shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"ASAM" means the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

"ICD" means (i) for claims with dates of service on or prior to September 30, 2014, the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) Volumes 1, 2, and 3, OptumInsight, Inc., and (ii) for claims with dates of service on or after October 1, 2014, the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) and Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) pursuant to 45 CFR 162.1002, OptumInsight, Inc.

Part XIII
Client Medical Management Program

12VAC30-130-800. Definitions.

The following words and terms when used in this part shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"APA" means the Administrative Process Act established by Chapter 40 (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.) of Title 2.2 of the Code of Virginia.

"Abuse by recipients" means practices by recipients which that are inconsistent with sound fiscal or medical practices and result in unnecessary costs to the Virginia Medicaid Program.

"Abuse by providers" means practices which that are inconsistent with sound fiscal, business, or medical practices and result in unnecessary costs to the Virginia Medicaid Program or in reimbursement for a level of utilization or pattern of services that is not medically necessary.

"Card-sharing" means the intentional sharing of a recipient eligibility card for use by someone other than the recipient for whom it was issued, or a pattern of repeated unauthorized use of a recipient eligibility card by one or more persons other than the recipient for whom it was issued due to the failure of the recipient to safeguard the card.

"Client Medical Management Program (CMM) for recipients" means the recipients' utilization control program designed to prevent abuse and promote improved and cost efficient medical management of essential health care for noninstitutionalized recipients through restriction to one primary care provider, one pharmacy, and one transportation provider, or any combination of these three designated providers. Referrals may not be made to providers restricted through the Client Medical Management Program, nor may restricted providers serve as covering providers.

"Client Medical Management Program (CMM) for providers" means the providers' utilization control program designed to complement the recipient abuse and utilization control program in promoting improved and cost efficient medical management of essential health care. Restricted providers may not serve as designated providers for restricted recipients. Restricted providers may not serve as referral or covering providers for restricted recipients.

"Contraindicated medical care" means treatment which that is medically improper or undesirable and which results in duplicative or excessive utilization of services.

"Contraindicated use of drugs" means the concomitant use of two or more drugs whose combined pharmacologic action produces an undesirable therapeutic effect or induces an adverse effect by the extended use of a drug with a known potential to produce this effect.

"Covering provider" means a provider designated by the primary provider to render health care services in the temporary absence of the primary provider.

"DMAS" means the Department of Medical Assistance Services.

"Designated provider" means the provider who agrees to be the designated primary physician, designated pharmacy, or designated transportation provider from whom the restricted recipient must first attempt to seek health care services. Other providers may be established as designated providers with the approval of DMAS.

"Diagnostic category" means the broad classification of diseases and injuries found in the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) ICD as defined in 12VAC30-95-5, which is commonly used by providers in billing for medical services.

"Drug" means a substance or medication intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease as defined by the Virginia Drug Control Act (§ 54.1-3400 et seq. of the Code of Virginia).

"Duplicative medical care" means two or more practitioners concurrently treat the same or similar medical problems or conditions falling into the same diagnostic category, excluding confirmation for diagnosis, evaluation, or assessment.

"Duplicative medications" means more than one prescription of the same drug or more than one drug in the same therapeutic class.

"Emergency hospital services" means those hospital services that are necessary to treat a medical emergency. Hospital treatment of a medical emergency necessitates the use of the most accessible hospital available that is equipped to furnish the services.

"EPSDT" means the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Program, which is federally mandated for eligible individuals under the age of 21 years of age.

"Excessive medical care" means obtaining greater than necessary services such that health risks to the recipient or unnecessary costs to the Virginia Medicaid Program may ensue from the accumulation of services or obtaining duplicative services.

"Excessive medications" means obtaining medication in greater than generally acceptable maximum therapeutic dosage regimens or obtaining duplicative medication from more than one practitioner.

"Excessive transportation services" means obtaining or rendering greater than necessary transportation services such that unnecessary costs to the Virginia Medicaid Program may ensue from the accumulation of services.

"Fraud" means an intentional deception or misrepresentation made by a person with the knowledge that the deception could result in some unauthorized benefit to himself or some other person. It includes any act that constitutes fraud under applicable federal or state laws.

"Health care" means any covered services, including equipment, supplies, or transportation services, provided by any individual, organization, or entity that participates in the Virginia Medical Assistance Program.

"Medical emergency" means the sudden onset of a medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in (i) placing the client's health in serious jeopardy, (ii) serious impairment of bodily functions, or (iii) serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part.

"Medical management of essential health care" means a case management approach to health care in which the designated primary physician has responsibility for assessing the needs of the patient and making referrals to other physicians and clinics as needed. The designated pharmacy has responsibility for monitoring the drug regimen of the patient.

"Noncompliance" means failing to follow Client Medical Management Program procedures, or a pattern of utilization which that is inconsistent with sound fiscal or medical practices. Noncompliance includes, but is not limited to, failure to follow a recommended treatment plan or drug regimen; failure to disclose to a provider any treatment or services provided by another provider; requests for medical services or medications which that are not medically necessary; or excessive use of transportation services.

"Not medically necessary" means an item or service which that is not consistent with the diagnosis or treatment of the patient's condition or an item or service which that is duplicative, contraindicated, or excessive.

"Pattern" means duplication or frequent occurrence.

"Practitioner" means a health care provider licensed, registered, or otherwise permitted by law to distribute, dispense, prescribe, and administer drugs or otherwise treat medical conditions.

"Primary care provider" or "PCP" means the designated primary physician responsible for medical management of essential health care for the restricted recipient.

"Provider" means the individual, facility or other entity registered, licensed, or certified, as appropriate, and enrolled by DMAS to render services to Medicaid recipients eligible for services.

"Psychotropic drugs" means drugs which that alter the mental state. Such drugs include, but are not limited to, morphine, barbiturates, hypnotics, antianxiety agents, antidepressants, and antipsychotics.

"Recipient" means the individual who is eligible, under Title XIX of the Social Security Act, to receive Medicaid covered services.

"Recipient eligibility card" means the document issued to each Medicaid enrollee; an individual document issued to each Medicaid recipient listing the name and Medicaid number (either the identification or billing number) of the eligible individual. This document may be in the form of a plastic card magnetically encoded, allowing electronic access to inquiries for eligibility status.

"Restriction" means an administrative action imposed on a recipient which that limits access to specific types of health care services through a designated primary provider or an administrative action imposed on a provider to prohibit participation as a designated primary provider, referral, or covering provider for restricted recipients.

"Social Security Act" means the Act, enacted by the 74th Congress on August 14, 1935, which that provides for the general welfare by establishing a system of federal old age benefits, and by enabling the states to make more adequate provisions for aged persons, blind persons, dependent and crippled children, maternal and child welfare, public health, and the administration of their unemployment compensation laws.

"State Plan for Medical Assistance" or "the Plan" means the document listing the covered groups, covered services and their limitations, and provider reimbursement methodologies as provided for under Title XIX of the Social Security Act.

"Surveillance and Utilization Review Subsystem (SURS)" or "Automated Exception Analysis (AEA)" means a computer subsystem of the Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS) which that collects claims data and computes statistical profiles of recipient and provider activity and compares them with that of their particular peer group.

"Therapeutic class" means a group of drugs with similar pharmacologic actions and uses.

"Utilization control" means the control of covered health care services to assure the use of cost efficient, medically necessary or appropriate services.

VA.R. Doc. No. R14-3959; Filed April 10, 2014, 4:13 p.m.
TITLE 12. HEALTH
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES
Final Regulation

REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The following regulatory action is exempt from Article 2 of the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 c of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to meet the requirements of federal law or regulations, provided such regulations do not differ materially from those required by federal law or regulation. The Department of Medical Assistance Services will receive, consider, and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.

Titles of Regulations: 12VAC30-60. Standards Established and Methods Used to Assure High Quality Care (amending 12VAC30-60-75).

12VAC30-70. Methods and Standards for Establishing Payment Rates - Inpatient Hospital Services (amending 12VAC30-70-221).

12VAC30-80. Methods and Standards for Establishing Payment Rates; Other Types of Care (amending 12VAC30-80-20, 12VAC30-80-30).

12VAC30-95. Standards Established and Methods Used for Fee-For-Service Reimbursement (adding 12VAC30-95-5).

12VAC30-130. Amount, Duration and Scope of Selected Services (amending 12VAC30-130-800).

Statutory Authority § 32.1-325 of the Code of Virginia; 42 USC § 1396 et seq.

Effective Date: June 5, 2014.

Agency Contact: Lois Gray, Regulatory Coordinator, Division of Policy and Research, Department of Medical Assistance Services, 600 East Broad Street, Suite 1300, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 371-4300, FAX (804) 786-1680, or email lois.gray@dmas.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The amendments update references to the 10th edition of the International Classification of Diseases in compliance with federal requirements (77 FR 54664 (September 5, 2012)).

12VAC30-60-75. Durable medical equipment (DME) and supplies.

A. No provider shall have a claim of ownership on DME reimbursed by Virginia Medicaid once it has been delivered to the Medicaid individual. Providers shall only be permitted to recover DME, for example, when DMAS determines that it does not fulfill the required medically necessary purpose as set out in the Certificate of Medical Necessity (CMN), when there is an error in the ordering practitioner's CMN, or when the equipment was rented. DMAS shall not reimburse the DME and supply provider for services that are provided either: (i) prior to the date prescribed by the licensed practitioner; (ii) prior to the date of the delivery; or (iii) when services are not provided in accordance with DMAS' published regulations and guidance documents. In instances when the DME or supply is shipped directly to the Medicaid individual, the DME provider shall confirm that the DME or supplies have been received by the individual before submitting his claim for payment to DMAS.

B. DME providers, as defined in 12VAC30-50-165, shall retain copies on file of the fully completed CMN and all applicable supporting documentation for post payment audit reviews. Reimbursement that has been made by Medicaid shall be retracted if the DME and supplies have not been ordered on the CMN. Additional supporting documentation is allowed to justify the medical need for durable medical equipment and supplies. Supporting documentation shall not replace the requirement for a properly completed CMN. The dates of the supporting documentation shall coincide with the dates of service on the CMN. The licensed practitioner providing the supporting documentation shall be identified by name and title. DME providers shall not create or revise CMNs or supporting documentation for durable medical equipment and supplies that have been provided once the post payment audit review has been initiated.

C. Individuals requiring only DME or supplies may obtain such services directly from the DME provider without having to consult or obtain services from a home health service or home health provider. Supplies used for treatment during a home health visit shall be included in the visit rate of the home health provider. Treatment supplies left in the home to maintain treatment after the visits shall be charged separately.

D. CMN requirements. The CMN shall have two required components: (i) the licensed practitioner's order and (ii) the clinical diagnosis. Failure to have a complete CMN may result in nonpayment of services rendered or retraction of payments made subsequent to post payment audits.

1. Licensed practitioner's order.

a. The licensed practitioners' complete order shall appear on the face of the CMN. A complete order on the CMN shall consist of the item's complete description, the quantity ordered, the frequency of use, and the licensed practitioner's signature and complete date of signing as defined in 12VAC30-50-165. If the DME provider determines that the prescribing licensed practitioner's signature and complete date of signing are missing, he shall consider the CMN to be invalid and he shall request a new CMN.

b. The following CMN fields (as indicated by an asterisk on the CMN) shall be required for reimbursement:

(1) The ordered item's description. If the item is an E1399 (miscellaneous), the description of the item shall not be "miscellaneous DME," but the provider shall specify the DME item or supply.

(2) The quantity ordered as found in the licensed practitioner's order. For expendable supplies the provider shall designate supplies needed for one month. If an item is not needed every month, the provider may designate an alternate time frame.

(3) The frequency of use of the DME item or supply.

(4) The licensed practitioner's signature and full date. If either the licensed practitioner's signature or full date, or both, are missing, then the entire CMN shall be deemed to be invalid and a new CMN shall be obtained. The licensed practitioner's signature certifies that the ordered DME and supplies are a part of the treatment plan and are medically necessary for the Medicaid individual.

c. The begin service date on the CMN is optional.

(1) If the provider enters a begin service date, the CMN must be signed and dated by the licensed practitioner within 60 days of the begin service date in order for the CMN to start from the begin date.

(2) If no begin service date is documented on the CMN, the date of the practitioner's signature shall be the start date of the CMN.

2. The clinical diagnosis.

a. The narrative description of the clinical diagnosis shall be recorded on the face of the CMN.

b. The recording on the face of the CMN of the relevant ICD-9 ICD diagnosis code shall be optional. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

3. Supporting documentation.

a. Supporting documentation may be included in the additional information attached to the CMN.

b. The attachment of supporting documentation shall not replace the requirement for a properly completed CMN.

Article 2
Prospective (DRG-Based) Payment Methodology

12VAC30-70-221. General.

A. Effective July 1, 2000, the prospective (DRG-based) payment system described in this article shall apply to inpatient hospital services provided in enrolled general acute care hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, and freestanding psychiatric facilities licensed as hospitals, unless otherwise noted.

B. The following methodologies shall apply under the prospective payment system:

1. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-231, operating payments for DRG cases that are not transfer cases shall be determined on the basis of a hospital specific operating rate per case times relative weight of the DRG to which the case is assigned.

2. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-241, operating payments for per diem cases shall be determined on the basis of a hospital specific operating rate per day times the covered days for the case with the exception of payments for per diem cases in freestanding psychiatric facilities. Payments for per diem cases in freestanding psychiatric facilities licensed as hospitals shall be determined on the basis of a hospital specific rate per day that represents an all-inclusive payment for operating and capital costs.

3. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-251, operating payments for transfer cases shall be determined as follows: (i) the transferring hospital shall receive an operating per diem payment, not to exceed the DRG operating payment that would have otherwise been made and (ii) the final discharging hospital shall receive the full DRG operating payment.

4. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-261, additional operating payments shall be made for outlier cases. These additional payments shall be added to the operating payments determined in subdivisions 1 and 3 of this subsection.

5. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-271, payments for capital costs shall be made on an allowable cost basis.

6. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-281, payments for direct medical education costs of nursing schools and paramedical programs shall be made on an allowable cost basis. Payment for direct graduate medical education (GME) costs for interns and residents shall be made quarterly on a prospective basis, subject to cost settlement based on the number of full time equivalent (FTE) interns and residents as reported on the cost report.

7. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-291, payments for indirect medical education costs shall be made quarterly on a prospective basis.

8. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-301, payments to hospitals that qualify as disproportionate share hospitals shall be made quarterly on a prospective basis.

C. The terms used in this article shall be defined as provided in this subsection:

"Base year" means the state fiscal year for which data is used to establish the DRG relative weights, the hospital case-mix indices, the base year standardized operating costs per case, and the base year standardized operating costs per day. The base year will change when the DRG payment system is rebased and recalibrated. In subsequent rebasings, the Commonwealth shall notify affected providers of the base year to be used in this calculation.

"Base year standardized costs per case" reflects means the statewide average hospital costs per discharge for DRG cases in the base year. The standardization process removes the effects of case-mix and regional variations in wages from the claims data and places all hospitals on a comparable basis.

"Base year standardized costs per day" reflects means the statewide average hospital costs per day for per diem cases in the base year. The standardization process removes the effects of regional variations in wages from the claims data and places all hospitals on a comparable basis. Base year standardized costs per day were calculated separately, but using the same calculation methodology, for the different types of per diem cases identified in this subsection under the definition of "per diem cases."

"Cost" means allowable cost as defined in Supplement 3 (12VAC30-70-10 through 12VAC30-70-130) and by Medicare principles of reimbursement.

"Disproportionate share hospital" means a hospital that meets the following criteria:

1. A Medicaid utilization rate in excess of 14%, or a low-income patient utilization rate exceeding 25% (as defined in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 and as amended by the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act of 1988); and

2. At least two obstetricians with staff privileges at the hospital who have agreed to provide obstetric services to individuals entitled to such services under a state Medicaid plan. In the case of a hospital located in a rural area (that is, an area outside of a Metropolitan Statistical Area as defined by the Executive Office of Management and Budget), the term "obstetrician" includes any physician with staff privileges at the hospital to perform nonemergency obstetric procedures.

3. Subdivision 2 of this definition does not apply to a hospital:

a. At which the inpatients are predominantly individuals under 18 years of age; or

b. Which does not offer nonemergency obstetric services as of December 21, 1987.

"DRG cases" means medical/surgical cases subject to payment on the basis of DRGs. DRG cases do not include per diem cases.

"DRG relative weight" means the average standardized costs for cases assigned to that DRG divided by the average standardized costs for cases assigned to all DRGs.

"Groupable cases" means DRG cases having coding data of sufficient quality to support DRG assignment.

"Hospital case-mix index" means the weighted average DRG relative weight for all cases occurring at that hospital.

"Medicaid utilization percentage" is equal to the hospital's total Medicaid inpatient days divided by the hospital's total inpatient days for a given hospital fiscal year. The Medicaid utilization percentage includes days associated with inpatient hospital services provided to Medicaid patients but reimbursed by capitated managed care providers. This definition includes all paid Medicaid days (from DMAS MR reports for fee-for-service days and managed care organization or hospital reports for HMO days) and nonpaid/denied Medicaid days to include medically unnecessary days, inappropriate level of care service days, and days that exceed any maximum day limits (with appropriate documentation). The definition of Medicaid days does not include any general assistance, Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS), State and Local Hospitalization (SLH), charity care, low-income, indigent care, uncompensated care, bad debt, or Medicare dually eligible days. It does not include days for newborns not enrolled in Medicaid during the fiscal year even though the mother was Medicaid eligible during the birth.

"Medicare wage index" and the "Medicare geographic adjustment factor" are published annually in the Federal Register by the Health Care Financing Administration. The indices and factors used in this article shall be those in effect in the base year.

"Operating cost-to-charge ratio" equals the hospital's total operating costs, less any applicable operating costs for a psychiatric DPU, divided by the hospital's total charges, less any applicable charges for a psychiatric DPU. The operating cost-to-charge ratio shall be calculated using data from cost reports from hospital fiscal years ending in the state fiscal year used as the base year.

"Outlier adjustment factor" means a fixed factor published annually in the Federal Register by the Health Care Financing Administration. The factor used in this article shall be the one in effect in the base year.

"Outlier cases" means those DRG cases, including transfer cases, in which the hospital's adjusted operating cost for the case exceeds the hospital's operating outlier threshold for the case.

"Outlier operating fixed loss threshold" means a fixed dollar amount applicable to all hospitals that shall be calculated in the base year so as to result in an expenditure for outliers operating payments equal to 5.1% of total operating payments for DRG cases. The threshold shall be updated in subsequent years using the same inflation values applied to hospital rates.

"Per diem cases" means cases subject to per diem payment and include includes (i) covered psychiatric cases in general acute care hospitals and distinct part units (DPUs) of general acute care hospitals (hereinafter "acute care psychiatric cases"), (ii) covered psychiatric cases in freestanding psychiatric facilities licensed as hospitals (hereinafter "freestanding psychiatric cases"), and (iii) rehabilitation cases in general acute care hospitals and rehabilitation hospitals (hereinafter "rehabilitation cases").

"Psychiatric cases" means cases with a principal diagnosis that is a mental disorder as specified in the ICD-9-CM ICD, as defined in 12VAC30-95-5. Not all mental disorders are covered. For coverage information, see Amount, Duration, and Scope of Services, Supplement 1 to Attachment 3.1 A & B (12VAC30-50-95 through 12VAC30-50-310). The limit of coverage of 21 days in a 60-day period for the same or similar diagnosis shall continue to apply to adult psychiatric cases.

"Psychiatric operating cost-to-charge ratio" for the psychiatric DPU of a general acute care hospital means the hospital's operating costs for a psychiatric DPU divided by the hospital's charges for a psychiatric DPU. In the base year, this ratio shall be calculated as described in the definition of "operating cost-to-charge ratio" in this subsection, using data from psychiatric DPUs.

"Readmissions" occur means when patients are readmitted to the same hospital for the same or a similar diagnosis within five days of discharge. Such cases shall be considered a continuation of the same stay and shall not be treated as a new case cases. Similar diagnoses shall be defined as ICD-9-CM ICD diagnosis codes possessing the same first three digits. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

"Rehabilitation operating cost-to-charge ratio" for a rehabilitation unit or hospital means the provider's operating costs divided by the provider's charges. In the base year, this ratio shall be calculated as described in the definition of "operating cost-to-charge ratio" in this subsection, using data from rehabilitation units or hospitals.

"Statewide average labor portion of operating costs" means a fixed percentage applicable to all hospitals. The percentage shall be periodically revised using the most recent reliable data from the Virginia Health Information (VHI), or its successor.

"Transfer cases" means DRG cases involving patients (i) who are transferred from one general acute care hospital to another for related care or (ii) who are discharged from one general acute care hospital and admitted to another for the same or a similar diagnosis within five days of that discharge. Similar diagnoses shall be defined as ICD-9-CM ICD diagnosis codes possessing the same first three digits. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12 VAC 30-95-5.

"Type One" hospitals means those hospitals that were state-owned teaching hospitals on January 1, 1996. "Type Two" hospitals means all other hospitals.

"Ungroupable cases" means cases assigned to DRG 469 (principal diagnosis invalid as discharge diagnosis) and DRG 470 (ungroupable) as determined by the AP-DRG Grouper.

D. The All Patient Diagnosis Related Groups (AP-DRG) Grouper shall be used in the DRG payment system. Until notification of a change is given, Version 14.0 of this grouper shall be used. DMAS shall notify hospitals when updating the system to later grouper versions.

E. The primary data sources used in the development of the DRG payment methodology were the department's hospital computerized claims history file and the cost report file. The claims history file captures available claims data from all enrolled, cost-reporting general acute care hospitals, including Type One hospitals. The cost report file captures audited cost and charge data from all enrolled general acute care hospitals, including Type One hospitals. The following table identifies key data elements that were used to develop the DRG payment methodology and that will be used when the system is recalibrated and rebased.

Data Elements for DRG Payment Methodology

Data Elements

Source

Total charges for each groupable case

Claims history file

Number of groupable cases in each DRG

Claims history file

Total number of groupable cases

Claims history file

Total charges for each DRG case

Claims history file

Total number of DRG cases

Claims history file

Total charges for each acute care psychiatric case

Claims history file

Total number of acute care psychiatric days for each acute care hospital

Claims history file

Total charges for each freestanding psychiatric case

Medicare cost reports

Total number of psychiatric days for each freestanding psychiatric hospital

Medicare cost reports

Total charges for each rehabilitation case

Claims history file

Total number of rehabilitation days for each acute care and freestanding rehabilitation hospital

Claims history file

Operating cost-to-charge ratio for each hospital

Cost report file

Operating cost-to-charge ratio for each freestanding psychiatric facility licensed as a hospital

Medicare cost reports

Psychiatric operating cost-to-charge ratio for the psychiatric DPU of each general acute care hospital

Cost report file

Rehabilitation cost-to-charge ratio for each rehabilitation unit or hospital

Cost report file

Statewide average labor portion of operating costs

VHI

Medicare wage index for each hospital

Federal Register

Medicare geographic adjustment factor for each hospital

Federal Register

Outlier operating fixed loss threshold

Claims history file

Outlier adjustment factor

Federal Register

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (12VAC30-70)

All Patient Diagnosis Related Groups (AP-DRG) Grouper, DRG and MDC Code Listings, Version 12, January 1995

Health Care Cost Review, Third Quarter 2009, IHS Global Insight

International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9-CM) Physician, Volumes 1 and 2, American Medical Association, 2007

12VAC30-80-20. Services that are reimbursed on a cost basis.

