End of COVID flexibilities: Provider Signatures for All Therapy Services and Hearing Screening for Speech Therapy

Date: May 15, 2023

Attention: All Providers

Effective date: June 13, 2023

Call to action: Texas Children’s Health Plan (TCHP) would like to make providers aware of the end to some COVID flexibilities related to Utilization Management. 

Background information: The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) received notice that the COVID-19 federal public health emergency (PHE) declared on January 31, 2020, will end on May 11, 2023. In response to the PHE, TCHP implemented additional flexibilities during this time that will come to an end beginning on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.   

How this impacts providers: Flexibilities that will end beginning on June 13, 2023:

1. For therapy services (physical, occupational, and speech therapy), long-term services and supports (LTSS), private duty nursing (PDN), and durable medical equipment (DME) services, TCHP may waive the signature requirement when the provider states “missing signatures, COVID-19” in the request.
2. Hearing screening and current Texas Health Steps Checkup requirements for speech, physical and occupational therapy prior authorizations are temporarily waived for services that start during the Disaster Declaration for extension requests that are requested during the Disaster Declaration.

Beginning Monday, June 13, 2023 the following requirements become effective:

1. A valid signature by an allowed practitioner is required for all therapy services, LTSS, PDN, and DME services.
2. In alignment with the TMPPM, speech therapy will require either a subjective or objective assessment of the member’s hearing.  The prescribing provider must certify that the Texas Health Steps (THSteps) checkup is current or that a developmental screening has been performed within the last 60 days. Signature of prescribing provider on Prior Authorization form will attest that this service has been provided.

Source:https://www.tmhp.com/sites/default/files/file-library/resources/provider-manuals/tmppm/pdf-chapters/2023/2023-05-may/2_16_PT_OT_ST_Srvs.pdf

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If you have any questions, please email Provider Relations at: providerrelations@texaschildrens.org.

For access to all provider alerts,log into:
www.thecheckup.org or www.texaschildrenshealthplan.org/for-providers.