1300, STAR Kids Services and Service Delivery Options

Revision 18-0; Effective September 4, 2018

STAR Kids members are entitled to all medically and functionally necessary services available in the same amount, duration and scope as in traditional fee-for-service (FSS) Medicaid, described in the Texas Medicaid state plan and the Texas Medicaid Provider Procedure Manual (TMPPM) through the member’s selected managed care organization (MCO).

1310 Acute Care Services

Revision 18-0; Effective September 4, 2018

STAR Kids members may receive medically necessary services through their managed care organization (MCO), and as required under Title 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §441, Subpart B, Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostics and Treatment (EPSDT) of Individuals Under Age 21. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • ambulance services;
  • audiology services, including hearing aids;
  • behavioral health services, including:
    • in-patient mental health services;
    • out-patient mental health services;
    • out-patient chemical dependency services for children;
    • detoxification services; and
    • psychiatry services;
  • birthing services provided by a certified nurse midwife in a birthing center;
  • chiropractic services;
  • dialysis;
  • durable medical equipment (DME) and supplies;
  • emergency services;
  • family planning services;
  • home health care services;
  • inpatient hospital services;
  • outpatient hospital services;
  • laboratory;
  • medical checkups and Comprehensive Care Program (CCP) services for children and young adults through the Texas Health Steps Program (THSteps);
  • oral evaluation and fluoride varnish in conjunction with THSteps medical checkup for children six months through 35 months of age;
  • optometry, glasses and contact lenses, if medically necessary;
  • podiatry;
  • prenatal care;
  • primary care services;
  • radiology, imaging and X-rays;
  • specialty physician services;
  • therapies, including physical, occupational and speech;
  • transplantation of organs and tissues; and
  • vision services.

STAR Kids members who have other insurance, like Medicare or private insurance, will receive most of their acute care services through their primary insurance. Members will receive dental care through their primary insurer, their selected Medicaid dental maintenance organization (DMO), or through a Medicaid fee-for-service (FSS) model.

1320 Long Term Services and Supports

Revision 18-0; Effective September 4, 2018

STAR Kids members who have an assessed need for long term services and supports (LTSS), identified by the STAR Kids Screening and Assessment Instrument (SK-SAI), may receive the following services through their STAR Kids managed care organization (MCO):

  • Day Activity and Health Services (DAHS) for members age 18 through 20. DAHS includes nursing and Personal Care Services (PCS), therapy extension services, nutrition services, transportation services and other supportive services.
  • PCS will provide assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), and health-related tasks through hands-on assistance, supervision or cueing, including nurse-delegated tasks.
  • Prescribed pediatric extended care center (PPECC), which is a facility that provides nonresidential basic services, including medical, nursing, psychosocial, therapeutic, and developmental services to medically dependent or technologically dependent members under the age of 21 up to 12 hours per day.
  • Private duty nursing (PDN) is nursing services for members who meet medical necessity (MN) criteria outlined in the SK-SAI and who require individualized, continuous skilled care beyond the level of skilled nursing visits provided under Texas Medicaid home health services.

STAR Kids members who have an assessed need for LTSS, identified by the SK-SAI and who meet an institutional level of care (LOC), may receive the following services through their STAR Kids MCO:

  • Community First Choice (CFC), which is available to all STAR Kids members who meet an institutional LOC for a hospital, nursing facility (NF), intermediate care facility for individuals with an intellectual disability or related condition (ICF/IID), or an institution for mental disease. Members enrolled in a §1915(c) Medicaid waiver program for individuals with an intellectual disability or related condition (IID) receive CFC through their waiver provider. CFC services include:
    • Habilitation, also called CFC-HAB, which provides acquisition, maintenance and enhancement of skills necessary for the member to accomplish ADLs, IADLs and health-related tasks.
    • CFC personal assistance services (PAS), also called CFC-PAS, which provide assistance with ADLs, IADLs, and health-related tasks through hands-on assistance, supervision or cueing, including nurse-delegated tasks. 
      Note: CFC-PAS is the same service as PCS. The key difference is CFC-PAS is part of the CFC benefit and must be reported differently. Members may choose to receive CFC-PAS only if he or she does not need or want CFC habilitation.
    • Emergency Response Services (ERS), which is back-up systems and supports, including electronic devices with a backup support plan to ensure continuity of services and supports.
    • Support management, which is training provided to members, legally authorized representatives (LARs) or authorized representative (ARs) on how to manage and dismiss their attendants.