A. Payments for services listed below shall be on the basis of reasonable cost following the standards and principles applicable to the Title XVIII Program with the exception provided for in subdivision D 1 d of this section. The upper limit for reimbursement shall be no higher than payments for Medicare patients on a facility by facility basis in accordance with 42 CFR 447.321 and 42 CFR 447.325. In no instance, however, shall charges for beneficiaries of the program be in excess of charges for private patients receiving services from the provider. The professional component for emergency room physicians shall continue to be uncovered as a component of the payment to the facility.

B. Reasonable costs will be determined from the filing of a uniform cost report by participating providers. The cost reports are due not later than 150 days after the provider's fiscal year end. If a complete cost report is not received within 150 days after the end of the provider's fiscal year, the Program shall take action in accordance with its policies to assure that an overpayment is not being made. The cost report will be judged complete when DMAS has all of the following:

1. Completed cost reporting form(s) provided by DMAS, with signed certification(s);

2. The provider's trial balance showing adjusting journal entries;

3. The provider's financial statements including, but not limited to, a balance sheet, a statement of income and expenses, a statement of retained earnings (or fund balance), and a statement of changes in financial position;

4. Schedules that reconcile financial statements and trial balance to expenses claimed in the cost report;

5. Depreciation schedule or summary;

6. Home office cost report, if applicable; and

7. Such other analytical information or supporting documents requested by DMAS when the cost reporting forms are sent to the provider.

C. Item 398 D of the 1987 Appropriation Act (as amended), effective April 8, 1987, eliminated reimbursement of return on equity capital to proprietary providers.

D. The services that are cost reimbursed are:

1. Outpatient hospital services, including rehabilitation hospital outpatient services and excluding laboratory services.

a. Definitions. The following words and terms when used in this regulation shall have the following meanings when applied to emergency services unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"All-inclusive" means all emergency department and ancillary service charges claimed in association with the emergency room visit, with the exception of laboratory services.

"DMAS" means the Department of Medical Assistance Services consistent with Chapter 10 (§ 32.1-323 et seq.) of Title 32.1 of the Code of Virginia.

"Emergency hospital services" means services that are necessary to prevent the death or serious impairment of the health of the recipient. The threat to the life or health of the recipient necessitates the use of the most accessible hospital available that is equipped to furnish the services.

"Recent injury" means an injury that has occurred less than 72 hours prior to the emergency department visit.

b. Scope. DMAS shall differentiate, as determined by the attending physician's diagnosis, the kinds of care routinely rendered in emergency departments and reimburse for nonemergency care rendered in emergency departments at a reduced rate.

(1) With the exception of laboratory services, DMAS shall reimburse at a reduced and all-inclusive reimbursement rate for all services, including those obstetric and pediatric procedures contained in 12VAC30-80-160, rendered in emergency departments that DMAS determines were nonemergency care.

(2) Services determined by the attending physician to be emergencies shall be reimbursed under the existing methodologies and at the existing rates.

(3) Services performed by the attending physician that may be emergencies shall be manually reviewed. If such services meet certain criteria, they shall be paid under the methodology for subdivision 1 b (2) of this subsection. Services not meeting certain criteria shall be paid under the methodology of subdivision 1 b (1) of this subsection. Such criteria shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) The initial treatment following a recent obvious injury.

(b) Treatment related to an injury sustained more than 72 hours prior to the visit with the deterioration of the symptoms to the point of requiring medical treatment for stabilization.

(c) The initial treatment for medical emergencies including indications of severe chest pain, dyspnea, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, spontaneous abortion, loss of consciousness, status epilepticus, or other conditions considered life threatening.

(d) A visit in which the recipient's condition requires immediate hospital admission or the transfer to another facility for further treatment or a visit in which the recipient dies.

(e) Services provided for acute vital sign changes as specified in the provider manual.

(f) Services provided for severe pain when combined with one or more of the other guidelines.

(4) Payment shall be determined based on ICD-9-CM ICD diagnosis codes and necessary supporting documentation. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

(5) DMAS shall review on an ongoing basis the effectiveness of this program in achieving its objectives and for its effect on recipients, physicians, and hospitals. Program components may be revised subject to achieving program intent, the accuracy and effectiveness of the ICD-9-CM ICD code designations, and the impact on recipients and providers. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

c. Limitation of allowable cost. Effective for services on and after July 1, 2003, reimbursement of Type Two hospitals for outpatient services shall be at various percentages as noted in subdivisions 1 c (1) and (2) of this subsection of allowable cost, with cost to be determined as provided in subsections A, B, and C of this section. For hospitals with fiscal years that do not begin on July 1, outpatient costs, both operating and capital, for the fiscal year in progress on that date shall be apportioned between the time period before and the time period after that date, based on the number of calendar months in the cost reporting period, falling before and after that date.

(1) Type One hospitals.

(a) Effective July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2010, hospital outpatient operating reimbursement shall be at 94.2% of allowable cost and capital reimbursement shall be at 90% of allowable cost.

(b) Effective July 1, 2010, through September 30, 2010, hospital outpatient operating reimbursement shall be at 91.2% of allowable cost and capital reimbursement shall be at 87% of allowable cost.

(c) Effective October 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011, hospital outpatient operating reimbursement shall be at 94.2% of allowable cost and capital reimbursement shall be at 90% of allowable cost.

(d) Effective July 1, 2011, hospital outpatient operating reimbursement shall be at 90.2% of allowable cost and capital reimbursement shall be at 86% of allowable cost.

(2) Type Two hospitals.

(a) Effective July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2010, hospital outpatient operating and capital reimbursement shall be 80% of allowable cost.

(b) Effective July 1, 2010, through September 30, 2010, hospital outpatient operating and capital reimbursement shall be 77% of allowable cost.

(c) Effective October 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011, hospital outpatient operating and capital reimbursement shall be 80% of allowable cost.

(d) Effective July 1, 2011, hospital outpatient operating and capital reimbursement shall be 76% of allowable cost.

d. Payment for direct medical education costs of nursing schools, paramedical programs and graduate medical education for interns and residents.

(1) Direct medical education costs of nursing schools and paramedical programs shall continue to be paid on an allowable cost basis.

(2) Effective with cost reporting periods beginning on or after July 1, 2002, direct graduate medical education (GME) costs for interns and residents shall be reimbursed on a per-resident prospective basis. See 12VAC30-70-281 for prospective payment methodology for graduate medical education for interns and residents.

2. Rehabilitation agencies or comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation.

a. Effective July 1, 2009, rehabilitation agencies or comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities that are operated by community services boards or state agencies shall be reimbursed their costs. For reimbursement methodology applicable to all other rehabilitation agencies, see 12VAC30-80-200.

b. Effective October 1, 2009, rehabilitation agencies or comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities operated by state agencies shall be reimbursed their costs. For reimbursement methodology applicable to all other rehabilitation agencies, see 12VAC30-80-200.

12VAC30-80-30. Fee-for-service providers.

A. Payment for the following services, except for physician services, shall be the lower of the state agency fee schedule (12VAC30-80-190 has information about the state agency fee schedule) or actual charge (charge to the general public):

1. Physicians' services. Payment for physician services shall be the lower of the state agency fee schedule or actual charge (charge to the general public). The following limitations shall apply to emergency physician services.

a. Definitions. The following words and terms, when used in this subdivision 1 shall have the following meanings when applied to emergency services unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"All-inclusive" means all emergency service and ancillary service charges claimed in association with the emergency department visit, with the exception of laboratory services.

"DMAS" means the Department of Medical Assistance Services consistent with Chapter 10 (§ 32.1-323 et seq.) of Title 32.1 of the Code of Virginia.

"Emergency physician services" means services that are necessary to prevent the death or serious impairment of the health of the recipient. The threat to the life or health of the recipient necessitates the use of the most accessible hospital available that is equipped to furnish the services.

"Recent injury" means an injury that has occurred less than 72 hours prior to the emergency department visit.

b. Scope. DMAS shall differentiate, as determined by the attending physician's diagnosis, the kinds of care routinely rendered in emergency departments and reimburse physicians for nonemergency care rendered in emergency departments at a reduced rate.

(1) DMAS shall reimburse at a reduced and all-inclusive reimbursement rate for all physician services, including those obstetric and pediatric procedures contained in 12VAC30-80-160, rendered in emergency departments that DMAS determines are nonemergency care.

(2) Services determined by the attending physician to be emergencies shall be reimbursed under the existing methodologies and at the existing rates.

(3) Services determined by the attending physician that may be emergencies shall be manually reviewed. If such services meet certain criteria, they shall be paid under the methodology in subdivision 1 b (2) of this subsection. Services not meeting certain criteria shall be paid under the methodology in subdivision 1 b (1) of this subsection. Such criteria shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) The initial treatment following a recent obvious injury.

(b) Treatment related to an injury sustained more than 72 hours prior to the visit with the deterioration of the symptoms to the point of requiring medical treatment for stabilization.

(c) The initial treatment for medical emergencies including indications of severe chest pain, dyspnea, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, spontaneous abortion, loss of consciousness, status epilepticus, or other conditions considered life threatening.

(d) A visit in which the recipient's condition requires immediate hospital admission or the transfer to another facility for further treatment or a visit in which the recipient dies.

(e) Services provided for acute vital sign changes as specified in the provider manual.

(f) Services provided for severe pain when combined with one or more of the other guidelines.

(4) Payment shall be determined based on ICD-9-CM ICD diagnosis codes and necessary supporting documentation. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

(5) DMAS shall review on an ongoing basis the effectiveness of this program in achieving its objectives and for its effect on recipients, physicians, and hospitals. Program components may be revised subject to achieving program intent objectives, the accuracy and effectiveness of the ICD-9-CM ICD code designations, and the impact on recipients and providers. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

2. Dentists' services.

3. Mental health services including: (i) community mental health services;, (ii) services of a licensed clinical psychologist;, or (iii) mental health services provided by a physician.

a. Services provided by licensed clinical psychologists shall be reimbursed at 90% of the reimbursement rate for psychiatrists.

b. Services provided by independently enrolled licensed clinical social workers, licensed professional counselors or licensed clinical nurse specialists-psychiatric shall be reimbursed at 75% of the reimbursement rate for licensed clinical psychologists.

4. Podiatry.

5. Nurse-midwife services.

6. Durable medical equipment (DME) and supplies.

Definitions. The following words and terms when used in this part shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"DMERC" means the Durable Medical Equipment Regional Carrier rate as published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/DMEPOSFeeSched/DMEPOS-Fee-Schedule.html.

"HCPCS" means the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System, Medicare's National Level II Codes, HCPCS 2006 (Eighteenth edition), as published by Ingenix, as may be periodically updated.

a. Obtaining prior authorization shall not guarantee Medicaid reimbursement for DME.

b. The following shall be the reimbursement method used for DME services:

(1) If the DME item has a DMERC rate, the reimbursement rate shall be the DMERC rate minus 10%.

(2) For DME items with no DMERC rate, the agency shall use the agency fee schedule amount.The reimbursement rates for DME and supplies shall be listed in the DMAS Medicaid Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and Supplies Listing and updated periodically. The agency fee schedule shall be available on the agency website at www.dmas.virginia.gov.

(3) If a DME item has no DMERC rate or agency fee schedule rate, the reimbursement rate shall be the manufacturer's net charge to the provider, less shipping and handling, plus 30%. The manufacturer's net charge to the provider shall be the cost to the provider minus all available discounts to the provider. Additional information specific to how DME providers, including manufacturers who are enrolled as providers, establish and document their cost or costs for DME codes that do not have established rates can be found in the relevant agency guidance document.

c. DMAS shall have the authority to amend the agency fee schedule as it deems appropriate and with notice to providers. DMAS shall have the authority to determine alternate pricing, based on agency research, for any code that does not have a rate.

d. The reimbursement for incontinence supplies shall be by selective contract. Pursuant to § 1915(a)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act and 42 CFR 431.54(d), the Commonwealth assures that adequate services/devices shall be available under such arrangements.

e. Certain durable medical equipment used for intravenous therapy and oxygen therapy shall be bundled under specified procedure codes and reimbursed as determined by the agency. Certain services/durable medical equipment such as service maintenance agreements shall be bundled under specified procedure codes and reimbursed as determined by the agency.

(1) Intravenous therapies. The DME for a single therapy, administered in one day, shall be reimbursed at the established service day rate for the bundled durable medical equipment and the standard pharmacy payment, consistent with the ingredient cost as described in 12VAC30-80-40, plus the pharmacy service day and dispensing fee. Multiple applications of the same therapy shall be included in one service day rate of reimbursement. Multiple applications of different therapies administered in one day shall be reimbursed for the bundled durable medical equipment service day rate as follows: the most expensive therapy shall be reimbursed at 100% of cost; the second and all subsequent most expensive therapies shall be reimbursed at 50% of cost. Multiple therapies administered in one day shall be reimbursed at the pharmacy service day rate plus 100% of every active therapeutic ingredient in the compound (at the lowest ingredient cost methodology) plus the appropriate pharmacy dispensing fee.

(2) Respiratory therapies. The DME for oxygen therapy shall have supplies or components bundled under a service day rate based on oxygen liter flow rate or blood gas levels. Equipment associated with respiratory therapy may have ancillary components bundled with the main component for reimbursement. The reimbursement shall be a service day per diem rate for rental of equipment or a total amount of purchase for the purchase of equipment. Such respiratory equipment shall include, but not be limited to, oxygen tanks and tubing, ventilators, noncontinuous ventilators, and suction machines. Ventilators, noncontinuous ventilators, and suction machines may be purchased based on the individual patient's medical necessity and length of need.

(3) Service maintenance agreements. Provision shall be made for a combination of services, routine maintenance, and supplies, to be known as agreements, under a single reimbursement code only for equipment that is recipient owned. Such bundled agreements shall be reimbursed either monthly or in units per year based on the individual agreement between the DME provider and DMAS. Such bundled agreements may apply to, but not necessarily be limited to, either respiratory equipment or apnea monitors.

7. Local health services.

8. Laboratory services (other than inpatient hospital).

9. Payments to physicians who handle laboratory specimens, but do not perform laboratory analysis (limited to payment for handling).

10. X-Ray services.

11. Optometry services.

12. Medical supplies and equipment.

13. Home health services. Effective June 30, 1991, cost reimbursement for home health services is eliminated. A rate per visit by discipline shall be established as set forth by 12VAC30-80-180.

14. Physical therapy; occupational therapy; and speech, hearing, language disorders services when rendered to noninstitutionalized recipients.

15. Clinic services, as defined under 42 CFR 440.90.

16. Supplemental payments for services provided by Type I physicians.

a. In addition to payments for physician services specified elsewhere in this State Plan, DMAS provides supplemental payments to Type I physicians for furnished services provided on or after July 2, 2002. A Type I physician is a member of a practice group organized by or under the control of a state academic health system or an academic health system that operates under a state authority and includes a hospital, who has entered into contractual agreements for the assignment of payments in accordance with 42 CFR 447.10.

b. Effective July 2, 2002, the supplemental payment amount for Type I physician services shall be the difference between the Medicaid payments otherwise made for Type I physician services and Medicare rates. Effective August 13, 2002, the supplemental payment amount for Type I physician services shall be the difference between the Medicaid payments otherwise made for physician services and 143% of Medicare rates. This percentage was determined by dividing the total commercial allowed amounts for Type I physicians for at least the top five commercial insurers in CY 2004 by what Medicare would have allowed. The average commercial allowed amount was determined by multiplying the relative value units times the conversion factor for RBRVS procedures and by multiplying the unit cost times anesthesia units for anesthesia procedures for each insurer and practice group with Type I physicians and summing for all insurers and practice groups. The Medicare equivalent amount was determined by multiplying the total commercial relative value units for Type I physicians times the Medicare conversion factor for RBRVS procedures and by multiplying the Medicare unit cost times total commercial anesthesia units for anesthesia procedures for all Type I physicians and summing.

c. Supplemental payments shall be made quarterly.

d. Payment will not be made to the extent that this would duplicate payments based on physician costs covered by the supplemental payments.

17. Supplemental payments for services provided by physicians at Virginia freestanding children's hospitals.

a. In addition to payments for physician services specified elsewhere in this State Plan, DMAS provides supplemental payments to Virginia freestanding children's hospital physicians providing services at freestanding children's hospitals with greater than 50% Medicaid inpatient utilization in state fiscal year 2009 for furnished services provided on or after July 1, 2011. A freestanding children's hospital physician is a member of a practice group (i) organized by or under control of a qualifying Virginia freestanding children's hospital, or (ii) who has entered into contractual agreements for provision of physician services at the qualifying Virginia freestanding children's hospital and that is designated in writing by the Virginia freestanding children's hospital as a practice plan for the quarter for which the supplemental payment is made subject to DMAS approval. The freestanding children's hospital physicians also must have entered into contractual agreements with the practice plan for the assignment of payments in accordance with 42 CFR 447.10.

b. Effective July 1, 2011, the supplemental payment amount for freestanding children's hospital physician services shall be the difference between the Medicaid payments otherwise made for freestanding children's hospital physician services and 143% of Medicare rates as defined in the supplemental payment calculation for Type I physician services subject to the following reduction. Final payments shall be reduced on a pro-rated basis so that total payments for freestanding children's hospital physician services are $400,000 less annually than would be calculated based on the formula in the previous sentence. Payments shall be made on the same schedule as Type I physicians.

18. Supplemental payments to nonstate government-owned or operated clinics.

a. In addition to payments for clinic services specified elsewhere in the regulations, DMAS provides supplemental payments to qualifying nonstate government-owned or operated clinics for outpatient services provided to Medicaid patients on or after July 2, 2002. Clinic means a facility that is not part of a hospital but is organized and operated to provide medical care to outpatients. Outpatient services include those furnished by or under the direction of a physician, dentist or other medical professional acting within the scope of his license to an eligible individual. Effective July 1, 2005, a qualifying clinic is a clinic operated by a community services board. The state share for supplemental clinic payments will be funded by general fund appropriations.

b. The amount of the supplemental payment made to each qualifying nonstate government-owned or operated clinic is determined by:

(1) Calculating for each clinic the annual difference between the upper payment limit attributed to each clinic according to subdivision 18 d of this subsection and the amount otherwise actually paid for the services by the Medicaid program;

(2) Dividing the difference determined in subdivision 18 b (1) of this subsection for each qualifying clinic by the aggregate difference for all such qualifying clinics; and

(3) Multiplying the proportion determined in subdivision 18 b (2) of this subsection by the aggregate upper payment limit amount for all such clinics as determined in accordance with 42 CFR 447.321 less all payments made to such clinics other than under this section.

c. Payments for furnished services made under this section may be made in one or more installments at such times, within the fiscal year or thereafter, as is determined by DMAS.

d. To determine the aggregate upper payment limit referred to in subdivision 18 b (3) of this subsection, Medicaid payments to nonstate government-owned or operated clinics will be divided by the "additional factor" whose calculation is described in Attachment 4.19-B, Supplement 4 (12VAC30-80-190 B 2) in regard to the state agency fee schedule for RBRVS. Medicaid payments will be estimated using payments for dates of service from the prior fiscal year adjusted for expected claim payments. Additional adjustments will be made for any program changes in Medicare or Medicaid payments.

19. Personal Assistance Services (PAS) for individuals enrolled in the Medicaid Buy-In program described in 12VAC30-60-200. These services are reimbursed in accordance with the state agency fee schedule described in 12VAC30-80-190. The state agency fee schedule is published on the Single State Agency Website DMAS website (http://dmasva.dmas.virginia.gov).

B. Hospice services payments must be no lower than the amounts using the same methodology used under Part A of Title XVIII, and take into account the room and board furnished by the facility, equal to at least 95% of the rate that would have been paid by the state under the plan for facility services in that facility for that individual. Hospice services shall be paid according to the location of the service delivery and not the location of the agency's home office.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (12VAC30-80)

Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations, 25th Edition, 2005, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

International Classification of Diseases, ICD-9-CM 2007 (effective for claims with dates of service through September 30, 2014), Physician, Volumes 1 and 2, 9th Revision-Clinical Modification, American Medical Association

Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics/Orthotics & Supplies Fee Schedules, Jan. 2012, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Virginia Medicaid Durable Medical Equipment and Supplies Provider Manual, Appendix B (rev. 1/11), Department of Medical Assistance Services

CHAPTER 95
STANDARDS ESTABLISHED AND METHODS USED FOR FEE-FOR-SERVICE REIMBURSEMENT

12VAC30-95-5. General definitions.

The following words and terms when used in 12VAC30 shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"ASAM" means the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

"ICD" means (i) for claims with dates of service on or prior to September 30, 2014, the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) Volumes 1, 2, and 3, OptumInsight, Inc., and (ii) for claims with dates of service on or after October 1, 2014, the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) and Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) pursuant to 45 CFR 162.1002, OptumInsight, Inc.

Part XIII
Client Medical Management Program

12VAC30-130-800. Definitions.

The following words and terms when used in this part shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"APA" means the Administrative Process Act established by Chapter 40 (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.) of Title 2.2 of the Code of Virginia.

"Abuse by recipients" means practices by recipients which that are inconsistent with sound fiscal or medical practices and result in unnecessary costs to the Virginia Medicaid Program.

"Abuse by providers" means practices which that are inconsistent with sound fiscal, business, or medical practices and result in unnecessary costs to the Virginia Medicaid Program or in reimbursement for a level of utilization or pattern of services that is not medically necessary.

"Card-sharing" means the intentional sharing of a recipient eligibility card for use by someone other than the recipient for whom it was issued, or a pattern of repeated unauthorized use of a recipient eligibility card by one or more persons other than the recipient for whom it was issued due to the failure of the recipient to safeguard the card.

"Client Medical Management Program (CMM) for recipients" means the recipients' utilization control program designed to prevent abuse and promote improved and cost efficient medical management of essential health care for noninstitutionalized recipients through restriction to one primary care provider, one pharmacy, and one transportation provider, or any combination of these three designated providers. Referrals may not be made to providers restricted through the Client Medical Management Program, nor may restricted providers serve as covering providers.

"Client Medical Management Program (CMM) for providers" means the providers' utilization control program designed to complement the recipient abuse and utilization control program in promoting improved and cost efficient medical management of essential health care. Restricted providers may not serve as designated providers for restricted recipients. Restricted providers may not serve as referral or covering providers for restricted recipients.

"Contraindicated medical care" means treatment which that is medically improper or undesirable and which results in duplicative or excessive utilization of services.

"Contraindicated use of drugs" means the concomitant use of two or more drugs whose combined pharmacologic action produces an undesirable therapeutic effect or induces an adverse effect by the extended use of a drug with a known potential to produce this effect.

"Covering provider" means a provider designated by the primary provider to render health care services in the temporary absence of the primary provider.

"DMAS" means the Department of Medical Assistance Services.

"Designated provider" means the provider who agrees to be the designated primary physician, designated pharmacy, or designated transportation provider from whom the restricted recipient must first attempt to seek health care services. Other providers may be established as designated providers with the approval of DMAS.

"Diagnostic category" means the broad classification of diseases and injuries found in the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) ICD as defined in 12VAC30-95-5, which is commonly used by providers in billing for medical services.

"Drug" means a substance or medication intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease as defined by the Virginia Drug Control Act (§ 54.1-3400 et seq. of the Code of Virginia).

"Duplicative medical care" means two or more practitioners concurrently treat the same or similar medical problems or conditions falling into the same diagnostic category, excluding confirmation for diagnosis, evaluation, or assessment.

"Duplicative medications" means more than one prescription of the same drug or more than one drug in the same therapeutic class.

