Update to Nurse Supervisory Visit Flexibilities for Nursing and Personal Care Services

During the initial response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency (PHE), the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) announced temporary policy changes designed to ensure ongoing access to care for Healthy Connections Medicaid members enrolled in the state’s home and community-based services (HCBS) waiver programs. The temporary flexibilities related to HCBS were made through the agency’s Appendix K amendment request, which was approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on April 21, 2020, and can be found here.

One of those flexibilities allowed nurse supervisors to complete initial, 30-day and four-month supervisory visits by telephone for nursing and personal care services. This temporary policy flexibility will end effective May 1, 2023.

Nurse supervisors must resume completing initial, 30-day and four-month supervisory visits in the participant’s home effective May 1, 2023. All supervisory visits must continue to be documented in the participant’s record and recorded in Care Call.

Until May 1, 2023, if the health, safety and/or welfare of the Healthy Connections Medicaid member is at risk, nurse supervisors should conduct the supervisory visit in the participant’s home. Nurse supervisors must continue to follow recommended COVID-19 safety protocols (i.e., screen participants for COVID-19 symptoms prior to making visits, wear face masks at all times during visit, do not share objects with participants such as pens, laptops or other personal items; as well as, socially distance) while conducting the visit. Current recommended protocols for home visits can be found here.

Any questions regarding these changes can be emailed to MedicaidWaiver@scdhhs.gov.

Thank you for your continued support of the South Carolina Healthy Connections Medicaid program.