STAR Kids members enrolled in the Medically Dependent Children Program (MDCP) are eligible for additional services through their MCO as a cost-effective alternative to living in an NF. Receipt of MDCP services does not impact a member’s eligibility for other LTSS available in STAR Kids. Additional services available to STAR Kids members in MDCP include:

  • Adaptive aids, which are needed to treat, rehabilitate, prevent or compensate for a condition that results in a disability or a loss of function and helps a member perform the ADL or control the environment in which he or she lives. Adaptive aids must only be authorized after exhausting all Medicaid state plan services and other third-party resources (TPR).
  • Employment assistance (EA), which is assistance provided to a member to help the member locate paid, competitive employment in the community.
  • Financial management services (FMS) for members who choose the Consumer Directed Services (CDS) option. FMS provides assistance to members with managing funds associated with the services elected for self-direction. The service includes initial orientation and ongoing training related to responsibilities of being an employer and adhering to legal requirements for employers.
  • Flexible Family Support Services (FFSS) are direct care services needed because of a member’s disability that help a member participate in child care, post-secondary education, employment, independent living or support a member’s move to an independent living situation.
  • Minor home modifications are physical changes to a member’s residence that are needed to prevent institutionalization or to support the most integrated setting for a member to remain in the community.
  • Respite services are direct care services needed because of a member’s disability that provides a primary caregiver temporary relief from caregiving activities when the primary caregiver would usually perform such activities.
  • Supported employment (SE) provides assistance to sustain paid, competitive employment to a member who, because of a disability, requires intensive, ongoing support to be self-employed, work from home or perform in a work setting at which members without disabilities are employed.
  • Transition Assistance Services (TAS) are a one-time service provided to a Medicaid-eligible resident of an NF located in Texas to assist the resident in moving from the NF into the community to receive MDCP services.

1330 Service Delivery Options for Certain Long Term Services and Supports

Revision 18-0; Effective September 4, 2018

STAR Kids provides members with an array of services, as identified on each member’s individual service plan (ISP). Services are delivered by providers contracted with managed care organizations (MCOs) to provide those services. The MCO completes all initial and annual service planning activities, and verifies, authorizes, coordinates and monitors services.

STAR Kids members may choose from three service delivery options for the delivery of certain long term services and supports (LTSS). The options available are the Agency Option (AO), Service Responsibility Option (SRO) and Consumer Directed Services (CDS) option. State plan LTSS which can be delivered through these service delivery options are:

  • Community First Choice habilitation (CFC-HAB);
  • Community First Choice personal assistance services (CFC-PAS); and
  • Personal Care Services (PCS).

STAR Kids members receiving Medically Dependent Children Program (MDCP) services may choose from these service delivery options for the following services:

  • employment assistance (EA);
  • Flexible Family Support Services (FFSS);
  • respite; and
  • supported employment (SE).

STAR Kids members, legally authorized representatives (LARs) or authorized representatives (ARs) may choose to participate in the AO, CDS option or SRO delivery models.

Members who choose the AO model select an MCO-contracted agency to coordinate service delivery for the services on their ISP.

In the CDS option model, the member, LAR or AR work with assistance from a financial management services agency (FMSA). FMSA personnel may be employed directly by or through personal service agreements or subcontracts with the providers. Members who choose the CDS option model are given the authority to self-direct certain services. If the member chooses to self-direct certain services, the MCO coordinates delivery of non-member directed services.

In the SRO model, an agency is the attendant’s employer and handles the business details (for example, paying taxes and doing the payroll). The agency also orients attendants to agency policies and standards before mailing them to the member’s home. The member, LAR, or AR is responsible for most of the day-to-day management of the attendant’s activities, beginning with interviewing and selecting the person who will be the attendant.

More information about these service delivery options is available in Section 5000, Service Delivery Options.