"Emergency hospital services" means those hospital services that are necessary to treat a medical emergency. Hospital treatment of a medical emergency necessitates the use of the most accessible hospital available that is equipped to furnish the services.

"EPSDT" means the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Program, which is federally mandated for eligible individuals under the age of 21 years of age.

"Excessive medical care" means obtaining greater than necessary services such that health risks to the recipient or unnecessary costs to the Virginia Medicaid Program may ensue from the accumulation of services or obtaining duplicative services.

"Excessive medications" means obtaining medication in greater than generally acceptable maximum therapeutic dosage regimens or obtaining duplicative medication from more than one practitioner.

"Excessive transportation services" means obtaining or rendering greater than necessary transportation services such that unnecessary costs to the Virginia Medicaid Program may ensue from the accumulation of services.

"Fraud" means an intentional deception or misrepresentation made by a person with the knowledge that the deception could result in some unauthorized benefit to himself or some other person. It includes any act that constitutes fraud under applicable federal or state laws.

"Health care" means any covered services, including equipment, supplies, or transportation services, provided by any individual, organization, or entity that participates in the Virginia Medical Assistance Program.

"Medical emergency" means the sudden onset of a medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in (i) placing the client's health in serious jeopardy, (ii) serious impairment of bodily functions, or (iii) serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part.

"Medical management of essential health care" means a case management approach to health care in which the designated primary physician has responsibility for assessing the needs of the patient and making referrals to other physicians and clinics as needed. The designated pharmacy has responsibility for monitoring the drug regimen of the patient.

"Noncompliance" means failing to follow Client Medical Management Program procedures, or a pattern of utilization which that is inconsistent with sound fiscal or medical practices. Noncompliance includes, but is not limited to, failure to follow a recommended treatment plan or drug regimen; failure to disclose to a provider any treatment or services provided by another provider; requests for medical services or medications which that are not medically necessary; or excessive use of transportation services.

"Not medically necessary" means an item or service which that is not consistent with the diagnosis or treatment of the patient's condition or an item or service which that is duplicative, contraindicated, or excessive.

"Pattern" means duplication or frequent occurrence.

"Practitioner" means a health care provider licensed, registered, or otherwise permitted by law to distribute, dispense, prescribe, and administer drugs or otherwise treat medical conditions.

"Primary care provider" or "PCP" means the designated primary physician responsible for medical management of essential health care for the restricted recipient.

"Provider" means the individual, facility or other entity registered, licensed, or certified, as appropriate, and enrolled by DMAS to render services to Medicaid recipients eligible for services.

"Psychotropic drugs" means drugs which that alter the mental state. Such drugs include, but are not limited to, morphine, barbiturates, hypnotics, antianxiety agents, antidepressants, and antipsychotics.

"Recipient" means the individual who is eligible, under Title XIX of the Social Security Act, to receive Medicaid covered services.

"Recipient eligibility card" means the document issued to each Medicaid enrollee; an individual document issued to each Medicaid recipient listing the name and Medicaid number (either the identification or billing number) of the eligible individual. This document may be in the form of a plastic card magnetically encoded, allowing electronic access to inquiries for eligibility status.

"Restriction" means an administrative action imposed on a recipient which that limits access to specific types of health care services through a designated primary provider or an administrative action imposed on a provider to prohibit participation as a designated primary provider, referral, or covering provider for restricted recipients.

"Social Security Act" means the Act, enacted by the 74th Congress on August 14, 1935, which that provides for the general welfare by establishing a system of federal old age benefits, and by enabling the states to make more adequate provisions for aged persons, blind persons, dependent and crippled children, maternal and child welfare, public health, and the administration of their unemployment compensation laws.

"State Plan for Medical Assistance" or "the Plan" means the document listing the covered groups, covered services and their limitations, and provider reimbursement methodologies as provided for under Title XIX of the Social Security Act.

"Surveillance and Utilization Review Subsystem (SURS)" or "Automated Exception Analysis (AEA)" means a computer subsystem of the Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS) which that collects claims data and computes statistical profiles of recipient and provider activity and compares them with that of their particular peer group.

"Therapeutic class" means a group of drugs with similar pharmacologic actions and uses.

"Utilization control" means the control of covered health care services to assure the use of cost efficient, medically necessary or appropriate services.

VA.R. Doc. No. R14-3959; Filed April 10, 2014, 4:13 p.m.
TITLE 12. HEALTH
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES
Final Regulation

REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The following regulatory action is exempt from Article 2 of the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 c of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to meet the requirements of federal law or regulations, provided such regulations do not differ materially from those required by federal law or regulation. The Department of Medical Assistance Services will receive, consider, and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.

Titles of Regulations: 12VAC30-60. Standards Established and Methods Used to Assure High Quality Care (amending 12VAC30-60-75).

12VAC30-70. Methods and Standards for Establishing Payment Rates - Inpatient Hospital Services (amending 12VAC30-70-221).

12VAC30-80. Methods and Standards for Establishing Payment Rates; Other Types of Care (amending 12VAC30-80-20, 12VAC30-80-30).

12VAC30-95. Standards Established and Methods Used for Fee-For-Service Reimbursement (adding 12VAC30-95-5).

12VAC30-130. Amount, Duration and Scope of Selected Services (amending 12VAC30-130-800).

Statutory Authority § 32.1-325 of the Code of Virginia; 42 USC § 1396 et seq.

Effective Date: June 5, 2014.

Agency Contact: Lois Gray, Regulatory Coordinator, Division of Policy and Research, Department of Medical Assistance Services, 600 East Broad Street, Suite 1300, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 371-4300, FAX (804) 786-1680, or email lois.gray@dmas.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The amendments update references to the 10th edition of the International Classification of Diseases in compliance with federal requirements (77 FR 54664 (September 5, 2012)).

12VAC30-60-75. Durable medical equipment (DME) and supplies.

A. No provider shall have a claim of ownership on DME reimbursed by Virginia Medicaid once it has been delivered to the Medicaid individual. Providers shall only be permitted to recover DME, for example, when DMAS determines that it does not fulfill the required medically necessary purpose as set out in the Certificate of Medical Necessity (CMN), when there is an error in the ordering practitioner's CMN, or when the equipment was rented. DMAS shall not reimburse the DME and supply provider for services that are provided either: (i) prior to the date prescribed by the licensed practitioner; (ii) prior to the date of the delivery; or (iii) when services are not provided in accordance with DMAS' published regulations and guidance documents. In instances when the DME or supply is shipped directly to the Medicaid individual, the DME provider shall confirm that the DME or supplies have been received by the individual before submitting his claim for payment to DMAS.

B. DME providers, as defined in 12VAC30-50-165, shall retain copies on file of the fully completed CMN and all applicable supporting documentation for post payment audit reviews. Reimbursement that has been made by Medicaid shall be retracted if the DME and supplies have not been ordered on the CMN. Additional supporting documentation is allowed to justify the medical need for durable medical equipment and supplies. Supporting documentation shall not replace the requirement for a properly completed CMN. The dates of the supporting documentation shall coincide with the dates of service on the CMN. The licensed practitioner providing the supporting documentation shall be identified by name and title. DME providers shall not create or revise CMNs or supporting documentation for durable medical equipment and supplies that have been provided once the post payment audit review has been initiated.

C. Individuals requiring only DME or supplies may obtain such services directly from the DME provider without having to consult or obtain services from a home health service or home health provider. Supplies used for treatment during a home health visit shall be included in the visit rate of the home health provider. Treatment supplies left in the home to maintain treatment after the visits shall be charged separately.

D. CMN requirements. The CMN shall have two required components: (i) the licensed practitioner's order and (ii) the clinical diagnosis. Failure to have a complete CMN may result in nonpayment of services rendered or retraction of payments made subsequent to post payment audits.

1. Licensed practitioner's order.

a. The licensed practitioners' complete order shall appear on the face of the CMN. A complete order on the CMN shall consist of the item's complete description, the quantity ordered, the frequency of use, and the licensed practitioner's signature and complete date of signing as defined in 12VAC30-50-165. If the DME provider determines that the prescribing licensed practitioner's signature and complete date of signing are missing, he shall consider the CMN to be invalid and he shall request a new CMN.

b. The following CMN fields (as indicated by an asterisk on the CMN) shall be required for reimbursement:

(1) The ordered item's description. If the item is an E1399 (miscellaneous), the description of the item shall not be "miscellaneous DME," but the provider shall specify the DME item or supply.

(2) The quantity ordered as found in the licensed practitioner's order. For expendable supplies the provider shall designate supplies needed for one month. If an item is not needed every month, the provider may designate an alternate time frame.

(3) The frequency of use of the DME item or supply.

(4) The licensed practitioner's signature and full date. If either the licensed practitioner's signature or full date, or both, are missing, then the entire CMN shall be deemed to be invalid and a new CMN shall be obtained. The licensed practitioner's signature certifies that the ordered DME and supplies are a part of the treatment plan and are medically necessary for the Medicaid individual.

c. The begin service date on the CMN is optional.

(1) If the provider enters a begin service date, the CMN must be signed and dated by the licensed practitioner within 60 days of the begin service date in order for the CMN to start from the begin date.

(2) If no begin service date is documented on the CMN, the date of the practitioner's signature shall be the start date of the CMN.

2. The clinical diagnosis.

a. The narrative description of the clinical diagnosis shall be recorded on the face of the CMN.

b. The recording on the face of the CMN of the relevant ICD-9 ICD diagnosis code shall be optional. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

3. Supporting documentation.

a. Supporting documentation may be included in the additional information attached to the CMN.

b. The attachment of supporting documentation shall not replace the requirement for a properly completed CMN.

Article 2
Prospective (DRG-Based) Payment Methodology

12VAC30-70-221. General.

A. Effective July 1, 2000, the prospective (DRG-based) payment system described in this article shall apply to inpatient hospital services provided in enrolled general acute care hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, and freestanding psychiatric facilities licensed as hospitals, unless otherwise noted.

B. The following methodologies shall apply under the prospective payment system:

1. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-231, operating payments for DRG cases that are not transfer cases shall be determined on the basis of a hospital specific operating rate per case times relative weight of the DRG to which the case is assigned.

2. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-241, operating payments for per diem cases shall be determined on the basis of a hospital specific operating rate per day times the covered days for the case with the exception of payments for per diem cases in freestanding psychiatric facilities. Payments for per diem cases in freestanding psychiatric facilities licensed as hospitals shall be determined on the basis of a hospital specific rate per day that represents an all-inclusive payment for operating and capital costs.

3. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-251, operating payments for transfer cases shall be determined as follows: (i) the transferring hospital shall receive an operating per diem payment, not to exceed the DRG operating payment that would have otherwise been made and (ii) the final discharging hospital shall receive the full DRG operating payment.

4. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-261, additional operating payments shall be made for outlier cases. These additional payments shall be added to the operating payments determined in subdivisions 1 and 3 of this subsection.

5. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-271, payments for capital costs shall be made on an allowable cost basis.

6. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-281, payments for direct medical education costs of nursing schools and paramedical programs shall be made on an allowable cost basis. Payment for direct graduate medical education (GME) costs for interns and residents shall be made quarterly on a prospective basis, subject to cost settlement based on the number of full time equivalent (FTE) interns and residents as reported on the cost report.

7. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-291, payments for indirect medical education costs shall be made quarterly on a prospective basis.

8. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-301, payments to hospitals that qualify as disproportionate share hospitals shall be made quarterly on a prospective basis.

C. The terms used in this article shall be defined as provided in this subsection:

"Base year" means the state fiscal year for which data is used to establish the DRG relative weights, the hospital case-mix indices, the base year standardized operating costs per case, and the base year standardized operating costs per day. The base year will change when the DRG payment system is rebased and recalibrated. In subsequent rebasings, the Commonwealth shall notify affected providers of the base year to be used in this calculation.

"Base year standardized costs per case" reflects means the statewide average hospital costs per discharge for DRG cases in the base year. The standardization process removes the effects of case-mix and regional variations in wages from the claims data and places all hospitals on a comparable basis.

"Base year standardized costs per day" reflects means the statewide average hospital costs per day for per diem cases in the base year. The standardization process removes the effects of regional variations in wages from the claims data and places all hospitals on a comparable basis. Base year standardized costs per day were calculated separately, but using the same calculation methodology, for the different types of per diem cases identified in this subsection under the definition of "per diem cases."

"Cost" means allowable cost as defined in Supplement 3 (12VAC30-70-10 through 12VAC30-70-130) and by Medicare principles of reimbursement.

"Disproportionate share hospital" means a hospital that meets the following criteria:

1. A Medicaid utilization rate in excess of 14%, or a low-income patient utilization rate exceeding 25% (as defined in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 and as amended by the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act of 1988); and

2. At least two obstetricians with staff privileges at the hospital who have agreed to provide obstetric services to individuals entitled to such services under a state Medicaid plan. In the case of a hospital located in a rural area (that is, an area outside of a Metropolitan Statistical Area as defined by the Executive Office of Management and Budget), the term "obstetrician" includes any physician with staff privileges at the hospital to perform nonemergency obstetric procedures.

3. Subdivision 2 of this definition does not apply to a hospital:

a. At which the inpatients are predominantly individuals under 18 years of age; or

b. Which does not offer nonemergency obstetric services as of December 21, 1987.

"DRG cases" means medical/surgical cases subject to payment on the basis of DRGs. DRG cases do not include per diem cases.

"DRG relative weight" means the average standardized costs for cases assigned to that DRG divided by the average standardized costs for cases assigned to all DRGs.

"Groupable cases" means DRG cases having coding data of sufficient quality to support DRG assignment.

"Hospital case-mix index" means the weighted average DRG relative weight for all cases occurring at that hospital.

"Medicaid utilization percentage" is equal to the hospital's total Medicaid inpatient days divided by the hospital's total inpatient days for a given hospital fiscal year. The Medicaid utilization percentage includes days associated with inpatient hospital services provided to Medicaid patients but reimbursed by capitated managed care providers. This definition includes all paid Medicaid days (from DMAS MR reports for fee-for-service days and managed care organization or hospital reports for HMO days) and nonpaid/denied Medicaid days to include medically unnecessary days, inappropriate level of care service days, and days that exceed any maximum day limits (with appropriate documentation). The definition of Medicaid days does not include any general assistance, Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS), State and Local Hospitalization (SLH), charity care, low-income, indigent care, uncompensated care, bad debt, or Medicare dually eligible days. It does not include days for newborns not enrolled in Medicaid during the fiscal year even though the mother was Medicaid eligible during the birth.

"Medicare wage index" and the "Medicare geographic adjustment factor" are published annually in the Federal Register by the Health Care Financing Administration. The indices and factors used in this article shall be those in effect in the base year.

"Operating cost-to-charge ratio" equals the hospital's total operating costs, less any applicable operating costs for a psychiatric DPU, divided by the hospital's total charges, less any applicable charges for a psychiatric DPU. The operating cost-to-charge ratio shall be calculated using data from cost reports from hospital fiscal years ending in the state fiscal year used as the base year.

"Outlier adjustment factor" means a fixed factor published annually in the Federal Register by the Health Care Financing Administration. The factor used in this article shall be the one in effect in the base year.

"Outlier cases" means those DRG cases, including transfer cases, in which the hospital's adjusted operating cost for the case exceeds the hospital's operating outlier threshold for the case.

"Outlier operating fixed loss threshold" means a fixed dollar amount applicable to all hospitals that shall be calculated in the base year so as to result in an expenditure for outliers operating payments equal to 5.1% of total operating payments for DRG cases. The threshold shall be updated in subsequent years using the same inflation values applied to hospital rates.

"Per diem cases" means cases subject to per diem payment and include includes (i) covered psychiatric cases in general acute care hospitals and distinct part units (DPUs) of general acute care hospitals (hereinafter "acute care psychiatric cases"), (ii) covered psychiatric cases in freestanding psychiatric facilities licensed as hospitals (hereinafter "freestanding psychiatric cases"), and (iii) rehabilitation cases in general acute care hospitals and rehabilitation hospitals (hereinafter "rehabilitation cases").

"Psychiatric cases" means cases with a principal diagnosis that is a mental disorder as specified in the ICD-9-CM ICD, as defined in 12VAC30-95-5. Not all mental disorders are covered. For coverage information, see Amount, Duration, and Scope of Services, Supplement 1 to Attachment 3.1 A & B (12VAC30-50-95 through 12VAC30-50-310). The limit of coverage of 21 days in a 60-day period for the same or similar diagnosis shall continue to apply to adult psychiatric cases.

"Psychiatric operating cost-to-charge ratio" for the psychiatric DPU of a general acute care hospital means the hospital's operating costs for a psychiatric DPU divided by the hospital's charges for a psychiatric DPU. In the base year, this ratio shall be calculated as described in the definition of "operating cost-to-charge ratio" in this subsection, using data from psychiatric DPUs.

"Readmissions" occur means when patients are readmitted to the same hospital for the same or a similar diagnosis within five days of discharge. Such cases shall be considered a continuation of the same stay and shall not be treated as a new case cases. Similar diagnoses shall be defined as ICD-9-CM ICD diagnosis codes possessing the same first three digits. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

"Rehabilitation operating cost-to-charge ratio" for a rehabilitation unit or hospital means the provider's operating costs divided by the provider's charges. In the base year, this ratio shall be calculated as described in the definition of "operating cost-to-charge ratio" in this subsection, using data from rehabilitation units or hospitals.

"Statewide average labor portion of operating costs" means a fixed percentage applicable to all hospitals. The percentage shall be periodically revised using the most recent reliable data from the Virginia Health Information (VHI), or its successor.

"Transfer cases" means DRG cases involving patients (i) who are transferred from one general acute care hospital to another for related care or (ii) who are discharged from one general acute care hospital and admitted to another for the same or a similar diagnosis within five days of that discharge. Similar diagnoses shall be defined as ICD-9-CM ICD diagnosis codes possessing the same first three digits. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12 VAC 30-95-5.

"Type One" hospitals means those hospitals that were state-owned teaching hospitals on January 1, 1996. "Type Two" hospitals means all other hospitals.

"Ungroupable cases" means cases assigned to DRG 469 (principal diagnosis invalid as discharge diagnosis) and DRG 470 (ungroupable) as determined by the AP-DRG Grouper.

D. The All Patient Diagnosis Related Groups (AP-DRG) Grouper shall be used in the DRG payment system. Until notification of a change is given, Version 14.0 of this grouper shall be used. DMAS shall notify hospitals when updating the system to later grouper versions.

E. The primary data sources used in the development of the DRG payment methodology were the department's hospital computerized claims history file and the cost report file. The claims history file captures available claims data from all enrolled, cost-reporting general acute care hospitals, including Type One hospitals. The cost report file captures audited cost and charge data from all enrolled general acute care hospitals, including Type One hospitals. The following table identifies key data elements that were used to develop the DRG payment methodology and that will be used when the system is recalibrated and rebased.

Data Elements for DRG Payment Methodology

Data Elements

Source

Total charges for each groupable case

Claims history file

Number of groupable cases in each DRG

Claims history file

Total number of groupable cases

Claims history file

Total charges for each DRG case

Claims history file

Total number of DRG cases

Claims history file

Total charges for each acute care psychiatric case

Claims history file

Total number of acute care psychiatric days for each acute care hospital

Claims history file

Total charges for each freestanding psychiatric case

Medicare cost reports

Total number of psychiatric days for each freestanding psychiatric hospital

Medicare cost reports

Total charges for each rehabilitation case

Claims history file

Total number of rehabilitation days for each acute care and freestanding rehabilitation hospital

Claims history file

Operating cost-to-charge ratio for each hospital

Cost report file

Operating cost-to-charge ratio for each freestanding psychiatric facility licensed as a hospital

Medicare cost reports

Psychiatric operating cost-to-charge ratio for the psychiatric DPU of each general acute care hospital

Cost report file

Rehabilitation cost-to-charge ratio for each rehabilitation unit or hospital

Cost report file

Statewide average labor portion of operating costs

VHI

Medicare wage index for each hospital

Federal Register

Medicare geographic adjustment factor for each hospital

Federal Register

Outlier operating fixed loss threshold

Claims history file

Outlier adjustment factor

Federal Register

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (12VAC30-70)

All Patient Diagnosis Related Groups (AP-DRG) Grouper, DRG and MDC Code Listings, Version 12, January 1995

Health Care Cost Review, Third Quarter 2009, IHS Global Insight

International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9-CM) Physician, Volumes 1 and 2, American Medical Association, 2007

12VAC30-80-20. Services that are reimbursed on a cost basis.

A. Payments for services listed below shall be on the basis of reasonable cost following the standards and principles applicable to the Title XVIII Program with the exception provided for in subdivision D 1 d of this section. The upper limit for reimbursement shall be no higher than payments for Medicare patients on a facility by facility basis in accordance with 42 CFR 447.321 and 42 CFR 447.325. In no instance, however, shall charges for beneficiaries of the program be in excess of charges for private patients receiving services from the provider. The professional component for emergency room physicians shall continue to be uncovered as a component of the payment to the facility.

B. Reasonable costs will be determined from the filing of a uniform cost report by participating providers. The cost reports are due not later than 150 days after the provider's fiscal year end. If a complete cost report is not received within 150 days after the end of the provider's fiscal year, the Program shall take action in accordance with its policies to assure that an overpayment is not being made. The cost report will be judged complete when DMAS has all of the following:

1. Completed cost reporting form(s) provided by DMAS, with signed certification(s);

2. The provider's trial balance showing adjusting journal entries;

3. The provider's financial statements including, but not limited to, a balance sheet, a statement of income and expenses, a statement of retained earnings (or fund balance), and a statement of changes in financial position;

4. Schedules that reconcile financial statements and trial balance to expenses claimed in the cost report;

5. Depreciation schedule or summary;

6. Home office cost report, if applicable; and

7. Such other analytical information or supporting documents requested by DMAS when the cost reporting forms are sent to the provider.

C. Item 398 D of the 1987 Appropriation Act (as amended), effective April 8, 1987, eliminated reimbursement of return on equity capital to proprietary providers.

D. The services that are cost reimbursed are:

1. Outpatient hospital services, including rehabilitation hospital outpatient services and excluding laboratory services.

a. Definitions. The following words and terms when used in this regulation shall have the following meanings when applied to emergency services unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"All-inclusive" means all emergency department and ancillary service charges claimed in association with the emergency room visit, with the exception of laboratory services.

"DMAS" means the Department of Medical Assistance Services consistent with Chapter 10 (§ 32.1-323 et seq.) of Title 32.1 of the Code of Virginia.

"Emergency hospital services" means services that are necessary to prevent the death or serious impairment of the health of the recipient. The threat to the life or health of the recipient necessitates the use of the most accessible hospital available that is equipped to furnish the services.

"Recent injury" means an injury that has occurred less than 72 hours prior to the emergency department visit.

b. Scope. DMAS shall differentiate, as determined by the attending physician's diagnosis, the kinds of care routinely rendered in emergency departments and reimburse for nonemergency care rendered in emergency departments at a reduced rate.

(1) With the exception of laboratory services, DMAS shall reimburse at a reduced and all-inclusive reimbursement rate for all services, including those obstetric and pediatric procedures contained in 12VAC30-80-160, rendered in emergency departments that DMAS determines were nonemergency care.

(2) Services determined by the attending physician to be emergencies shall be reimbursed under the existing methodologies and at the existing rates.

(3) Services performed by the attending physician that may be emergencies shall be manually reviewed. If such services meet certain criteria, they shall be paid under the methodology for subdivision 1 b (2) of this subsection. Services not meeting certain criteria shall be paid under the methodology of subdivision 1 b (1) of this subsection. Such criteria shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) The initial treatment following a recent obvious injury.

(b) Treatment related to an injury sustained more than 72 hours prior to the visit with the deterioration of the symptoms to the point of requiring medical treatment for stabilization.

(c) The initial treatment for medical emergencies including indications of severe chest pain, dyspnea, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, spontaneous abortion, loss of consciousness, status epilepticus, or other conditions considered life threatening.

(d) A visit in which the recipient's condition requires immediate hospital admission or the transfer to another facility for further treatment or a visit in which the recipient dies.

(e) Services provided for acute vital sign changes as specified in the provider manual.

(f) Services provided for severe pain when combined with one or more of the other guidelines.

(4) Payment shall be determined based on ICD-9-CM ICD diagnosis codes and necessary supporting documentation. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

(5) DMAS shall review on an ongoing basis the effectiveness of this program in achieving its objectives and for its effect on recipients, physicians, and hospitals. Program components may be revised subject to achieving program intent, the accuracy and effectiveness of the ICD-9-CM ICD code designations, and the impact on recipients and providers. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

c. Limitation of allowable cost. Effective for services on and after July 1, 2003, reimbursement of Type Two hospitals for outpatient services shall be at various percentages as noted in subdivisions 1 c (1) and (2) of this subsection of allowable cost, with cost to be determined as provided in subsections A, B, and C of this section. For hospitals with fiscal years that do not begin on July 1, outpatient costs, both operating and capital, for the fiscal year in progress on that date shall be apportioned between the time period before and the time period after that date, based on the number of calendar months in the cost reporting period, falling before and after that date.

(1) Type One hospitals.

(a) Effective July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2010, hospital outpatient operating reimbursement shall be at 94.2% of allowable cost and capital reimbursement shall be at 90% of allowable cost.

(b) Effective July 1, 2010, through September 30, 2010, hospital outpatient operating reimbursement shall be at 91.2% of allowable cost and capital reimbursement shall be at 87% of allowable cost.

(c) Effective October 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011, hospital outpatient operating reimbursement shall be at 94.2% of allowable cost and capital reimbursement shall be at 90% of allowable cost.

(d) Effective July 1, 2011, hospital outpatient operating reimbursement shall be at 90.2% of allowable cost and capital reimbursement shall be at 86% of allowable cost.

(2) Type Two hospitals.

(a) Effective July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2010, hospital outpatient operating and capital reimbursement shall be 80% of allowable cost.

(b) Effective July 1, 2010, through September 30, 2010, hospital outpatient operating and capital reimbursement shall be 77% of allowable cost.

(c) Effective October 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011, hospital outpatient operating and capital reimbursement shall be 80% of allowable cost.

(d) Effective July 1, 2011, hospital outpatient operating and capital reimbursement shall be 76% of allowable cost.

d. Payment for direct medical education costs of nursing schools, paramedical programs and graduate medical education for interns and residents.

(1) Direct medical education costs of nursing schools and paramedical programs shall continue to be paid on an allowable cost basis.

(2) Effective with cost reporting periods beginning on or after July 1, 2002, direct graduate medical education (GME) costs for interns and residents shall be reimbursed on a per-resident prospective basis. See 12VAC30-70-281 for prospective payment methodology for graduate medical education for interns and residents.

2. Rehabilitation agencies or comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation.

a. Effective July 1, 2009, rehabilitation agencies or comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities that are operated by community services boards or state agencies shall be reimbursed their costs. For reimbursement methodology applicable to all other rehabilitation agencies, see 12VAC30-80-200.

b. Effective October 1, 2009, rehabilitation agencies or comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities operated by state agencies shall be reimbursed their costs. For reimbursement methodology applicable to all other rehabilitation agencies, see 12VAC30-80-200.

12VAC30-80-30. Fee-for-service providers.

A. Payment for the following services, except for physician services, shall be the lower of the state agency fee schedule (12VAC30-80-190 has information about the state agency fee schedule) or actual charge (charge to the general public):

1. Physicians' services. Payment for physician services shall be the lower of the state agency fee schedule or actual charge (charge to the general public). The following limitations shall apply to emergency physician services.

a. Definitions. The following words and terms, when used in this subdivision 1 shall have the following meanings when applied to emergency services unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"All-inclusive" means all emergency service and ancillary service charges claimed in association with the emergency department visit, with the exception of laboratory services.

"DMAS" means the Department of Medical Assistance Services consistent with Chapter 10 (§ 32.1-323 et seq.) of Title 32.1 of the Code of Virginia.

"Emergency physician services" means services that are necessary to prevent the death or serious impairment of the health of the recipient. The threat to the life or health of the recipient necessitates the use of the most accessible hospital available that is equipped to furnish the services.

"Recent injury" means an injury that has occurred less than 72 hours prior to the emergency department visit.

b. Scope. DMAS shall differentiate, as determined by the attending physician's diagnosis, the kinds of care routinely rendered in emergency departments and reimburse physicians for nonemergency care rendered in emergency departments at a reduced rate.

(1) DMAS shall reimburse at a reduced and all-inclusive reimbursement rate for all physician services, including those obstetric and pediatric procedures contained in 12VAC30-80-160, rendered in emergency departments that DMAS determines are nonemergency care.

(2) Services determined by the attending physician to be emergencies shall be reimbursed under the existing methodologies and at the existing rates.

(3) Services determined by the attending physician that may be emergencies shall be manually reviewed. If such services meet certain criteria, they shall be paid under the methodology in subdivision 1 b (2) of this subsection. Services not meeting certain criteria shall be paid under the methodology in subdivision 1 b (1) of this subsection. Such criteria shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) The initial treatment following a recent obvious injury.

(b) Treatment related to an injury sustained more than 72 hours prior to the visit with the deterioration of the symptoms to the point of requiring medical treatment for stabilization.

(c) The initial treatment for medical emergencies including indications of severe chest pain, dyspnea, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, spontaneous abortion, loss of consciousness, status epilepticus, or other conditions considered life threatening.

(d) A visit in which the recipient's condition requires immediate hospital admission or the transfer to another facility for further treatment or a visit in which the recipient dies.

(e) Services provided for acute vital sign changes as specified in the provider manual.

(f) Services provided for severe pain when combined with one or more of the other guidelines.

(4) Payment shall be determined based on ICD-9-CM ICD diagnosis codes and necessary supporting documentation. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

(5) DMAS shall review on an ongoing basis the effectiveness of this program in achieving its objectives and for its effect on recipients, physicians, and hospitals. Program components may be revised subject to achieving program intent objectives, the accuracy and effectiveness of the ICD-9-CM ICD code designations, and the impact on recipients and providers. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

2. Dentists' services.

3. Mental health services including: (i) community mental health services;, (ii) services of a licensed clinical psychologist;, or (iii) mental health services provided by a physician.

a. Services provided by licensed clinical psychologists shall be reimbursed at 90% of the reimbursement rate for psychiatrists.

b. Services provided by independently enrolled licensed clinical social workers, licensed professional counselors or licensed clinical nurse specialists-psychiatric shall be reimbursed at 75% of the reimbursement rate for licensed clinical psychologists.

4. Podiatry.

5. Nurse-midwife services.

6. Durable medical equipment (DME) and supplies.

Definitions. The following words and terms when used in this part shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"DMERC" means the Durable Medical Equipment Regional Carrier rate as published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/DMEPOSFeeSched/DMEPOS-Fee-Schedule.html.

"HCPCS" means the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System, Medicare's National Level II Codes, HCPCS 2006 (Eighteenth edition), as published by Ingenix, as may be periodically updated.

a. Obtaining prior authorization shall not guarantee Medicaid reimbursement for DME.

b. The following shall be the reimbursement method used for DME services:

(1) If the DME item has a DMERC rate, the reimbursement rate shall be the DMERC rate minus 10%.

(2) For DME items with no DMERC rate, the agency shall use the agency fee schedule amount.The reimbursement rates for DME and supplies shall be listed in the DMAS Medicaid Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and Supplies Listing and updated periodically. The agency fee schedule shall be available on the agency website at www.dmas.virginia.gov.

(3) If a DME item has no DMERC rate or agency fee schedule rate, the reimbursement rate shall be the manufacturer's net charge to the provider, less shipping and handling, plus 30%. The manufacturer's net charge to the provider shall be the cost to the provider minus all available discounts to the provider. Additional information specific to how DME providers, including manufacturers who are enrolled as providers, establish and document their cost or costs for DME codes that do not have established rates can be found in the relevant agency guidance document.

c. DMAS shall have the authority to amend the agency fee schedule as it deems appropriate and with notice to providers. DMAS shall have the authority to determine alternate pricing, based on agency research, for any code that does not have a rate.

d. The reimbursement for incontinence supplies shall be by selective contract. Pursuant to § 1915(a)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act and 42 CFR 431.54(d), the Commonwealth assures that adequate services/devices shall be available under such arrangements.

e. Certain durable medical equipment used for intravenous therapy and oxygen therapy shall be bundled under specified procedure codes and reimbursed as determined by the agency. Certain services/durable medical equipment such as service maintenance agreements shall be bundled under specified procedure codes and reimbursed as determined by the agency.

(1) Intravenous therapies. The DME for a single therapy, administered in one day, shall be reimbursed at the established service day rate for the bundled durable medical equipment and the standard pharmacy payment, consistent with the ingredient cost as described in 12VAC30-80-40, plus the pharmacy service day and dispensing fee. Multiple applications of the same therapy shall be included in one service day rate of reimbursement. Multiple applications of different therapies administered in one day shall be reimbursed for the bundled durable medical equipment service day rate as follows: the most expensive therapy shall be reimbursed at 100% of cost; the second and all subsequent most expensive therapies shall be reimbursed at 50% of cost. Multiple therapies administered in one day shall be reimbursed at the pharmacy service day rate plus 100% of every active therapeutic ingredient in the compound (at the lowest ingredient cost methodology) plus the appropriate pharmacy dispensing fee.

(2) Respiratory therapies. The DME for oxygen therapy shall have supplies or components bundled under a service day rate based on oxygen liter flow rate or blood gas levels. Equipment associated with respiratory therapy may have ancillary components bundled with the main component for reimbursement. The reimbursement shall be a service day per diem rate for rental of equipment or a total amount of purchase for the purchase of equipment. Such respiratory equipment shall include, but not be limited to, oxygen tanks and tubing, ventilators, noncontinuous ventilators, and suction machines. Ventilators, noncontinuous ventilators, and suction machines may be purchased based on the individual patient's medical necessity and length of need.

(3) Service maintenance agreements. Provision shall be made for a combination of services, routine maintenance, and supplies, to be known as agreements, under a single reimbursement code only for equipment that is recipient owned. Such bundled agreements shall be reimbursed either monthly or in units per year based on the individual agreement between the DME provider and DMAS. Such bundled agreements may apply to, but not necessarily be limited to, either respiratory equipment or apnea monitors.

7. Local health services.

8. Laboratory services (other than inpatient hospital).

9. Payments to physicians who handle laboratory specimens, but do not perform laboratory analysis (limited to payment for handling).

10. X-Ray services.

11. Optometry services.

12. Medical supplies and equipment.

13. Home health services. Effective June 30, 1991, cost reimbursement for home health services is eliminated. A rate per visit by discipline shall be established as set forth by 12VAC30-80-180.

14. Physical therapy; occupational therapy; and speech, hearing, language disorders services when rendered to noninstitutionalized recipients.

15. Clinic services, as defined under 42 CFR 440.90.

16. Supplemental payments for services provided by Type I physicians.

a. In addition to payments for physician services specified elsewhere in this State Plan, DMAS provides supplemental payments to Type I physicians for furnished services provided on or after July 2, 2002. A Type I physician is a member of a practice group organized by or under the control of a state academic health system or an academic health system that operates under a state authority and includes a hospital, who has entered into contractual agreements for the assignment of payments in accordance with 42 CFR 447.10.

b. Effective July 2, 2002, the supplemental payment amount for Type I physician services shall be the difference between the Medicaid payments otherwise made for Type I physician services and Medicare rates. Effective August 13, 2002, the supplemental payment amount for Type I physician services shall be the difference between the Medicaid payments otherwise made for physician services and 143% of Medicare rates. This percentage was determined by dividing the total commercial allowed amounts for Type I physicians for at least the top five commercial insurers in CY 2004 by what Medicare would have allowed. The average commercial allowed amount was determined by multiplying the relative value units times the conversion factor for RBRVS procedures and by multiplying the unit cost times anesthesia units for anesthesia procedures for each insurer and practice group with Type I physicians and summing for all insurers and practice groups. The Medicare equivalent amount was determined by multiplying the total commercial relative value units for Type I physicians times the Medicare conversion factor for RBRVS procedures and by multiplying the Medicare unit cost times total commercial anesthesia units for anesthesia procedures for all Type I physicians and summing.

c. Supplemental payments shall be made quarterly.

d. Payment will not be made to the extent that this would duplicate payments based on physician costs covered by the supplemental payments.

17. Supplemental payments for services provided by physicians at Virginia freestanding children's hospitals.

a. In addition to payments for physician services specified elsewhere in this State Plan, DMAS provides supplemental payments to Virginia freestanding children's hospital physicians providing services at freestanding children's hospitals with greater than 50% Medicaid inpatient utilization in state fiscal year 2009 for furnished services provided on or after July 1, 2011. A freestanding children's hospital physician is a member of a practice group (i) organized by or under control of a qualifying Virginia freestanding children's hospital, or (ii) who has entered into contractual agreements for provision of physician services at the qualifying Virginia freestanding children's hospital and that is designated in writing by the Virginia freestanding children's hospital as a practice plan for the quarter for which the supplemental payment is made subject to DMAS approval. The freestanding children's hospital physicians also must have entered into contractual agreements with the practice plan for the assignment of payments in accordance with 42 CFR 447.10.

b. Effective July 1, 2011, the supplemental payment amount for freestanding children's hospital physician services shall be the difference between the Medicaid payments otherwise made for freestanding children's hospital physician services and 143% of Medicare rates as defined in the supplemental payment calculation for Type I physician services subject to the following reduction. Final payments shall be reduced on a pro-rated basis so that total payments for freestanding children's hospital physician services are $400,000 less annually than would be calculated based on the formula in the previous sentence. Payments shall be made on the same schedule as Type I physicians.

18. Supplemental payments to nonstate government-owned or operated clinics.

a. In addition to payments for clinic services specified elsewhere in the regulations, DMAS provides supplemental payments to qualifying nonstate government-owned or operated clinics for outpatient services provided to Medicaid patients on or after July 2, 2002. Clinic means a facility that is not part of a hospital but is organized and operated to provide medical care to outpatients. Outpatient services include those furnished by or under the direction of a physician, dentist or other medical professional acting within the scope of his license to an eligible individual. Effective July 1, 2005, a qualifying clinic is a clinic operated by a community services board. The state share for supplemental clinic payments will be funded by general fund appropriations.

b. The amount of the supplemental payment made to each qualifying nonstate government-owned or operated clinic is determined by:

(1) Calculating for each clinic the annual difference between the upper payment limit attributed to each clinic according to subdivision 18 d of this subsection and the amount otherwise actually paid for the services by the Medicaid program;

(2) Dividing the difference determined in subdivision 18 b (1) of this subsection for each qualifying clinic by the aggregate difference for all such qualifying clinics; and

(3) Multiplying the proportion determined in subdivision 18 b (2) of this subsection by the aggregate upper payment limit amount for all such clinics as determined in accordance with 42 CFR 447.321 less all payments made to such clinics other than under this section.

c. Payments for furnished services made under this section may be made in one or more installments at such times, within the fiscal year or thereafter, as is determined by DMAS.

d. To determine the aggregate upper payment limit referred to in subdivision 18 b (3) of this subsection, Medicaid payments to nonstate government-owned or operated clinics will be divided by the "additional factor" whose calculation is described in Attachment 4.19-B, Supplement 4 (12VAC30-80-190 B 2) in regard to the state agency fee schedule for RBRVS. Medicaid payments will be estimated using payments for dates of service from the prior fiscal year adjusted for expected claim payments. Additional adjustments will be made for any program changes in Medicare or Medicaid payments.

19. Personal Assistance Services (PAS) for individuals enrolled in the Medicaid Buy-In program described in 12VAC30-60-200. These services are reimbursed in accordance with the state agency fee schedule described in 12VAC30-80-190. The state agency fee schedule is published on the Single State Agency Website DMAS website (http://dmasva.dmas.virginia.gov).

B. Hospice services payments must be no lower than the amounts using the same methodology used under Part A of Title XVIII, and take into account the room and board furnished by the facility, equal to at least 95% of the rate that would have been paid by the state under the plan for facility services in that facility for that individual. Hospice services shall be paid according to the location of the service delivery and not the location of the agency's home office.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (12VAC30-80)

Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations, 25th Edition, 2005, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

International Classification of Diseases, ICD-9-CM 2007 (effective for claims with dates of service through September 30, 2014), Physician, Volumes 1 and 2, 9th Revision-Clinical Modification, American Medical Association

Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics/Orthotics & Supplies Fee Schedules, Jan. 2012, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Virginia Medicaid Durable Medical Equipment and Supplies Provider Manual, Appendix B (rev. 1/11), Department of Medical Assistance Services

CHAPTER 95
STANDARDS ESTABLISHED AND METHODS USED FOR FEE-FOR-SERVICE REIMBURSEMENT

12VAC30-95-5. General definitions.

The following words and terms when used in 12VAC30 shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"ASAM" means the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

"ICD" means (i) for claims with dates of service on or prior to September 30, 2014, the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) Volumes 1, 2, and 3, OptumInsight, Inc., and (ii) for claims with dates of service on or after October 1, 2014, the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) and Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) pursuant to 45 CFR 162.1002, OptumInsight, Inc.

Part XIII
Client Medical Management Program

12VAC30-130-800. Definitions.

The following words and terms when used in this part shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"APA" means the Administrative Process Act established by Chapter 40 (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.) of Title 2.2 of the Code of Virginia.

"Abuse by recipients" means practices by recipients which that are inconsistent with sound fiscal or medical practices and result in unnecessary costs to the Virginia Medicaid Program.

"Abuse by providers" means practices which that are inconsistent with sound fiscal, business, or medical practices and result in unnecessary costs to the Virginia Medicaid Program or in reimbursement for a level of utilization or pattern of services that is not medically necessary.

"Card-sharing" means the intentional sharing of a recipient eligibility card for use by someone other than the recipient for whom it was issued, or a pattern of repeated unauthorized use of a recipient eligibility card by one or more persons other than the recipient for whom it was issued due to the failure of the recipient to safeguard the card.

"Client Medical Management Program (CMM) for recipients" means the recipients' utilization control program designed to prevent abuse and promote improved and cost efficient medical management of essential health care for noninstitutionalized recipients through restriction to one primary care provider, one pharmacy, and one transportation provider, or any combination of these three designated providers. Referrals may not be made to providers restricted through the Client Medical Management Program, nor may restricted providers serve as covering providers.

"Client Medical Management Program (CMM) for providers" means the providers' utilization control program designed to complement the recipient abuse and utilization control program in promoting improved and cost efficient medical management of essential health care. Restricted providers may not serve as designated providers for restricted recipients. Restricted providers may not serve as referral or covering providers for restricted recipients.

"Contraindicated medical care" means treatment which that is medically improper or undesirable and which results in duplicative or excessive utilization of services.

"Contraindicated use of drugs" means the concomitant use of two or more drugs whose combined pharmacologic action produces an undesirable therapeutic effect or induces an adverse effect by the extended use of a drug with a known potential to produce this effect.

"Covering provider" means a provider designated by the primary provider to render health care services in the temporary absence of the primary provider.

"DMAS" means the Department of Medical Assistance Services.

"Designated provider" means the provider who agrees to be the designated primary physician, designated pharmacy, or designated transportation provider from whom the restricted recipient must first attempt to seek health care services. Other providers may be established as designated providers with the approval of DMAS.

"Diagnostic category" means the broad classification of diseases and injuries found in the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) ICD as defined in 12VAC30-95-5, which is commonly used by providers in billing for medical services.

"Drug" means a substance or medication intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease as defined by the Virginia Drug Control Act (§ 54.1-3400 et seq. of the Code of Virginia).

"Duplicative medical care" means two or more practitioners concurrently treat the same or similar medical problems or conditions falling into the same diagnostic category, excluding confirmation for diagnosis, evaluation, or assessment.

"Duplicative medications" means more than one prescription of the same drug or more than one drug in the same therapeutic class.

"Emergency hospital services" means those hospital services that are necessary to treat a medical emergency. Hospital treatment of a medical emergency necessitates the use of the most accessible hospital available that is equipped to furnish the services.

"EPSDT" means the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Program, which is federally mandated for eligible individuals under the age of 21 years of age.

"Excessive medical care" means obtaining greater than necessary services such that health risks to the recipient or unnecessary costs to the Virginia Medicaid Program may ensue from the accumulation of services or obtaining duplicative services.

"Excessive medications" means obtaining medication in greater than generally acceptable maximum therapeutic dosage regimens or obtaining duplicative medication from more than one practitioner.

"Excessive transportation services" means obtaining or rendering greater than necessary transportation services such that unnecessary costs to the Virginia Medicaid Program may ensue from the accumulation of services.

"Fraud" means an intentional deception or misrepresentation made by a person with the knowledge that the deception could result in some unauthorized benefit to himself or some other person. It includes any act that constitutes fraud under applicable federal or state laws.

"Health care" means any covered services, including equipment, supplies, or transportation services, provided by any individual, organization, or entity that participates in the Virginia Medical Assistance Program.

"Medical emergency" means the sudden onset of a medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in (i) placing the client's health in serious jeopardy, (ii) serious impairment of bodily functions, or (iii) serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part.

"Medical management of essential health care" means a case management approach to health care in which the designated primary physician has responsibility for assessing the needs of the patient and making referrals to other physicians and clinics as needed. The designated pharmacy has responsibility for monitoring the drug regimen of the patient.

"Noncompliance" means failing to follow Client Medical Management Program procedures, or a pattern of utilization which that is inconsistent with sound fiscal or medical practices. Noncompliance includes, but is not limited to, failure to follow a recommended treatment plan or drug regimen; failure to disclose to a provider any treatment or services provided by another provider; requests for medical services or medications which that are not medically necessary; or excessive use of transportation services.

"Not medically necessary" means an item or service which that is not consistent with the diagnosis or treatment of the patient's condition or an item or service which that is duplicative, contraindicated, or excessive.

"Pattern" means duplication or frequent occurrence.

"Practitioner" means a health care provider licensed, registered, or otherwise permitted by law to distribute, dispense, prescribe, and administer drugs or otherwise treat medical conditions.

"Primary care provider" or "PCP" means the designated primary physician responsible for medical management of essential health care for the restricted recipient.

"Provider" means the individual, facility or other entity registered, licensed, or certified, as appropriate, and enrolled by DMAS to render services to Medicaid recipients eligible for services.

"Psychotropic drugs" means drugs which that alter the mental state. Such drugs include, but are not limited to, morphine, barbiturates, hypnotics, antianxiety agents, antidepressants, and antipsychotics.

"Recipient" means the individual who is eligible, under Title XIX of the Social Security Act, to receive Medicaid covered services.

"Recipient eligibility card" means the document issued to each Medicaid enrollee; an individual document issued to each Medicaid recipient listing the name and Medicaid number (either the identification or billing number) of the eligible individual. This document may be in the form of a plastic card magnetically encoded, allowing electronic access to inquiries for eligibility status.

"Restriction" means an administrative action imposed on a recipient which that limits access to specific types of health care services through a designated primary provider or an administrative action imposed on a provider to prohibit participation as a designated primary provider, referral, or covering provider for restricted recipients.

"Social Security Act" means the Act, enacted by the 74th Congress on August 14, 1935, which that provides for the general welfare by establishing a system of federal old age benefits, and by enabling the states to make more adequate provisions for aged persons, blind persons, dependent and crippled children, maternal and child welfare, public health, and the administration of their unemployment compensation laws.

"State Plan for Medical Assistance" or "the Plan" means the document listing the covered groups, covered services and their limitations, and provider reimbursement methodologies as provided for under Title XIX of the Social Security Act.

"Surveillance and Utilization Review Subsystem (SURS)" or "Automated Exception Analysis (AEA)" means a computer subsystem of the Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS) which that collects claims data and computes statistical profiles of recipient and provider activity and compares them with that of their particular peer group.

"Therapeutic class" means a group of drugs with similar pharmacologic actions and uses.

"Utilization control" means the control of covered health care services to assure the use of cost efficient, medically necessary or appropriate services.

VA.R. Doc. No. R14-3959; Filed April 10, 2014, 4:13 p.m.
TITLE 12. HEALTH
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES
Final Regulation

REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The following regulatory action is exempt from Article 2 of the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 c of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to meet the requirements of federal law or regulations, provided such regulations do not differ materially from those required by federal law or regulation. The Department of Medical Assistance Services will receive, consider, and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.

Titles of Regulations: 12VAC30-60. Standards Established and Methods Used to Assure High Quality Care (amending 12VAC30-60-75).

12VAC30-70. Methods and Standards for Establishing Payment Rates - Inpatient Hospital Services (amending 12VAC30-70-221).

12VAC30-80. Methods and Standards for Establishing Payment Rates; Other Types of Care (amending 12VAC30-80-20, 12VAC30-80-30).

12VAC30-95. Standards Established and Methods Used for Fee-For-Service Reimbursement (adding 12VAC30-95-5).

12VAC30-130. Amount, Duration and Scope of Selected Services (amending 12VAC30-130-800).

Statutory Authority § 32.1-325 of the Code of Virginia; 42 USC § 1396 et seq.

Effective Date: June 5, 2014.

Agency Contact: Lois Gray, Regulatory Coordinator, Division of Policy and Research, Department of Medical Assistance Services, 600 East Broad Street, Suite 1300, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 371-4300, FAX (804) 786-1680, or email lois.gray@dmas.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The amendments update references to the 10th edition of the International Classification of Diseases in compliance with federal requirements (77 FR 54664 (September 5, 2012)).

12VAC30-60-75. Durable medical equipment (DME) and supplies.

A. No provider shall have a claim of ownership on DME reimbursed by Virginia Medicaid once it has been delivered to the Medicaid individual. Providers shall only be permitted to recover DME, for example, when DMAS determines that it does not fulfill the required medically necessary purpose as set out in the Certificate of Medical Necessity (CMN), when there is an error in the ordering practitioner's CMN, or when the equipment was rented. DMAS shall not reimburse the DME and supply provider for services that are provided either: (i) prior to the date prescribed by the licensed practitioner; (ii) prior to the date of the delivery; or (iii) when services are not provided in accordance with DMAS' published regulations and guidance documents. In instances when the DME or supply is shipped directly to the Medicaid individual, the DME provider shall confirm that the DME or supplies have been received by the individual before submitting his claim for payment to DMAS.

B. DME providers, as defined in 12VAC30-50-165, shall retain copies on file of the fully completed CMN and all applicable supporting documentation for post payment audit reviews. Reimbursement that has been made by Medicaid shall be retracted if the DME and supplies have not been ordered on the CMN. Additional supporting documentation is allowed to justify the medical need for durable medical equipment and supplies. Supporting documentation shall not replace the requirement for a properly completed CMN. The dates of the supporting documentation shall coincide with the dates of service on the CMN. The licensed practitioner providing the supporting documentation shall be identified by name and title. DME providers shall not create or revise CMNs or supporting documentation for durable medical equipment and supplies that have been provided once the post payment audit review has been initiated.

C. Individuals requiring only DME or supplies may obtain such services directly from the DME provider without having to consult or obtain services from a home health service or home health provider. Supplies used for treatment during a home health visit shall be included in the visit rate of the home health provider. Treatment supplies left in the home to maintain treatment after the visits shall be charged separately.

D. CMN requirements. The CMN shall have two required components: (i) the licensed practitioner's order and (ii) the clinical diagnosis. Failure to have a complete CMN may result in nonpayment of services rendered or retraction of payments made subsequent to post payment audits.

1. Licensed practitioner's order.

a. The licensed practitioners' complete order shall appear on the face of the CMN. A complete order on the CMN shall consist of the item's complete description, the quantity ordered, the frequency of use, and the licensed practitioner's signature and complete date of signing as defined in 12VAC30-50-165. If the DME provider determines that the prescribing licensed practitioner's signature and complete date of signing are missing, he shall consider the CMN to be invalid and he shall request a new CMN.

b. The following CMN fields (as indicated by an asterisk on the CMN) shall be required for reimbursement:

(1) The ordered item's description. If the item is an E1399 (miscellaneous), the description of the item shall not be "miscellaneous DME," but the provider shall specify the DME item or supply.

(2) The quantity ordered as found in the licensed practitioner's order. For expendable supplies the provider shall designate supplies needed for one month. If an item is not needed every month, the provider may designate an alternate time frame.

(3) The frequency of use of the DME item or supply.

(4) The licensed practitioner's signature and full date. If either the licensed practitioner's signature or full date, or both, are missing, then the entire CMN shall be deemed to be invalid and a new CMN shall be obtained. The licensed practitioner's signature certifies that the ordered DME and supplies are a part of the treatment plan and are medically necessary for the Medicaid individual.

c. The begin service date on the CMN is optional.

(1) If the provider enters a begin service date, the CMN must be signed and dated by the licensed practitioner within 60 days of the begin service date in order for the CMN to start from the begin date.

(2) If no begin service date is documented on the CMN, the date of the practitioner's signature shall be the start date of the CMN.

2. The clinical diagnosis.

a. The narrative description of the clinical diagnosis shall be recorded on the face of the CMN.

b. The recording on the face of the CMN of the relevant ICD-9 ICD diagnosis code shall be optional. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

3. Supporting documentation.

a. Supporting documentation may be included in the additional information attached to the CMN.

b. The attachment of supporting documentation shall not replace the requirement for a properly completed CMN.

Article 2
Prospective (DRG-Based) Payment Methodology

12VAC30-70-221. General.

A. Effective July 1, 2000, the prospective (DRG-based) payment system described in this article shall apply to inpatient hospital services provided in enrolled general acute care hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, and freestanding psychiatric facilities licensed as hospitals, unless otherwise noted.

B. The following methodologies shall apply under the prospective payment system:

1. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-231, operating payments for DRG cases that are not transfer cases shall be determined on the basis of a hospital specific operating rate per case times relative weight of the DRG to which the case is assigned.

2. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-241, operating payments for per diem cases shall be determined on the basis of a hospital specific operating rate per day times the covered days for the case with the exception of payments for per diem cases in freestanding psychiatric facilities. Payments for per diem cases in freestanding psychiatric facilities licensed as hospitals shall be determined on the basis of a hospital specific rate per day that represents an all-inclusive payment for operating and capital costs.

3. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-251, operating payments for transfer cases shall be determined as follows: (i) the transferring hospital shall receive an operating per diem payment, not to exceed the DRG operating payment that would have otherwise been made and (ii) the final discharging hospital shall receive the full DRG operating payment.

4. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-261, additional operating payments shall be made for outlier cases. These additional payments shall be added to the operating payments determined in subdivisions 1 and 3 of this subsection.

5. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-271, payments for capital costs shall be made on an allowable cost basis.

6. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-281, payments for direct medical education costs of nursing schools and paramedical programs shall be made on an allowable cost basis. Payment for direct graduate medical education (GME) costs for interns and residents shall be made quarterly on a prospective basis, subject to cost settlement based on the number of full time equivalent (FTE) interns and residents as reported on the cost report.

7. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-291, payments for indirect medical education costs shall be made quarterly on a prospective basis.

8. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-301, payments to hospitals that qualify as disproportionate share hospitals shall be made quarterly on a prospective basis.

C. The terms used in this article shall be defined as provided in this subsection:

"Base year" means the state fiscal year for which data is used to establish the DRG relative weights, the hospital case-mix indices, the base year standardized operating costs per case, and the base year standardized operating costs per day. The base year will change when the DRG payment system is rebased and recalibrated. In subsequent rebasings, the Commonwealth shall notify affected providers of the base year to be used in this calculation.

"Base year standardized costs per case" reflects means the statewide average hospital costs per discharge for DRG cases in the base year. The standardization process removes the effects of case-mix and regional variations in wages from the claims data and places all hospitals on a comparable basis.

"Base year standardized costs per day" reflects means the statewide average hospital costs per day for per diem cases in the base year. The standardization process removes the effects of regional variations in wages from the claims data and places all hospitals on a comparable basis. Base year standardized costs per day were calculated separately, but using the same calculation methodology, for the different types of per diem cases identified in this subsection under the definition of "per diem cases."

"Cost" means allowable cost as defined in Supplement 3 (12VAC30-70-10 through 12VAC30-70-130) and by Medicare principles of reimbursement.

"Disproportionate share hospital" means a hospital that meets the following criteria:

1. A Medicaid utilization rate in excess of 14%, or a low-income patient utilization rate exceeding 25% (as defined in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 and as amended by the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act of 1988); and

2. At least two obstetricians with staff privileges at the hospital who have agreed to provide obstetric services to individuals entitled to such services under a state Medicaid plan. In the case of a hospital located in a rural area (that is, an area outside of a Metropolitan Statistical Area as defined by the Executive Office of Management and Budget), the term "obstetrician" includes any physician with staff privileges at the hospital to perform nonemergency obstetric procedures.

3. Subdivision 2 of this definition does not apply to a hospital:

a. At which the inpatients are predominantly individuals under 18 years of age; or

b. Which does not offer nonemergency obstetric services as of December 21, 1987.

"DRG cases" means medical/surgical cases subject to payment on the basis of DRGs. DRG cases do not include per diem cases.

"DRG relative weight" means the average standardized costs for cases assigned to that DRG divided by the average standardized costs for cases assigned to all DRGs.

"Groupable cases" means DRG cases having coding data of sufficient quality to support DRG assignment.

"Hospital case-mix index" means the weighted average DRG relative weight for all cases occurring at that hospital.

"Medicaid utilization percentage" is equal to the hospital's total Medicaid inpatient days divided by the hospital's total inpatient days for a given hospital fiscal year. The Medicaid utilization percentage includes days associated with inpatient hospital services provided to Medicaid patients but reimbursed by capitated managed care providers. This definition includes all paid Medicaid days (from DMAS MR reports for fee-for-service days and managed care organization or hospital reports for HMO days) and nonpaid/denied Medicaid days to include medically unnecessary days, inappropriate level of care service days, and days that exceed any maximum day limits (with appropriate documentation). The definition of Medicaid days does not include any general assistance, Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS), State and Local Hospitalization (SLH), charity care, low-income, indigent care, uncompensated care, bad debt, or Medicare dually eligible days. It does not include days for newborns not enrolled in Medicaid during the fiscal year even though the mother was Medicaid eligible during the birth.

"Medicare wage index" and the "Medicare geographic adjustment factor" are published annually in the Federal Register by the Health Care Financing Administration. The indices and factors used in this article shall be those in effect in the base year.

"Operating cost-to-charge ratio" equals the hospital's total operating costs, less any applicable operating costs for a psychiatric DPU, divided by the hospital's total charges, less any applicable charges for a psychiatric DPU. The operating cost-to-charge ratio shall be calculated using data from cost reports from hospital fiscal years ending in the state fiscal year used as the base year.

"Outlier adjustment factor" means a fixed factor published annually in the Federal Register by the Health Care Financing Administration. The factor used in this article shall be the one in effect in the base year.

"Outlier cases" means those DRG cases, including transfer cases, in which the hospital's adjusted operating cost for the case exceeds the hospital's operating outlier threshold for the case.

"Outlier operating fixed loss threshold" means a fixed dollar amount applicable to all hospitals that shall be calculated in the base year so as to result in an expenditure for outliers operating payments equal to 5.1% of total operating payments for DRG cases. The threshold shall be updated in subsequent years using the same inflation values applied to hospital rates.

"Per diem cases" means cases subject to per diem payment and include includes (i) covered psychiatric cases in general acute care hospitals and distinct part units (DPUs) of general acute care hospitals (hereinafter "acute care psychiatric cases"), (ii) covered psychiatric cases in freestanding psychiatric facilities licensed as hospitals (hereinafter "freestanding psychiatric cases"), and (iii) rehabilitation cases in general acute care hospitals and rehabilitation hospitals (hereinafter "rehabilitation cases").

"Psychiatric cases" means cases with a principal diagnosis that is a mental disorder as specified in the ICD-9-CM ICD, as defined in 12VAC30-95-5. Not all mental disorders are covered. For coverage information, see Amount, Duration, and Scope of Services, Supplement 1 to Attachment 3.1 A & B (12VAC30-50-95 through 12VAC30-50-310). The limit of coverage of 21 days in a 60-day period for the same or similar diagnosis shall continue to apply to adult psychiatric cases.

"Psychiatric operating cost-to-charge ratio" for the psychiatric DPU of a general acute care hospital means the hospital's operating costs for a psychiatric DPU divided by the hospital's charges for a psychiatric DPU. In the base year, this ratio shall be calculated as described in the definition of "operating cost-to-charge ratio" in this subsection, using data from psychiatric DPUs.

"Readmissions" occur means when patients are readmitted to the same hospital for the same or a similar diagnosis within five days of discharge. Such cases shall be considered a continuation of the same stay and shall not be treated as a new case cases. Similar diagnoses shall be defined as ICD-9-CM ICD diagnosis codes possessing the same first three digits. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

"Rehabilitation operating cost-to-charge ratio" for a rehabilitation unit or hospital means the provider's operating costs divided by the provider's charges. In the base year, this ratio shall be calculated as described in the definition of "operating cost-to-charge ratio" in this subsection, using data from rehabilitation units or hospitals.

"Statewide average labor portion of operating costs" means a fixed percentage applicable to all hospitals. The percentage shall be periodically revised using the most recent reliable data from the Virginia Health Information (VHI), or its successor.

"Transfer cases" means DRG cases involving patients (i) who are transferred from one general acute care hospital to another for related care or (ii) who are discharged from one general acute care hospital and admitted to another for the same or a similar diagnosis within five days of that discharge. Similar diagnoses shall be defined as ICD-9-CM ICD diagnosis codes possessing the same first three digits. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12 VAC 30-95-5.

"Type One" hospitals means those hospitals that were state-owned teaching hospitals on January 1, 1996. "Type Two" hospitals means all other hospitals.

"Ungroupable cases" means cases assigned to DRG 469 (principal diagnosis invalid as discharge diagnosis) and DRG 470 (ungroupable) as determined by the AP-DRG Grouper.

D. The All Patient Diagnosis Related Groups (AP-DRG) Grouper shall be used in the DRG payment system. Until notification of a change is given, Version 14.0 of this grouper shall be used. DMAS shall notify hospitals when updating the system to later grouper versions.

E. The primary data sources used in the development of the DRG payment methodology were the department's hospital computerized claims history file and the cost report file. The claims history file captures available claims data from all enrolled, cost-reporting general acute care hospitals, including Type One hospitals. The cost report file captures audited cost and charge data from all enrolled general acute care hospitals, including Type One hospitals. The following table identifies key data elements that were used to develop the DRG payment methodology and that will be used when the system is recalibrated and rebased.

Data Elements for DRG Payment Methodology

Data Elements

Source

Total charges for each groupable case

Claims history file

Number of groupable cases in each DRG

Claims history file

Total number of groupable cases

Claims history file

Total charges for each DRG case

Claims history file

Total number of DRG cases

Claims history file

Total charges for each acute care psychiatric case

Claims history file

Total number of acute care psychiatric days for each acute care hospital

Claims history file

Total charges for each freestanding psychiatric case

Medicare cost reports

Total number of psychiatric days for each freestanding psychiatric hospital

Medicare cost reports

Total charges for each rehabilitation case

Claims history file

Total number of rehabilitation days for each acute care and freestanding rehabilitation hospital

Claims history file

Operating cost-to-charge ratio for each hospital

Cost report file

Operating cost-to-charge ratio for each freestanding psychiatric facility licensed as a hospital

Medicare cost reports

Psychiatric operating cost-to-charge ratio for the psychiatric DPU of each general acute care hospital

Cost report file

Rehabilitation cost-to-charge ratio for each rehabilitation unit or hospital

Cost report file

Statewide average labor portion of operating costs

VHI

Medicare wage index for each hospital

Federal Register

Medicare geographic adjustment factor for each hospital

Federal Register

Outlier operating fixed loss threshold

Claims history file

Outlier adjustment factor

Federal Register

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (12VAC30-70)

All Patient Diagnosis Related Groups (AP-DRG) Grouper, DRG and MDC Code Listings, Version 12, January 1995

Health Care Cost Review, Third Quarter 2009, IHS Global Insight

International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9-CM) Physician, Volumes 1 and 2, American Medical Association, 2007

12VAC30-80-20. Services that are reimbursed on a cost basis.

A. Payments for services listed below shall be on the basis of reasonable cost following the standards and principles applicable to the Title XVIII Program with the exception provided for in subdivision D 1 d of this section. The upper limit for reimbursement shall be no higher than payments for Medicare patients on a facility by facility basis in accordance with 42 CFR 447.321 and 42 CFR 447.325. In no instance, however, shall charges for beneficiaries of the program be in excess of charges for private patients receiving services from the provider. The professional component for emergency room physicians shall continue to be uncovered as a component of the payment to the facility.

B. Reasonable costs will be determined from the filing of a uniform cost report by participating providers. The cost reports are due not later than 150 days after the provider's fiscal year end. If a complete cost report is not received within 150 days after the end of the provider's fiscal year, the Program shall take action in accordance with its policies to assure that an overpayment is not being made. The cost report will be judged complete when DMAS has all of the following:

1. Completed cost reporting form(s) provided by DMAS, with signed certification(s);

2. The provider's trial balance showing adjusting journal entries;

3. The provider's financial statements including, but not limited to, a balance sheet, a statement of income and expenses, a statement of retained earnings (or fund balance), and a statement of changes in financial position;

4. Schedules that reconcile financial statements and trial balance to expenses claimed in the cost report;

5. Depreciation schedule or summary;

6. Home office cost report, if applicable; and

7. Such other analytical information or supporting documents requested by DMAS when the cost reporting forms are sent to the provider.

C. Item 398 D of the 1987 Appropriation Act (as amended), effective April 8, 1987, eliminated reimbursement of return on equity capital to proprietary providers.

D. The services that are cost reimbursed are:

1. Outpatient hospital services, including rehabilitation hospital outpatient services and excluding laboratory services.

a. Definitions. The following words and terms when used in this regulation shall have the following meanings when applied to emergency services unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"All-inclusive" means all emergency department and ancillary service charges claimed in association with the emergency room visit, with the exception of laboratory services.

"DMAS" means the Department of Medical Assistance Services consistent with Chapter 10 (§ 32.1-323 et seq.) of Title 32.1 of the Code of Virginia.

"Emergency hospital services" means services that are necessary to prevent the death or serious impairment of the health of the recipient. The threat to the life or health of the recipient necessitates the use of the most accessible hospital available that is equipped to furnish the services.

"Recent injury" means an injury that has occurred less than 72 hours prior to the emergency department visit.

b. Scope. DMAS shall differentiate, as determined by the attending physician's diagnosis, the kinds of care routinely rendered in emergency departments and reimburse for nonemergency care rendered in emergency departments at a reduced rate.

(1) With the exception of laboratory services, DMAS shall reimburse at a reduced and all-inclusive reimbursement rate for all services, including those obstetric and pediatric procedures contained in 12VAC30-80-160, rendered in emergency departments that DMAS determines were nonemergency care.

(2) Services determined by the attending physician to be emergencies shall be reimbursed under the existing methodologies and at the existing rates.

(3) Services performed by the attending physician that may be emergencies shall be manually reviewed. If such services meet certain criteria, they shall be paid under the methodology for subdivision 1 b (2) of this subsection. Services not meeting certain criteria shall be paid under the methodology of subdivision 1 b (1) of this subsection. Such criteria shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) The initial treatment following a recent obvious injury.

(b) Treatment related to an injury sustained more than 72 hours prior to the visit with the deterioration of the symptoms to the point of requiring medical treatment for stabilization.

(c) The initial treatment for medical emergencies including indications of severe chest pain, dyspnea, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, spontaneous abortion, loss of consciousness, status epilepticus, or other conditions considered life threatening.

(d) A visit in which the recipient's condition requires immediate hospital admission or the transfer to another facility for further treatment or a visit in which the recipient dies.

(e) Services provided for acute vital sign changes as specified in the provider manual.

(f) Services provided for severe pain when combined with one or more of the other guidelines.

(4) Payment shall be determined based on ICD-9-CM ICD diagnosis codes and necessary supporting documentation. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

(5) DMAS shall review on an ongoing basis the effectiveness of this program in achieving its objectives and for its effect on recipients, physicians, and hospitals. Program components may be revised subject to achieving program intent, the accuracy and effectiveness of the ICD-9-CM ICD code designations, and the impact on recipients and providers. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

c. Limitation of allowable cost. Effective for services on and after July 1, 2003, reimbursement of Type Two hospitals for outpatient services shall be at various percentages as noted in subdivisions 1 c (1) and (2) of this subsection of allowable cost, with cost to be determined as provided in subsections A, B, and C of this section. For hospitals with fiscal years that do not begin on July 1, outpatient costs, both operating and capital, for the fiscal year in progress on that date shall be apportioned between the time period before and the time period after that date, based on the number of calendar months in the cost reporting period, falling before and after that date.

(1) Type One hospitals.

(a) Effective July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2010, hospital outpatient operating reimbursement shall be at 94.2% of allowable cost and capital reimbursement shall be at 90% of allowable cost.

(b) Effective July 1, 2010, through September 30, 2010, hospital outpatient operating reimbursement shall be at 91.2% of allowable cost and capital reimbursement shall be at 87% of allowable cost.

(c) Effective October 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011, hospital outpatient operating reimbursement shall be at 94.2% of allowable cost and capital reimbursement shall be at 90% of allowable cost.

(d) Effective July 1, 2011, hospital outpatient operating reimbursement shall be at 90.2% of allowable cost and capital reimbursement shall be at 86% of allowable cost.

(2) Type Two hospitals.

(a) Effective July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2010, hospital outpatient operating and capital reimbursement shall be 80% of allowable cost.

(b) Effective July 1, 2010, through September 30, 2010, hospital outpatient operating and capital reimbursement shall be 77% of allowable cost.

(c) Effective October 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011, hospital outpatient operating and capital reimbursement shall be 80% of allowable cost.

(d) Effective July 1, 2011, hospital outpatient operating and capital reimbursement shall be 76% of allowable cost.

d. Payment for direct medical education costs of nursing schools, paramedical programs and graduate medical education for interns and residents.

(1) Direct medical education costs of nursing schools and paramedical programs shall continue to be paid on an allowable cost basis.

(2) Effective with cost reporting periods beginning on or after July 1, 2002, direct graduate medical education (GME) costs for interns and residents shall be reimbursed on a per-resident prospective basis. See 12VAC30-70-281 for prospective payment methodology for graduate medical education for interns and residents.

2. Rehabilitation agencies or comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation.

a. Effective July 1, 2009, rehabilitation agencies or comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities that are operated by community services boards or state agencies shall be reimbursed their costs. For reimbursement methodology applicable to all other rehabilitation agencies, see 12VAC30-80-200.

b. Effective October 1, 2009, rehabilitation agencies or comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities operated by state agencies shall be reimbursed their costs. For reimbursement methodology applicable to all other rehabilitation agencies, see 12VAC30-80-200.

12VAC30-80-30. Fee-for-service providers.

A. Payment for the following services, except for physician services, shall be the lower of the state agency fee schedule (12VAC30-80-190 has information about the state agency fee schedule) or actual charge (charge to the general public):

1. Physicians' services. Payment for physician services shall be the lower of the state agency fee schedule or actual charge (charge to the general public). The following limitations shall apply to emergency physician services.

a. Definitions. The following words and terms, when used in this subdivision 1 shall have the following meanings when applied to emergency services unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"All-inclusive" means all emergency service and ancillary service charges claimed in association with the emergency department visit, with the exception of laboratory services.

"DMAS" means the Department of Medical Assistance Services consistent with Chapter 10 (§ 32.1-323 et seq.) of Title 32.1 of the Code of Virginia.

"Emergency physician services" means services that are necessary to prevent the death or serious impairment of the health of the recipient. The threat to the life or health of the recipient necessitates the use of the most accessible hospital available that is equipped to furnish the services.

"Recent injury" means an injury that has occurred less than 72 hours prior to the emergency department visit.

b. Scope. DMAS shall differentiate, as determined by the attending physician's diagnosis, the kinds of care routinely rendered in emergency departments and reimburse physicians for nonemergency care rendered in emergency departments at a reduced rate.

(1) DMAS shall reimburse at a reduced and all-inclusive reimbursement rate for all physician services, including those obstetric and pediatric procedures contained in 12VAC30-80-160, rendered in emergency departments that DMAS determines are nonemergency care.

(2) Services determined by the attending physician to be emergencies shall be reimbursed under the existing methodologies and at the existing rates.

(3) Services determined by the attending physician that may be emergencies shall be manually reviewed. If such services meet certain criteria, they shall be paid under the methodology in subdivision 1 b (2) of this subsection. Services not meeting certain criteria shall be paid under the methodology in subdivision 1 b (1) of this subsection. Such criteria shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) The initial treatment following a recent obvious injury.

(b) Treatment related to an injury sustained more than 72 hours prior to the visit with the deterioration of the symptoms to the point of requiring medical treatment for stabilization.

(c) The initial treatment for medical emergencies including indications of severe chest pain, dyspnea, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, spontaneous abortion, loss of consciousness, status epilepticus, or other conditions considered life threatening.

(d) A visit in which the recipient's condition requires immediate hospital admission or the transfer to another facility for further treatment or a visit in which the recipient dies.

(e) Services provided for acute vital sign changes as specified in the provider manual.

(f) Services provided for severe pain when combined with one or more of the other guidelines.

(4) Payment shall be determined based on ICD-9-CM ICD diagnosis codes and necessary supporting documentation. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

(5) DMAS shall review on an ongoing basis the effectiveness of this program in achieving its objectives and for its effect on recipients, physicians, and hospitals. Program components may be revised subject to achieving program intent objectives, the accuracy and effectiveness of the ICD-9-CM ICD code designations, and the impact on recipients and providers. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

2. Dentists' services.

3. Mental health services including: (i) community mental health services;, (ii) services of a licensed clinical psychologist;, or (iii) mental health services provided by a physician.

a. Services provided by licensed clinical psychologists shall be reimbursed at 90% of the reimbursement rate for psychiatrists.

b. Services provided by independently enrolled licensed clinical social workers, licensed professional counselors or licensed clinical nurse specialists-psychiatric shall be reimbursed at 75% of the reimbursement rate for licensed clinical psychologists.

4. Podiatry.

5. Nurse-midwife services.

6. Durable medical equipment (DME) and supplies.

Definitions. The following words and terms when used in this part shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"DMERC" means the Durable Medical Equipment Regional Carrier rate as published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/DMEPOSFeeSched/DMEPOS-Fee-Schedule.html.

"HCPCS" means the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System, Medicare's National Level II Codes, HCPCS 2006 (Eighteenth edition), as published by Ingenix, as may be periodically updated.

a. Obtaining prior authorization shall not guarantee Medicaid reimbursement for DME.

b. The following shall be the reimbursement method used for DME services:

(1) If the DME item has a DMERC rate, the reimbursement rate shall be the DMERC rate minus 10%.

(2) For DME items with no DMERC rate, the agency shall use the agency fee schedule amount.The reimbursement rates for DME and supplies shall be listed in the DMAS Medicaid Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and Supplies Listing and updated periodically. The agency fee schedule shall be available on the agency website at www.dmas.virginia.gov.

(3) If a DME item has no DMERC rate or agency fee schedule rate, the reimbursement rate shall be the manufacturer's net charge to the provider, less shipping and handling, plus 30%. The manufacturer's net charge to the provider shall be the cost to the provider minus all available discounts to the provider. Additional information specific to how DME providers, including manufacturers who are enrolled as providers, establish and document their cost or costs for DME codes that do not have established rates can be found in the relevant agency guidance document.

c. DMAS shall have the authority to amend the agency fee schedule as it deems appropriate and with notice to providers. DMAS shall have the authority to determine alternate pricing, based on agency research, for any code that does not have a rate.

d. The reimbursement for incontinence supplies shall be by selective contract. Pursuant to § 1915(a)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act and 42 CFR 431.54(d), the Commonwealth assures that adequate services/devices shall be available under such arrangements.

e. Certain durable medical equipment used for intravenous therapy and oxygen therapy shall be bundled under specified procedure codes and reimbursed as determined by the agency. Certain services/durable medical equipment such as service maintenance agreements shall be bundled under specified procedure codes and reimbursed as determined by the agency.

(1) Intravenous therapies. The DME for a single therapy, administered in one day, shall be reimbursed at the established service day rate for the bundled durable medical equipment and the standard pharmacy payment, consistent with the ingredient cost as described in 12VAC30-80-40, plus the pharmacy service day and dispensing fee. Multiple applications of the same therapy shall be included in one service day rate of reimbursement. Multiple applications of different therapies administered in one day shall be reimbursed for the bundled durable medical equipment service day rate as follows: the most expensive therapy shall be reimbursed at 100% of cost; the second and all subsequent most expensive therapies shall be reimbursed at 50% of cost. Multiple therapies administered in one day shall be reimbursed at the pharmacy service day rate plus 100% of every active therapeutic ingredient in the compound (at the lowest ingredient cost methodology) plus the appropriate pharmacy dispensing fee.

(2) Respiratory therapies. The DME for oxygen therapy shall have supplies or components bundled under a service day rate based on oxygen liter flow rate or blood gas levels. Equipment associated with respiratory therapy may have ancillary components bundled with the main component for reimbursement. The reimbursement shall be a service day per diem rate for rental of equipment or a total amount of purchase for the purchase of equipment. Such respiratory equipment shall include, but not be limited to, oxygen tanks and tubing, ventilators, noncontinuous ventilators, and suction machines. Ventilators, noncontinuous ventilators, and suction machines may be purchased based on the individual patient's medical necessity and length of need.

(3) Service maintenance agreements. Provision shall be made for a combination of services, routine maintenance, and supplies, to be known as agreements, under a single reimbursement code only for equipment that is recipient owned. Such bundled agreements shall be reimbursed either monthly or in units per year based on the individual agreement between the DME provider and DMAS. Such bundled agreements may apply to, but not necessarily be limited to, either respiratory equipment or apnea monitors.

7. Local health services.

8. Laboratory services (other than inpatient hospital).

9. Payments to physicians who handle laboratory specimens, but do not perform laboratory analysis (limited to payment for handling).

10. X-Ray services.

11. Optometry services.

12. Medical supplies and equipment.

13. Home health services. Effective June 30, 1991, cost reimbursement for home health services is eliminated. A rate per visit by discipline shall be established as set forth by 12VAC30-80-180.

14. Physical therapy; occupational therapy; and speech, hearing, language disorders services when rendered to noninstitutionalized recipients.

15. Clinic services, as defined under 42 CFR 440.90.

16. Supplemental payments for services provided by Type I physicians.

a. In addition to payments for physician services specified elsewhere in this State Plan, DMAS provides supplemental payments to Type I physicians for furnished services provided on or after July 2, 2002. A Type I physician is a member of a practice group organized by or under the control of a state academic health system or an academic health system that operates under a state authority and includes a hospital, who has entered into contractual agreements for the assignment of payments in accordance with 42 CFR 447.10.

b. Effective July 2, 2002, the supplemental payment amount for Type I physician services shall be the difference between the Medicaid payments otherwise made for Type I physician services and Medicare rates. Effective August 13, 2002, the supplemental payment amount for Type I physician services shall be the difference between the Medicaid payments otherwise made for physician services and 143% of Medicare rates. This percentage was determined by dividing the total commercial allowed amounts for Type I physicians for at least the top five commercial insurers in CY 2004 by what Medicare would have allowed. The average commercial allowed amount was determined by multiplying the relative value units times the conversion factor for RBRVS procedures and by multiplying the unit cost times anesthesia units for anesthesia procedures for each insurer and practice group with Type I physicians and summing for all insurers and practice groups. The Medicare equivalent amount was determined by multiplying the total commercial relative value units for Type I physicians times the Medicare conversion factor for RBRVS procedures and by multiplying the Medicare unit cost times total commercial anesthesia units for anesthesia procedures for all Type I physicians and summing.

c. Supplemental payments shall be made quarterly.

d. Payment will not be made to the extent that this would duplicate payments based on physician costs covered by the supplemental payments.

17. Supplemental payments for services provided by physicians at Virginia freestanding children's hospitals.

a. In addition to payments for physician services specified elsewhere in this State Plan, DMAS provides supplemental payments to Virginia freestanding children's hospital physicians providing services at freestanding children's hospitals with greater than 50% Medicaid inpatient utilization in state fiscal year 2009 for furnished services provided on or after July 1, 2011. A freestanding children's hospital physician is a member of a practice group (i) organized by or under control of a qualifying Virginia freestanding children's hospital, or (ii) who has entered into contractual agreements for provision of physician services at the qualifying Virginia freestanding children's hospital and that is designated in writing by the Virginia freestanding children's hospital as a practice plan for the quarter for which the supplemental payment is made subject to DMAS approval. The freestanding children's hospital physicians also must have entered into contractual agreements with the practice plan for the assignment of payments in accordance with 42 CFR 447.10.

b. Effective July 1, 2011, the supplemental payment amount for freestanding children's hospital physician services shall be the difference between the Medicaid payments otherwise made for freestanding children's hospital physician services and 143% of Medicare rates as defined in the supplemental payment calculation for Type I physician services subject to the following reduction. Final payments shall be reduced on a pro-rated basis so that total payments for freestanding children's hospital physician services are $400,000 less annually than would be calculated based on the formula in the previous sentence. Payments shall be made on the same schedule as Type I physicians.

18. Supplemental payments to nonstate government-owned or operated clinics.

a. In addition to payments for clinic services specified elsewhere in the regulations, DMAS provides supplemental payments to qualifying nonstate government-owned or operated clinics for outpatient services provided to Medicaid patients on or after July 2, 2002. Clinic means a facility that is not part of a hospital but is organized and operated to provide medical care to outpatients. Outpatient services include those furnished by or under the direction of a physician, dentist or other medical professional acting within the scope of his license to an eligible individual. Effective July 1, 2005, a qualifying clinic is a clinic operated by a community services board. The state share for supplemental clinic payments will be funded by general fund appropriations.

b. The amount of the supplemental payment made to each qualifying nonstate government-owned or operated clinic is determined by:

(1) Calculating for each clinic the annual difference between the upper payment limit attributed to each clinic according to subdivision 18 d of this subsection and the amount otherwise actually paid for the services by the Medicaid program;

(2) Dividing the difference determined in subdivision 18 b (1) of this subsection for each qualifying clinic by the aggregate difference for all such qualifying clinics; and

(3) Multiplying the proportion determined in subdivision 18 b (2) of this subsection by the aggregate upper payment limit amount for all such clinics as determined in accordance with 42 CFR 447.321 less all payments made to such clinics other than under this section.

c. Payments for furnished services made under this section may be made in one or more installments at such times, within the fiscal year or thereafter, as is determined by DMAS.

d. To determine the aggregate upper payment limit referred to in subdivision 18 b (3) of this subsection, Medicaid payments to nonstate government-owned or operated clinics will be divided by the "additional factor" whose calculation is described in Attachment 4.19-B, Supplement 4 (12VAC30-80-190 B 2) in regard to the state agency fee schedule for RBRVS. Medicaid payments will be estimated using payments for dates of service from the prior fiscal year adjusted for expected claim payments. Additional adjustments will be made for any program changes in Medicare or Medicaid payments.

19. Personal Assistance Services (PAS) for individuals enrolled in the Medicaid Buy-In program described in 12VAC30-60-200. These services are reimbursed in accordance with the state agency fee schedule described in 12VAC30-80-190. The state agency fee schedule is published on the Single State Agency Website DMAS website (http://dmasva.dmas.virginia.gov).

B. Hospice services payments must be no lower than the amounts using the same methodology used under Part A of Title XVIII, and take into account the room and board furnished by the facility, equal to at least 95% of the rate that would have been paid by the state under the plan for facility services in that facility for that individual. Hospice services shall be paid according to the location of the service delivery and not the location of the agency's home office.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (12VAC30-80)

Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations, 25th Edition, 2005, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

International Classification of Diseases, ICD-9-CM 2007 (effective for claims with dates of service through September 30, 2014), Physician, Volumes 1 and 2, 9th Revision-Clinical Modification, American Medical Association

Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics/Orthotics & Supplies Fee Schedules, Jan. 2012, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Virginia Medicaid Durable Medical Equipment and Supplies Provider Manual, Appendix B (rev. 1/11), Department of Medical Assistance Services

CHAPTER 95
STANDARDS ESTABLISHED AND METHODS USED FOR FEE-FOR-SERVICE REIMBURSEMENT

12VAC30-95-5. General definitions.

The following words and terms when used in 12VAC30 shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"ASAM" means the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

"ICD" means (i) for claims with dates of service on or prior to September 30, 2014, the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) Volumes 1, 2, and 3, OptumInsight, Inc., and (ii) for claims with dates of service on or after October 1, 2014, the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) and Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) pursuant to 45 CFR 162.1002, OptumInsight, Inc.

Part XIII
Client Medical Management Program

12VAC30-130-800. Definitions.

The following words and terms when used in this part shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"APA" means the Administrative Process Act established by Chapter 40 (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.) of Title 2.2 of the Code of Virginia.

"Abuse by recipients" means practices by recipients which that are inconsistent with sound fiscal or medical practices and result in unnecessary costs to the Virginia Medicaid Program.

"Abuse by providers" means practices which that are inconsistent with sound fiscal, business, or medical practices and result in unnecessary costs to the Virginia Medicaid Program or in reimbursement for a level of utilization or pattern of services that is not medically necessary.

"Card-sharing" means the intentional sharing of a recipient eligibility card for use by someone other than the recipient for whom it was issued, or a pattern of repeated unauthorized use of a recipient eligibility card by one or more persons other than the recipient for whom it was issued due to the failure of the recipient to safeguard the card.

"Client Medical Management Program (CMM) for recipients" means the recipients' utilization control program designed to prevent abuse and promote improved and cost efficient medical management of essential health care for noninstitutionalized recipients through restriction to one primary care provider, one pharmacy, and one transportation provider, or any combination of these three designated providers. Referrals may not be made to providers restricted through the Client Medical Management Program, nor may restricted providers serve as covering providers.

"Client Medical Management Program (CMM) for providers" means the providers' utilization control program designed to complement the recipient abuse and utilization control program in promoting improved and cost efficient medical management of essential health care. Restricted providers may not serve as designated providers for restricted recipients. Restricted providers may not serve as referral or covering providers for restricted recipients.

"Contraindicated medical care" means treatment which that is medically improper or undesirable and which results in duplicative or excessive utilization of services.

"Contraindicated use of drugs" means the concomitant use of two or more drugs whose combined pharmacologic action produces an undesirable therapeutic effect or induces an adverse effect by the extended use of a drug with a known potential to produce this effect.

"Covering provider" means a provider designated by the primary provider to render health care services in the temporary absence of the primary provider.

"DMAS" means the Department of Medical Assistance Services.

"Designated provider" means the provider who agrees to be the designated primary physician, designated pharmacy, or designated transportation provider from whom the restricted recipient must first attempt to seek health care services. Other providers may be established as designated providers with the approval of DMAS.

"Diagnostic category" means the broad classification of diseases and injuries found in the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) ICD as defined in 12VAC30-95-5, which is commonly used by providers in billing for medical services.

"Drug" means a substance or medication intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease as defined by the Virginia Drug Control Act (§ 54.1-3400 et seq. of the Code of Virginia).

"Duplicative medical care" means two or more practitioners concurrently treat the same or similar medical problems or conditions falling into the same diagnostic category, excluding confirmation for diagnosis, evaluation, or assessment.

"Duplicative medications" means more than one prescription of the same drug or more than one drug in the same therapeutic class.

"Emergency hospital services" means those hospital services that are necessary to treat a medical emergency. Hospital treatment of a medical emergency necessitates the use of the most accessible hospital available that is equipped to furnish the services.

"EPSDT" means the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Program, which is federally mandated for eligible individuals under the age of 21 years of age.

"Excessive medical care" means obtaining greater than necessary services such that health risks to the recipient or unnecessary costs to the Virginia Medicaid Program may ensue from the accumulation of services or obtaining duplicative services.

"Excessive medications" means obtaining medication in greater than generally acceptable maximum therapeutic dosage regimens or obtaining duplicative medication from more than one practitioner.

"Excessive transportation services" means obtaining or rendering greater than necessary transportation services such that unnecessary costs to the Virginia Medicaid Program may ensue from the accumulation of services.

"Fraud" means an intentional deception or misrepresentation made by a person with the knowledge that the deception could result in some unauthorized benefit to himself or some other person. It includes any act that constitutes fraud under applicable federal or state laws.

"Health care" means any covered services, including equipment, supplies, or transportation services, provided by any individual, organization, or entity that participates in the Virginia Medical Assistance Program.

"Medical emergency" means the sudden onset of a medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in (i) placing the client's health in serious jeopardy, (ii) serious impairment of bodily functions, or (iii) serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part.

"Medical management of essential health care" means a case management approach to health care in which the designated primary physician has responsibility for assessing the needs of the patient and making referrals to other physicians and clinics as needed. The designated pharmacy has responsibility for monitoring the drug regimen of the patient.

"Noncompliance" means failing to follow Client Medical Management Program procedures, or a pattern of utilization which that is inconsistent with sound fiscal or medical practices. Noncompliance includes, but is not limited to, failure to follow a recommended treatment plan or drug regimen; failure to disclose to a provider any treatment or services provided by another provider; requests for medical services or medications which that are not medically necessary; or excessive use of transportation services.

"Not medically necessary" means an item or service which that is not consistent with the diagnosis or treatment of the patient's condition or an item or service which that is duplicative, contraindicated, or excessive.

"Pattern" means duplication or frequent occurrence.

"Practitioner" means a health care provider licensed, registered, or otherwise permitted by law to distribute, dispense, prescribe, and administer drugs or otherwise treat medical conditions.

"Primary care provider" or "PCP" means the designated primary physician responsible for medical management of essential health care for the restricted recipient.

"Provider" means the individual, facility or other entity registered, licensed, or certified, as appropriate, and enrolled by DMAS to render services to Medicaid recipients eligible for services.

"Psychotropic drugs" means drugs which that alter the mental state. Such drugs include, but are not limited to, morphine, barbiturates, hypnotics, antianxiety agents, antidepressants, and antipsychotics.

"Recipient" means the individual who is eligible, under Title XIX of the Social Security Act, to receive Medicaid covered services.

"Recipient eligibility card" means the document issued to each Medicaid enrollee; an individual document issued to each Medicaid recipient listing the name and Medicaid number (either the identification or billing number) of the eligible individual. This document may be in the form of a plastic card magnetically encoded, allowing electronic access to inquiries for eligibility status.

"Restriction" means an administrative action imposed on a recipient which that limits access to specific types of health care services through a designated primary provider or an administrative action imposed on a provider to prohibit participation as a designated primary provider, referral, or covering provider for restricted recipients.

"Social Security Act" means the Act, enacted by the 74th Congress on August 14, 1935, which that provides for the general welfare by establishing a system of federal old age benefits, and by enabling the states to make more adequate provisions for aged persons, blind persons, dependent and crippled children, maternal and child welfare, public health, and the administration of their unemployment compensation laws.

"State Plan for Medical Assistance" or "the Plan" means the document listing the covered groups, covered services and their limitations, and provider reimbursement methodologies as provided for under Title XIX of the Social Security Act.

"Surveillance and Utilization Review Subsystem (SURS)" or "Automated Exception Analysis (AEA)" means a computer subsystem of the Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS) which that collects claims data and computes statistical profiles of recipient and provider activity and compares them with that of their particular peer group.

"Therapeutic class" means a group of drugs with similar pharmacologic actions and uses.

"Utilization control" means the control of covered health care services to assure the use of cost efficient, medically necessary or appropriate services.

VA.R. Doc. No. R14-3959; Filed April 10, 2014, 4:13 p.m.
TITLE 12. HEALTH
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES
Final Regulation

REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The following regulatory action is exempt from Article 2 of the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 c of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to meet the requirements of federal law or regulations, provided such regulations do not differ materially from those required by federal law or regulation. The Department of Medical Assistance Services will receive, consider, and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.

Titles of Regulations: 12VAC30-60. Standards Established and Methods Used to Assure High Quality Care (amending 12VAC30-60-75).

12VAC30-70. Methods and Standards for Establishing Payment Rates - Inpatient Hospital Services (amending 12VAC30-70-221).

12VAC30-80. Methods and Standards for Establishing Payment Rates; Other Types of Care (amending 12VAC30-80-20, 12VAC30-80-30).

12VAC30-95. Standards Established and Methods Used for Fee-For-Service Reimbursement (adding 12VAC30-95-5).

12VAC30-130. Amount, Duration and Scope of Selected Services (amending 12VAC30-130-800).

Statutory Authority § 32.1-325 of the Code of Virginia; 42 USC § 1396 et seq.

Effective Date: June 5, 2014.

Agency Contact: Lois Gray, Regulatory Coordinator, Division of Policy and Research, Department of Medical Assistance Services, 600 East Broad Street, Suite 1300, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 371-4300, FAX (804) 786-1680, or email lois.gray@dmas.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The amendments update references to the 10th edition of the International Classification of Diseases in compliance with federal requirements (77 FR 54664 (September 5, 2012)).

12VAC30-60-75. Durable medical equipment (DME) and supplies.

A. No provider shall have a claim of ownership on DME reimbursed by Virginia Medicaid once it has been delivered to the Medicaid individual. Providers shall only be permitted to recover DME, for example, when DMAS determines that it does not fulfill the required medically necessary purpose as set out in the Certificate of Medical Necessity (CMN), when there is an error in the ordering practitioner's CMN, or when the equipment was rented. DMAS shall not reimburse the DME and supply provider for services that are provided either: (i) prior to the date prescribed by the licensed practitioner; (ii) prior to the date of the delivery; or (iii) when services are not provided in accordance with DMAS' published regulations and guidance documents. In instances when the DME or supply is shipped directly to the Medicaid individual, the DME provider shall confirm that the DME or supplies have been received by the individual before submitting his claim for payment to DMAS.

B. DME providers, as defined in 12VAC30-50-165, shall retain copies on file of the fully completed CMN and all applicable supporting documentation for post payment audit reviews. Reimbursement that has been made by Medicaid shall be retracted if the DME and supplies have not been ordered on the CMN. Additional supporting documentation is allowed to justify the medical need for durable medical equipment and supplies. Supporting documentation shall not replace the requirement for a properly completed CMN. The dates of the supporting documentation shall coincide with the dates of service on the CMN. The licensed practitioner providing the supporting documentation shall be identified by name and title. DME providers shall not create or revise CMNs or supporting documentation for durable medical equipment and supplies that have been provided once the post payment audit review has been initiated.

C. Individuals requiring only DME or supplies may obtain such services directly from the DME provider without having to consult or obtain services from a home health service or home health provider. Supplies used for treatment during a home health visit shall be included in the visit rate of the home health provider. Treatment supplies left in the home to maintain treatment after the visits shall be charged separately.

D. CMN requirements. The CMN shall have two required components: (i) the licensed practitioner's order and (ii) the clinical diagnosis. Failure to have a complete CMN may result in nonpayment of services rendered or retraction of payments made subsequent to post payment audits.

1. Licensed practitioner's order.

a. The licensed practitioners' complete order shall appear on the face of the CMN. A complete order on the CMN shall consist of the item's complete description, the quantity ordered, the frequency of use, and the licensed practitioner's signature and complete date of signing as defined in 12VAC30-50-165. If the DME provider determines that the prescribing licensed practitioner's signature and complete date of signing are missing, he shall consider the CMN to be invalid and he shall request a new CMN.

b. The following CMN fields (as indicated by an asterisk on the CMN) shall be required for reimbursement:

(1) The ordered item's description. If the item is an E1399 (miscellaneous), the description of the item shall not be "miscellaneous DME," but the provider shall specify the DME item or supply.

(2) The quantity ordered as found in the licensed practitioner's order. For expendable supplies the provider shall designate supplies needed for one month. If an item is not needed every month, the provider may designate an alternate time frame.

(3) The frequency of use of the DME item or supply.

(4) The licensed practitioner's signature and full date. If either the licensed practitioner's signature or full date, or both, are missing, then the entire CMN shall be deemed to be invalid and a new CMN shall be obtained. The licensed practitioner's signature certifies that the ordered DME and supplies are a part of the treatment plan and are medically necessary for the Medicaid individual.

c. The begin service date on the CMN is optional.

(1) If the provider enters a begin service date, the CMN must be signed and dated by the licensed practitioner within 60 days of the begin service date in order for the CMN to start from the begin date.

(2) If no begin service date is documented on the CMN, the date of the practitioner's signature shall be the start date of the CMN.

2. The clinical diagnosis.

a. The narrative description of the clinical diagnosis shall be recorded on the face of the CMN.

b. The recording on the face of the CMN of the relevant ICD-9 ICD diagnosis code shall be optional. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

3. Supporting documentation.

a. Supporting documentation may be included in the additional information attached to the CMN.

b. The attachment of supporting documentation shall not replace the requirement for a properly completed CMN.

Article 2
Prospective (DRG-Based) Payment Methodology

12VAC30-70-221. General.

A. Effective July 1, 2000, the prospective (DRG-based) payment system described in this article shall apply to inpatient hospital services provided in enrolled general acute care hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, and freestanding psychiatric facilities licensed as hospitals, unless otherwise noted.

B. The following methodologies shall apply under the prospective payment system:

1. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-231, operating payments for DRG cases that are not transfer cases shall be determined on the basis of a hospital specific operating rate per case times relative weight of the DRG to which the case is assigned.

2. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-241, operating payments for per diem cases shall be determined on the basis of a hospital specific operating rate per day times the covered days for the case with the exception of payments for per diem cases in freestanding psychiatric facilities. Payments for per diem cases in freestanding psychiatric facilities licensed as hospitals shall be determined on the basis of a hospital specific rate per day that represents an all-inclusive payment for operating and capital costs.

3. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-251, operating payments for transfer cases shall be determined as follows: (i) the transferring hospital shall receive an operating per diem payment, not to exceed the DRG operating payment that would have otherwise been made and (ii) the final discharging hospital shall receive the full DRG operating payment.

4. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-261, additional operating payments shall be made for outlier cases. These additional payments shall be added to the operating payments determined in subdivisions 1 and 3 of this subsection.

5. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-271, payments for capital costs shall be made on an allowable cost basis.

6. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-281, payments for direct medical education costs of nursing schools and paramedical programs shall be made on an allowable cost basis. Payment for direct graduate medical education (GME) costs for interns and residents shall be made quarterly on a prospective basis, subject to cost settlement based on the number of full time equivalent (FTE) interns and residents as reported on the cost report.

7. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-291, payments for indirect medical education costs shall be made quarterly on a prospective basis.

8. As stipulated in 12VAC30-70-301, payments to hospitals that qualify as disproportionate share hospitals shall be made quarterly on a prospective basis.

C. The terms used in this article shall be defined as provided in this subsection:

"Base year" means the state fiscal year for which data is used to establish the DRG relative weights, the hospital case-mix indices, the base year standardized operating costs per case, and the base year standardized operating costs per day. The base year will change when the DRG payment system is rebased and recalibrated. In subsequent rebasings, the Commonwealth shall notify affected providers of the base year to be used in this calculation.

"Base year standardized costs per case" reflects means the statewide average hospital costs per discharge for DRG cases in the base year. The standardization process removes the effects of case-mix and regional variations in wages from the claims data and places all hospitals on a comparable basis.

"Base year standardized costs per day" reflects means the statewide average hospital costs per day for per diem cases in the base year. The standardization process removes the effects of regional variations in wages from the claims data and places all hospitals on a comparable basis. Base year standardized costs per day were calculated separately, but using the same calculation methodology, for the different types of per diem cases identified in this subsection under the definition of "per diem cases."

"Cost" means allowable cost as defined in Supplement 3 (12VAC30-70-10 through 12VAC30-70-130) and by Medicare principles of reimbursement.

"Disproportionate share hospital" means a hospital that meets the following criteria:

1. A Medicaid utilization rate in excess of 14%, or a low-income patient utilization rate exceeding 25% (as defined in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 and as amended by the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act of 1988); and

2. At least two obstetricians with staff privileges at the hospital who have agreed to provide obstetric services to individuals entitled to such services under a state Medicaid plan. In the case of a hospital located in a rural area (that is, an area outside of a Metropolitan Statistical Area as defined by the Executive Office of Management and Budget), the term "obstetrician" includes any physician with staff privileges at the hospital to perform nonemergency obstetric procedures.

3. Subdivision 2 of this definition does not apply to a hospital:

a. At which the inpatients are predominantly individuals under 18 years of age; or

b. Which does not offer nonemergency obstetric services as of December 21, 1987.

"DRG cases" means medical/surgical cases subject to payment on the basis of DRGs. DRG cases do not include per diem cases.

"DRG relative weight" means the average standardized costs for cases assigned to that DRG divided by the average standardized costs for cases assigned to all DRGs.

"Groupable cases" means DRG cases having coding data of sufficient quality to support DRG assignment.

"Hospital case-mix index" means the weighted average DRG relative weight for all cases occurring at that hospital.

"Medicaid utilization percentage" is equal to the hospital's total Medicaid inpatient days divided by the hospital's total inpatient days for a given hospital fiscal year. The Medicaid utilization percentage includes days associated with inpatient hospital services provided to Medicaid patients but reimbursed by capitated managed care providers. This definition includes all paid Medicaid days (from DMAS MR reports for fee-for-service days and managed care organization or hospital reports for HMO days) and nonpaid/denied Medicaid days to include medically unnecessary days, inappropriate level of care service days, and days that exceed any maximum day limits (with appropriate documentation). The definition of Medicaid days does not include any general assistance, Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS), State and Local Hospitalization (SLH), charity care, low-income, indigent care, uncompensated care, bad debt, or Medicare dually eligible days. It does not include days for newborns not enrolled in Medicaid during the fiscal year even though the mother was Medicaid eligible during the birth.

"Medicare wage index" and the "Medicare geographic adjustment factor" are published annually in the Federal Register by the Health Care Financing Administration. The indices and factors used in this article shall be those in effect in the base year.

"Operating cost-to-charge ratio" equals the hospital's total operating costs, less any applicable operating costs for a psychiatric DPU, divided by the hospital's total charges, less any applicable charges for a psychiatric DPU. The operating cost-to-charge ratio shall be calculated using data from cost reports from hospital fiscal years ending in the state fiscal year used as the base year.

"Outlier adjustment factor" means a fixed factor published annually in the Federal Register by the Health Care Financing Administration. The factor used in this article shall be the one in effect in the base year.

"Outlier cases" means those DRG cases, including transfer cases, in which the hospital's adjusted operating cost for the case exceeds the hospital's operating outlier threshold for the case.

"Outlier operating fixed loss threshold" means a fixed dollar amount applicable to all hospitals that shall be calculated in the base year so as to result in an expenditure for outliers operating payments equal to 5.1% of total operating payments for DRG cases. The threshold shall be updated in subsequent years using the same inflation values applied to hospital rates.

"Per diem cases" means cases subject to per diem payment and include includes (i) covered psychiatric cases in general acute care hospitals and distinct part units (DPUs) of general acute care hospitals (hereinafter "acute care psychiatric cases"), (ii) covered psychiatric cases in freestanding psychiatric facilities licensed as hospitals (hereinafter "freestanding psychiatric cases"), and (iii) rehabilitation cases in general acute care hospitals and rehabilitation hospitals (hereinafter "rehabilitation cases").

"Psychiatric cases" means cases with a principal diagnosis that is a mental disorder as specified in the ICD-9-CM ICD, as defined in 12VAC30-95-5. Not all mental disorders are covered. For coverage information, see Amount, Duration, and Scope of Services, Supplement 1 to Attachment 3.1 A & B (12VAC30-50-95 through 12VAC30-50-310). The limit of coverage of 21 days in a 60-day period for the same or similar diagnosis shall continue to apply to adult psychiatric cases.

"Psychiatric operating cost-to-charge ratio" for the psychiatric DPU of a general acute care hospital means the hospital's operating costs for a psychiatric DPU divided by the hospital's charges for a psychiatric DPU. In the base year, this ratio shall be calculated as described in the definition of "operating cost-to-charge ratio" in this subsection, using data from psychiatric DPUs.

"Readmissions" occur means when patients are readmitted to the same hospital for the same or a similar diagnosis within five days of discharge. Such cases shall be considered a continuation of the same stay and shall not be treated as a new case cases. Similar diagnoses shall be defined as ICD-9-CM ICD diagnosis codes possessing the same first three digits. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

"Rehabilitation operating cost-to-charge ratio" for a rehabilitation unit or hospital means the provider's operating costs divided by the provider's charges. In the base year, this ratio shall be calculated as described in the definition of "operating cost-to-charge ratio" in this subsection, using data from rehabilitation units or hospitals.

"Statewide average labor portion of operating costs" means a fixed percentage applicable to all hospitals. The percentage shall be periodically revised using the most recent reliable data from the Virginia Health Information (VHI), or its successor.

"Transfer cases" means DRG cases involving patients (i) who are transferred from one general acute care hospital to another for related care or (ii) who are discharged from one general acute care hospital and admitted to another for the same or a similar diagnosis within five days of that discharge. Similar diagnoses shall be defined as ICD-9-CM ICD diagnosis codes possessing the same first three digits. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12 VAC 30-95-5.

"Type One" hospitals means those hospitals that were state-owned teaching hospitals on January 1, 1996. "Type Two" hospitals means all other hospitals.

"Ungroupable cases" means cases assigned to DRG 469 (principal diagnosis invalid as discharge diagnosis) and DRG 470 (ungroupable) as determined by the AP-DRG Grouper.

D. The All Patient Diagnosis Related Groups (AP-DRG) Grouper shall be used in the DRG payment system. Until notification of a change is given, Version 14.0 of this grouper shall be used. DMAS shall notify hospitals when updating the system to later grouper versions.

E. The primary data sources used in the development of the DRG payment methodology were the department's hospital computerized claims history file and the cost report file. The claims history file captures available claims data from all enrolled, cost-reporting general acute care hospitals, including Type One hospitals. The cost report file captures audited cost and charge data from all enrolled general acute care hospitals, including Type One hospitals. The following table identifies key data elements that were used to develop the DRG payment methodology and that will be used when the system is recalibrated and rebased.

Data Elements for DRG Payment Methodology

Data Elements

Source

Total charges for each groupable case

Claims history file

Number of groupable cases in each DRG

Claims history file

Total number of groupable cases

Claims history file

Total charges for each DRG case

Claims history file

Total number of DRG cases

Claims history file

Total charges for each acute care psychiatric case

Claims history file

Total number of acute care psychiatric days for each acute care hospital

Claims history file

Total charges for each freestanding psychiatric case

Medicare cost reports

Total number of psychiatric days for each freestanding psychiatric hospital

Medicare cost reports

Total charges for each rehabilitation case

Claims history file

Total number of rehabilitation days for each acute care and freestanding rehabilitation hospital

Claims history file

Operating cost-to-charge ratio for each hospital

Cost report file

Operating cost-to-charge ratio for each freestanding psychiatric facility licensed as a hospital

Medicare cost reports

Psychiatric operating cost-to-charge ratio for the psychiatric DPU of each general acute care hospital

Cost report file

Rehabilitation cost-to-charge ratio for each rehabilitation unit or hospital

Cost report file

Statewide average labor portion of operating costs

VHI

Medicare wage index for each hospital

Federal Register

Medicare geographic adjustment factor for each hospital

Federal Register

Outlier operating fixed loss threshold

Claims history file

Outlier adjustment factor

Federal Register

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (12VAC30-70)

All Patient Diagnosis Related Groups (AP-DRG) Grouper, DRG and MDC Code Listings, Version 12, January 1995

Health Care Cost Review, Third Quarter 2009, IHS Global Insight

International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9-CM) Physician, Volumes 1 and 2, American Medical Association, 2007

12VAC30-80-20. Services that are reimbursed on a cost basis.

A. Payments for services listed below shall be on the basis of reasonable cost following the standards and principles applicable to the Title XVIII Program with the exception provided for in subdivision D 1 d of this section. The upper limit for reimbursement shall be no higher than payments for Medicare patients on a facility by facility basis in accordance with 42 CFR 447.321 and 42 CFR 447.325. In no instance, however, shall charges for beneficiaries of the program be in excess of charges for private patients receiving services from the provider. The professional component for emergency room physicians shall continue to be uncovered as a component of the payment to the facility.

B. Reasonable costs will be determined from the filing of a uniform cost report by participating providers. The cost reports are due not later than 150 days after the provider's fiscal year end. If a complete cost report is not received within 150 days after the end of the provider's fiscal year, the Program shall take action in accordance with its policies to assure that an overpayment is not being made. The cost report will be judged complete when DMAS has all of the following:

1. Completed cost reporting form(s) provided by DMAS, with signed certification(s);

2. The provider's trial balance showing adjusting journal entries;

3. The provider's financial statements including, but not limited to, a balance sheet, a statement of income and expenses, a statement of retained earnings (or fund balance), and a statement of changes in financial position;

4. Schedules that reconcile financial statements and trial balance to expenses claimed in the cost report;

5. Depreciation schedule or summary;

6. Home office cost report, if applicable; and

7. Such other analytical information or supporting documents requested by DMAS when the cost reporting forms are sent to the provider.

C. Item 398 D of the 1987 Appropriation Act (as amended), effective April 8, 1987, eliminated reimbursement of return on equity capital to proprietary providers.

D. The services that are cost reimbursed are:

1. Outpatient hospital services, including rehabilitation hospital outpatient services and excluding laboratory services.

a. Definitions. The following words and terms when used in this regulation shall have the following meanings when applied to emergency services unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"All-inclusive" means all emergency department and ancillary service charges claimed in association with the emergency room visit, with the exception of laboratory services.

"DMAS" means the Department of Medical Assistance Services consistent with Chapter 10 (§ 32.1-323 et seq.) of Title 32.1 of the Code of Virginia.

"Emergency hospital services" means services that are necessary to prevent the death or serious impairment of the health of the recipient. The threat to the life or health of the recipient necessitates the use of the most accessible hospital available that is equipped to furnish the services.

"Recent injury" means an injury that has occurred less than 72 hours prior to the emergency department visit.

b. Scope. DMAS shall differentiate, as determined by the attending physician's diagnosis, the kinds of care routinely rendered in emergency departments and reimburse for nonemergency care rendered in emergency departments at a reduced rate.

(1) With the exception of laboratory services, DMAS shall reimburse at a reduced and all-inclusive reimbursement rate for all services, including those obstetric and pediatric procedures contained in 12VAC30-80-160, rendered in emergency departments that DMAS determines were nonemergency care.

(2) Services determined by the attending physician to be emergencies shall be reimbursed under the existing methodologies and at the existing rates.

(3) Services performed by the attending physician that may be emergencies shall be manually reviewed. If such services meet certain criteria, they shall be paid under the methodology for subdivision 1 b (2) of this subsection. Services not meeting certain criteria shall be paid under the methodology of subdivision 1 b (1) of this subsection. Such criteria shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) The initial treatment following a recent obvious injury.

(b) Treatment related to an injury sustained more than 72 hours prior to the visit with the deterioration of the symptoms to the point of requiring medical treatment for stabilization.

(c) The initial treatment for medical emergencies including indications of severe chest pain, dyspnea, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, spontaneous abortion, loss of consciousness, status epilepticus, or other conditions considered life threatening.

(d) A visit in which the recipient's condition requires immediate hospital admission or the transfer to another facility for further treatment or a visit in which the recipient dies.

(e) Services provided for acute vital sign changes as specified in the provider manual.

(f) Services provided for severe pain when combined with one or more of the other guidelines.

(4) Payment shall be determined based on ICD-9-CM ICD diagnosis codes and necessary supporting documentation. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

(5) DMAS shall review on an ongoing basis the effectiveness of this program in achieving its objectives and for its effect on recipients, physicians, and hospitals. Program components may be revised subject to achieving program intent, the accuracy and effectiveness of the ICD-9-CM ICD code designations, and the impact on recipients and providers. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

c. Limitation of allowable cost. Effective for services on and after July 1, 2003, reimbursement of Type Two hospitals for outpatient services shall be at various percentages as noted in subdivisions 1 c (1) and (2) of this subsection of allowable cost, with cost to be determined as provided in subsections A, B, and C of this section. For hospitals with fiscal years that do not begin on July 1, outpatient costs, both operating and capital, for the fiscal year in progress on that date shall be apportioned between the time period before and the time period after that date, based on the number of calendar months in the cost reporting period, falling before and after that date.

(1) Type One hospitals.

(a) Effective July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2010, hospital outpatient operating reimbursement shall be at 94.2% of allowable cost and capital reimbursement shall be at 90% of allowable cost.

(b) Effective July 1, 2010, through September 30, 2010, hospital outpatient operating reimbursement shall be at 91.2% of allowable cost and capital reimbursement shall be at 87% of allowable cost.

(c) Effective October 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011, hospital outpatient operating reimbursement shall be at 94.2% of allowable cost and capital reimbursement shall be at 90% of allowable cost.

(d) Effective July 1, 2011, hospital outpatient operating reimbursement shall be at 90.2% of allowable cost and capital reimbursement shall be at 86% of allowable cost.

(2) Type Two hospitals.

(a) Effective July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2010, hospital outpatient operating and capital reimbursement shall be 80% of allowable cost.

(b) Effective July 1, 2010, through September 30, 2010, hospital outpatient operating and capital reimbursement shall be 77% of allowable cost.

(c) Effective October 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011, hospital outpatient operating and capital reimbursement shall be 80% of allowable cost.

(d) Effective July 1, 2011, hospital outpatient operating and capital reimbursement shall be 76% of allowable cost.

d. Payment for direct medical education costs of nursing schools, paramedical programs and graduate medical education for interns and residents.

(1) Direct medical education costs of nursing schools and paramedical programs shall continue to be paid on an allowable cost basis.

(2) Effective with cost reporting periods beginning on or after July 1, 2002, direct graduate medical education (GME) costs for interns and residents shall be reimbursed on a per-resident prospective basis. See 12VAC30-70-281 for prospective payment methodology for graduate medical education for interns and residents.

2. Rehabilitation agencies or comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation.

a. Effective July 1, 2009, rehabilitation agencies or comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities that are operated by community services boards or state agencies shall be reimbursed their costs. For reimbursement methodology applicable to all other rehabilitation agencies, see 12VAC30-80-200.

b. Effective October 1, 2009, rehabilitation agencies or comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities operated by state agencies shall be reimbursed their costs. For reimbursement methodology applicable to all other rehabilitation agencies, see 12VAC30-80-200.

12VAC30-80-30. Fee-for-service providers.

A. Payment for the following services, except for physician services, shall be the lower of the state agency fee schedule (12VAC30-80-190 has information about the state agency fee schedule) or actual charge (charge to the general public):

1. Physicians' services. Payment for physician services shall be the lower of the state agency fee schedule or actual charge (charge to the general public). The following limitations shall apply to emergency physician services.

a. Definitions. The following words and terms, when used in this subdivision 1 shall have the following meanings when applied to emergency services unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"All-inclusive" means all emergency service and ancillary service charges claimed in association with the emergency department visit, with the exception of laboratory services.

"DMAS" means the Department of Medical Assistance Services consistent with Chapter 10 (§ 32.1-323 et seq.) of Title 32.1 of the Code of Virginia.

"Emergency physician services" means services that are necessary to prevent the death or serious impairment of the health of the recipient. The threat to the life or health of the recipient necessitates the use of the most accessible hospital available that is equipped to furnish the services.

"Recent injury" means an injury that has occurred less than 72 hours prior to the emergency department visit.

b. Scope. DMAS shall differentiate, as determined by the attending physician's diagnosis, the kinds of care routinely rendered in emergency departments and reimburse physicians for nonemergency care rendered in emergency departments at a reduced rate.

(1) DMAS shall reimburse at a reduced and all-inclusive reimbursement rate for all physician services, including those obstetric and pediatric procedures contained in 12VAC30-80-160, rendered in emergency departments that DMAS determines are nonemergency care.

(2) Services determined by the attending physician to be emergencies shall be reimbursed under the existing methodologies and at the existing rates.

(3) Services determined by the attending physician that may be emergencies shall be manually reviewed. If such services meet certain criteria, they shall be paid under the methodology in subdivision 1 b (2) of this subsection. Services not meeting certain criteria shall be paid under the methodology in subdivision 1 b (1) of this subsection. Such criteria shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) The initial treatment following a recent obvious injury.

(b) Treatment related to an injury sustained more than 72 hours prior to the visit with the deterioration of the symptoms to the point of requiring medical treatment for stabilization.

(c) The initial treatment for medical emergencies including indications of severe chest pain, dyspnea, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, spontaneous abortion, loss of consciousness, status epilepticus, or other conditions considered life threatening.

(d) A visit in which the recipient's condition requires immediate hospital admission or the transfer to another facility for further treatment or a visit in which the recipient dies.

(e) Services provided for acute vital sign changes as specified in the provider manual.

(f) Services provided for severe pain when combined with one or more of the other guidelines.

(4) Payment shall be determined based on ICD-9-CM ICD diagnosis codes and necessary supporting documentation. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

(5) DMAS shall review on an ongoing basis the effectiveness of this program in achieving its objectives and for its effect on recipients, physicians, and hospitals. Program components may be revised subject to achieving program intent objectives, the accuracy and effectiveness of the ICD-9-CM ICD code designations, and the impact on recipients and providers. As used here, the term "ICD" is defined in 12VAC30-95-5.

2. Dentists' services.

3. Mental health services including: (i) community mental health services;, (ii) services of a licensed clinical psychologist;, or (iii) mental health services provided by a physician.

a. Services provided by licensed clinical psychologists shall be reimbursed at 90% of the reimbursement rate for psychiatrists.

b. Services provided by independently enrolled licensed clinical social workers, licensed professional counselors or licensed clinical nurse specialists-psychiatric shall be reimbursed at 75% of the reimbursement rate for licensed clinical psychologists.

4. Podiatry.

5. Nurse-midwife services.

6. Durable medical equipment (DME) and supplies.

Definitions. The following words and terms when used in this part shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"DMERC" means the Durable Medical Equipment Regional Carrier rate as published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/DMEPOSFeeSched/DMEPOS-Fee-Schedule.html.

"HCPCS" means the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System, Medicare's National Level II Codes, HCPCS 2006 (Eighteenth edition), as published by Ingenix, as may be periodically updated.

a. Obtaining prior authorization shall not guarantee Medicaid reimbursement for DME.

b. The following shall be the reimbursement method used for DME services:

(1) If the DME item has a DMERC rate, the reimbursement rate shall be the DMERC rate minus 10%.

(2) For DME items with no DMERC rate, the agency shall use the agency fee schedule amount.The reimbursement rates for DME and supplies shall be listed in the DMAS Medicaid Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and Supplies Listing and updated periodically. The agency fee schedule shall be available on the agency website at www.dmas.virginia.gov.

(3) If a DME item has no DMERC rate or agency fee schedule rate, the reimbursement rate shall be the manufacturer's net charge to the provider, less shipping and handling, plus 30%. The manufacturer's net charge to the provider shall be the cost to the provider minus all available discounts to the provider. Additional information specific to how DME providers, including manufacturers who are enrolled as providers, establish and document their cost or costs for DME codes that do not have established rates can be found in the relevant agency guidance document.

c. DMAS shall have the authority to amend the agency fee schedule as it deems appropriate and with notice to providers. DMAS shall have the authority to determine alternate pricing, based on agency research, for any code that does not have a rate.

d. The reimbursement for incontinence supplies shall be by selective contract. Pursuant to § 1915(a)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act and 42 CFR 431.54(d), the Commonwealth assures that adequate services/devices shall be available under such arrangements.

e. Certain durable medical equipment used for intravenous therapy and oxygen therapy shall be bundled under specified procedure codes and reimbursed as determined by the agency. Certain services/durable medical equipment such as service maintenance agreements shall be bundled under specified procedure codes and reimbursed as determined by the agency.

(1) Intravenous therapies. The DME for a single therapy, administered in one day, shall be reimbursed at the established service day rate for the bundled durable medical equipment and the standard pharmacy payment, consistent with the ingredient cost as described in 12VAC30-80-40, plus the pharmacy service day and dispensing fee. Multiple applications of the same therapy shall be included in one service day rate of reimbursement. Multiple applications of different therapies administered in one day shall be reimbursed for the bundled durable medical equipment service day rate as follows: the most expensive therapy shall be reimbursed at 100% of cost; the second and all subsequent most expensive therapies shall be reimbursed at 50% of cost. Multiple therapies administered in one day shall be reimbursed at the pharmacy service day rate plus 100% of every active therapeutic ingredient in the compound (at the lowest ingredient cost methodology) plus the appropriate pharmacy dispensing fee.

(2) Respiratory therapies. The DME for oxygen therapy shall have supplies or components bundled under a service day rate based on oxygen liter flow rate or blood gas levels. Equipment associated with respiratory therapy may have ancillary components bundled with the main component for reimbursement. The reimbursement shall be a service day per diem rate for rental of equipment or a total amount of purchase for the purchase of equipment. Such respiratory equipment shall include, but not be limited to, oxygen tanks and tubing, ventilators, noncontinuous ventilators, and suction machines. Ventilators, noncontinuous ventilators, and suction machines may be purchased based on the individual patient's medical necessity and length of need.

(3) Service maintenance agreements. Provision shall be made for a combination of services, routine maintenance, and supplies, to be known as agreements, under a single reimbursement code only for equipment that is recipient owned. Such bundled agreements shall be reimbursed either monthly or in units per year based on the individual agreement between the DME provider and DMAS. Such bundled agreements may apply to, but not necessarily be limited to, either respiratory equipment or apnea monitors.

7. Local health services.

8. Laboratory services (other than inpatient hospital).

9. Payments to physicians who handle laboratory specimens, but do not perform laboratory analysis (limited to payment for handling).

10. X-Ray services.

11. Optometry services.

12. Medical supplies and equipment.

13. Home health services. Effective June 30, 1991, cost reimbursement for home health services is eliminated. A rate per visit by discipline shall be established as set forth by 12VAC30-80-180.

14. Physical therapy; occupational therapy; and speech, hearing, language disorders services when rendered to noninstitutionalized recipients.

15. Clinic services, as defined under 42 CFR 440.90.

16. Supplemental payments for services provided by Type I physicians.

a. In addition to payments for physician services specified elsewhere in this State Plan, DMAS provides supplemental payments to Type I physicians for furnished services provided on or after July 2, 2002. A Type I physician is a member of a practice group organized by or under the control of a state academic health system or an academic health system that operates under a state authority and includes a hospital, who has entered into contractual agreements for the assignment of payments in accordance with 42 CFR 447.10.

b. Effective July 2, 2002, the supplemental payment amount for Type I physician services shall be the difference between the Medicaid payments otherwise made for Type I physician services and Medicare rates. Effective August 13, 2002, the supplemental payment amount for Type I physician services shall be the difference between the Medicaid payments otherwise made for physician services and 143% of Medicare rates. This percentage was determined by dividing the total commercial allowed amounts for Type I physicians for at least the top five commercial insurers in CY 2004 by what Medicare would have allowed. The average commercial allowed amount was determined by multiplying the relative value units times the conversion factor for RBRVS procedures and by multiplying the unit cost times anesthesia units for anesthesia procedures for each insurer and practice group with Type I physicians and summing for all insurers and practice groups. The Medicare equivalent amount was determined by multiplying the total commercial relative value units for Type I physicians times the Medicare conversion factor for RBRVS procedures and by multiplying the Medicare unit cost times total commercial anesthesia units for anesthesia procedures for all Type I physicians and summing.

c. Supplemental payments shall be made quarterly.

d. Payment will not be made to the extent that this would duplicate payments based on physician costs covered by the supplemental payments.

17. Supplemental payments for services provided by physicians at Virginia freestanding children's hospitals.

a. In addition to payments for physician services specified elsewhere in this State Plan, DMAS provides supplemental payments to Virginia freestanding children's hospital physicians providing services at freestanding children's hospitals with greater than 50% Medicaid inpatient utilization in state fiscal year 2009 for furnished services provided on or after July 1, 2011. A freestanding children's hospital physician is a member of a practice group (i) organized by or under control of a qualifying Virginia freestanding children's hospital, or (ii) who has entered into contractual agreements for provision of physician services at the qualifying Virginia freestanding children's hospital and that is designated in writing by the Virginia freestanding children's hospital as a practice plan for the quarter for which the supplemental payment is made subject to DMAS approval. The freestanding children's hospital physicians also must have entered into contractual agreements with the practice plan for the assignment of payments in accordance with 42 CFR 447.10.

b. Effective July 1, 2011, the supplemental payment amount for freestanding children's hospital physician services shall be the difference between the Medicaid payments otherwise made for freestanding children's hospital physician services and 143% of Medicare rates as defined in the supplemental payment calculation for Type I physician services subject to the following reduction. Final payments shall be reduced on a pro-rated basis so that total payments for freestanding children's hospital physician services are $400,000 less annually than would be calculated based on the formula in the previous sentence. Payments shall be made on the same schedule as Type I physicians.

18. Supplemental payments to nonstate government-owned or operated clinics.

a. In addition to payments for clinic services specified elsewhere in the regulations, DMAS provides supplemental payments to qualifying nonstate government-owned or operated clinics for outpatient services provided to Medicaid patients on or after July 2, 2002. Clinic means a facility that is not part of a hospital but is organized and operated to provide medical care to outpatients. Outpatient services include those furnished by or under the direction of a physician, dentist or other medical professional acting within the scope of his license to an eligible individual. Effective July 1, 2005, a qualifying clinic is a clinic operated by a community services board. The state share for supplemental clinic payments will be funded by general fund appropriations.

b. The amount of the supplemental payment made to each qualifying nonstate government-owned or operated clinic is determined by:

(1) Calculating for each clinic the annual difference between the upper payment limit attributed to each clinic according to subdivision 18 d of this subsection and the amount otherwise actually paid for the services by the Medicaid program;

(2) Dividing the difference determined in subdivision 18 b (1) of this subsection for each qualifying clinic by the aggregate difference for all such qualifying clinics; and

(3) Multiplying the proportion determined in subdivision 18 b (2) of this subsection by the aggregate upper payment limit amount for all such clinics as determined in accordance with 42 CFR 447.321 less all payments made to such clinics other than under this section.

c. Payments for furnished services made under this section may be made in one or more installments at such times, within the fiscal year or thereafter, as is determined by DMAS.

d. To determine the aggregate upper payment limit referred to in subdivision 18 b (3) of this subsection, Medicaid payments to nonstate government-owned or operated clinics will be divided by the "additional factor" whose calculation is described in Attachment 4.19-B, Supplement 4 (12VAC30-80-190 B 2) in regard to the state agency fee schedule for RBRVS. Medicaid payments will be estimated using payments for dates of service from the prior fiscal year adjusted for expected claim payments. Additional adjustments will be made for any program changes in Medicare or Medicaid payments.

19. Personal Assistance Services (PAS) for individuals enrolled in the Medicaid Buy-In program described in 12VAC30-60-200. These services are reimbursed in accordance with the state agency fee schedule described in 12VAC30-80-190. The state agency fee schedule is published on the Single State Agency Website DMAS website (http://dmasva.dmas.virginia.gov).

B. Hospice services payments must be no lower than the amounts using the same methodology used under Part A of Title XVIII, and take into account the room and board furnished by the facility, equal to at least 95% of the rate that would have been paid by the state under the plan for facility services in that facility for that individual. Hospice services shall be paid according to the location of the service delivery and not the location of the agency's home office.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (12VAC30-80)

Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations, 25th Edition, 2005, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

International Classification of Diseases, ICD-9-CM 2007 (effective for claims with dates of service through September 30, 2014), Physician, Volumes 1 and 2, 9th Revision-Clinical Modification, American Medical Association

Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics/Orthotics & Supplies Fee Schedules, Jan. 2012, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Virginia Medicaid Durable Medical Equipment and Supplies Provider Manual, Appendix B (rev. 1/11), Department of Medical Assistance Services

CHAPTER 95
STANDARDS ESTABLISHED AND METHODS USED FOR FEE-FOR-SERVICE REIMBURSEMENT

12VAC30-95-5. General definitions.

The following words and terms when used in 12VAC30 shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"ASAM" means the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

"ICD" means (i) for claims with dates of service on or prior to September 30, 2014, the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) Volumes 1, 2, and 3, OptumInsight, Inc., and (ii) for claims with dates of service on or after October 1, 2014, the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) and Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) pursuant to 45 CFR 162.1002, OptumInsight, Inc.

Part XIII
Client Medical Management Program

12VAC30-130-800. Definitions.

The following words and terms when used in this part shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"APA" means the Administrative Process Act established by Chapter 40 (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.) of Title 2.2 of the Code of Virginia.

"Abuse by recipients" means practices by recipients which that are inconsistent with sound fiscal or medical practices and result in unnecessary costs to the Virginia Medicaid Program.

"Abuse by providers" means practices which that are inconsistent with sound fiscal, business, or medical practices and result in unnecessary costs to the Virginia Medicaid Program or in reimbursement for a level of utilization or pattern of services that is not medically necessary.

"Card-sharing" means the intentional sharing of a recipient eligibility card for use by someone other than the recipient for whom it was issued, or a pattern of repeated unauthorized use of a recipient eligibility card by one or more persons other than the recipient for whom it was issued due to the failure of the recipient to safeguard the card.

"Client Medical Management Program (CMM) for recipients" means the recipients' utilization control program designed to prevent abuse and promote improved and cost efficient medical management of essential health care for noninstitutionalized recipients through restriction to one primary care provider, one pharmacy, and one transportation provider, or any combination of these three designated providers. Referrals may not be made to providers restricted through the Client Medical Management Program, nor may restricted providers serve as covering providers.

"Client Medical Management Program (CMM) for providers" means the providers' utilization control program designed to complement the recipient abuse and utilization control program in promoting improved and cost efficient medical management of essential health care. Restricted providers may not serve as designated providers for restricted recipients. Restricted providers may not serve as referral or covering providers for restricted recipients.

"Contraindicated medical care" means treatment which that is medically improper or undesirable and which results in duplicative or excessive utilization of services.

"Contraindicated use of drugs" means the concomitant use of two or more drugs whose combined pharmacologic action produces an undesirable therapeutic effect or induces an adverse effect by the extended use of a drug with a known potential to produce this effect.

"Covering provider" means a provider designated by the primary provider to render health care services in the temporary absence of the primary provider.

"DMAS" means the Department of Medical Assistance Services.

"Designated provider" means the provider who agrees to be the designated primary physician, designated pharmacy, or designated transportation provider from whom the restricted recipient must first attempt to seek health care services. Other providers may be established as designated providers with the approval of DMAS.

"Diagnostic category" means the broad classification of diseases and injuries found in the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) ICD as defined in 12VAC30-95-5, which is commonly used by providers in billing for medical services.

"Drug" means a substance or medication intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease as defined by the Virginia Drug Control Act (§ 54.1-3400 et seq. of the Code of Virginia).

"Duplicative medical care" means two or more practitioners concurrently treat the same or similar medical problems or conditions falling into the same diagnostic category, excluding confirmation for diagnosis, evaluation, or assessment.

"Duplicative medications" means more than one prescription of the same drug or more than one drug in the same therapeutic class.

"Emergency hospital services" means those hospital services that are necessary to treat a medical emergency. Hospital treatment of a medical emergency necessitates the use of the most accessible hospital available that is equipped to furnish the services.

"EPSDT" means the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Program, which is federally mandated for eligible individuals under the age of 21 years of age.

"Excessive medical care" means obtaining greater than necessary services such that health risks to the recipient or unnecessary costs to the Virginia Medicaid Program may ensue from the accumulation of services or obtaining duplicative services.

"Excessive medications" means obtaining medication in greater than generally acceptable maximum therapeutic dosage regimens or obtaining duplicative medication from more than one practitioner.

"Excessive transportation services" means obtaining or rendering greater than necessary transportation services such that unnecessary costs to the Virginia Medicaid Program may ensue from the accumulation of services.

"Fraud" means an intentional deception or misrepresentation made by a person with the knowledge that the deception could result in some unauthorized benefit to himself or some other person. It includes any act that constitutes fraud under applicable federal or state laws.

"Health care" means any covered services, including equipment, supplies, or transportation services, provided by any individual, organization, or entity that participates in the Virginia Medical Assistance Program.

"Medical emergency" means the sudden onset of a medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in (i) placing the client's health in serious jeopardy, (ii) serious impairment of bodily functions, or (iii) serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part.

"Medical management of essential health care" means a case management approach to health care in which the designated primary physician has responsibility for assessing the needs of the patient and making referrals to other physicians and clinics as needed. The designated pharmacy has responsibility for monitoring the drug regimen of the patient.

"Noncompliance" means failing to follow Client Medical Management Program procedures, or a pattern of utilization which that is inconsistent with sound fiscal or medical practices. Noncompliance includes, but is not limited to, failure to follow a recommended treatment plan or drug regimen; failure to disclose to a provider any treatment or services provided by another provider; requests for medical services or medications which that are not medically necessary; or excessive use of transportation services.

"Not medically necessary" means an item or service which that is not consistent with the diagnosis or treatment of the patient's condition or an item or service which that is duplicative, contraindicated, or excessive.

"Pattern" means duplication or frequent occurrence.

"Practitioner" means a health care provider licensed, registered, or otherwise permitted by law to distribute, dispense, prescribe, and administer drugs or otherwise treat medical conditions.

"Primary care provider" or "PCP" means the designated primary physician responsible for medical management of essential health care for the restricted recipient.

"Provider" means the individual, facility or other entity registered, licensed, or certified, as appropriate, and enrolled by DMAS to render services to Medicaid recipients eligible for services.

"Psychotropic drugs" means drugs which that alter the mental state. Such drugs include, but are not limited to, morphine, barbiturates, hypnotics, antianxiety agents, antidepressants, and antipsychotics.

"Recipient" means the individual who is eligible, under Title XIX of the Social Security Act, to receive Medicaid covered services.

"Recipient eligibility card" means the document issued to each Medicaid enrollee; an individual document issued to each Medicaid recipient listing the name and Medicaid number (either the identification or billing number) of the eligible individual. This document may be in the form of a plastic card magnetically encoded, allowing electronic access to inquiries for eligibility status.

"Restriction" means an administrative action imposed on a recipient which that limits access to specific types of health care services through a designated primary provider or an administrative action imposed on a provider to prohibit participation as a designated primary provider, referral, or covering provider for restricted recipients.

"Social Security Act" means the Act, enacted by the 74th Congress on August 14, 1935, which that provides for the general welfare by establishing a system of federal old age benefits, and by enabling the states to make more adequate provisions for aged persons, blind persons, dependent and crippled children, maternal and child welfare, public health, and the administration of their unemployment compensation laws.

"State Plan for Medical Assistance" or "the Plan" means the document listing the covered groups, covered services and their limitations, and provider reimbursement methodologies as provided for under Title XIX of the Social Security Act.

"Surveillance and Utilization Review Subsystem (SURS)" or "Automated Exception Analysis (AEA)" means a computer subsystem of the Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS) which that collects claims data and computes statistical profiles of recipient and provider activity and compares them with that of their particular peer group.

"Therapeutic class" means a group of drugs with similar pharmacologic actions and uses.

"Utilization control" means the control of covered health care services to assure the use of cost efficient, medically necessary or appropriate services.

VA.R. Doc. No. R14-3959; Filed April 10, 2014, 4:13 p.m.
TITLE 22. SOCIAL SERVICES
STATE BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES
Withdrawal of Final Regulation

Title of Regulation: 22VAC40-191. Background Checks for Child Welfare Agencies (amending 22VAC40-191-50).

Statutory Authority: §§ 63.2-217 and 63.2-901.1 of the Code of Virginia.

The State Board of Social Services has WITHDRAWN the final regulatory action for 22VAC40-191, Background Checks for Child Welfare Agencies, which was published in 30:15 VA.R. 2006-2008 March 24, 2014, with an effective date of April 25, 2014. This regulatory action did not become effective on that date due to the withdrawal of the action.

Agency Contact: Karen Cullen, Program Consultant, Department of Social Services, 801 East Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 726-7512, or email karen.cullen@dss.virginia.gov.

VA.R. Doc. No. R14-3914; Filed April 14, 2014, 9:08 a.m.
TITLE 24. TRANSPORTATION AND MOTOR VEHICLES
COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION BOARD
Final Regulation

REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The Commonwealth Transportation Board is claiming an exemption from Article 2 of the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 a of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to conform to changes in Virginia statutory law where no agency discretion is involved. The Commonwealth Transportation Board will receive, consider, and respond to petitions from any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.

Titles of Regulations: 24VAC30-170. Rules and Regulations Governing the Use, Operation and Maintenance of State-Owned Fleet Vehicles (repealing 24VAC30-170-10).

24VAC30-190. Rules and Regulations Governing the Purchase or Lease of Motor Vehicles with Public Funds (repealing 24VAC30-190-10).

Statutory Authority: §§ 33.1-12 and 33.1-407 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: June 4, 2014.

Agency Contact: David L. Roberts, Policy Division, Department of Transportation, 1401 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 786-3620, or email david.roberts@vdot.virginia.gov.

Summary:

Regulations concerning the centralized fleet, 24VAC30-170 (Rules and Regulations Governing the Use, Operation and Maintenance of State-Owned Fleet Vehicles) and 24VAC30-190 (Rules and Regulations Governing the Purchase or Lease of Motor Vehicles with Public Funds) are being repealed because the Commonwealth Transportation Board no longer has authority to promulgate these regulations. Chapter 815 of the 2001 Acts of Assembly transferred the regulatory authority from the Commonwealth Transportation Board to the Department of General Services, and Chapter 485 of the 2013 Acts of Assembly authorizes the Director of the Department of General Services to issue guidance documents concerning management of the centralized fleet.

VA.R. Doc. No. R14-3672; Filed April 15, 2014, 3:17 p.m.
TITLE 24. TRANSPORTATION AND MOTOR VEHICLES
COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION BOARD
Final Regulation

REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The Commonwealth Transportation Board is claiming an exemption from Article 2 of the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 a of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to conform to changes in Virginia statutory law where no agency discretion is involved. The Commonwealth Transportation Board will receive, consider, and respond to petitions from any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.

Titles of Regulations: 24VAC30-170. Rules and Regulations Governing the Use, Operation and Maintenance of State-Owned Fleet Vehicles (repealing 24VAC30-170-10).

24VAC30-190. Rules and Regulations Governing the Purchase or Lease of Motor Vehicles with Public Funds (repealing 24VAC30-190-10).

Statutory Authority: §§ 33.1-12 and 33.1-407 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: June 4, 2014.

Agency Contact: David L. Roberts, Policy Division, Department of Transportation, 1401 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 786-3620, or email david.roberts@vdot.virginia.gov.

Summary:

Regulations concerning the centralized fleet, 24VAC30-170 (Rules and Regulations Governing the Use, Operation and Maintenance of State-Owned Fleet Vehicles) and 24VAC30-190 (Rules and Regulations Governing the Purchase or Lease of Motor Vehicles with Public Funds) are being repealed because the Commonwealth Transportation Board no longer has authority to promulgate these regulations. Chapter 815 of the 2001 Acts of Assembly transferred the regulatory authority from the Commonwealth Transportation Board to the Department of General Services, and Chapter 485 of the 2013 Acts of Assembly authorizes the Director of the Department of General Services to issue guidance documents concerning management of the centralized fleet.

VA.R. Doc. No. R14-3672; Filed April 15, 2014, 3:17 p.m.
TITLE 24. TRANSPORTATION AND MOTOR VEHICLES
COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION BOARD
Final Regulation

REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The Commonwealth Transportation Board is claiming an exemption from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4002 B 3 of the Code of Virginia, which exempts regulations relating to the location, design, specifications or construction of public buildings or other facilities.

Title of Regulation: 24VAC30-470. Criteria for Transferring Secondary Roads to Primary System (repealing 24VAC30-470-10).

Statutory Authority: § 33.1-34 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: April 16, 2014.

Agency Contact: David L. Roberts, Policy Division, Department of Transportation, 1401 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 786-3620, or email david.roberts@vdot.virginia.gov.

Summary:

Pursuant to the Governor's 2012 Regulatory Reform Initiative, this action repeals a regulation that is no longer necessary as its contents have been reclassified as a guidance document.

VA.R. Doc. No. R14-3670; Filed April 16, 2014, 9:21 a.m.