In accordance with public notice requirements established at 42 CFR 447.205, the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration's Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning (OMPP) publishes this notice of proposed changes to methods and standards governing reimbursement policy for Medicaid services provided by enrolled physician assistants.

OMPP proposes to modify the reimbursement methodology for physician assistants so that physician assistant services are reimbursed at 75% of the physician fee schedule rate, except for assistant surgeon services performed by physician assistants, which shall continue to be reimbursed at 20% of the physician fee schedule rate. This change shall be effective January 1, 2017, contingent upon approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

OMPP is making this change to revise reimbursement for physician assistant services to 75% of the physician fee schedule rate in order to reflect differences in education and training. This change is also being made in conjunction with OMPP's policy change to permit physician assistants to individually enroll with the Medicaid program as a provider of services. It is estimated that the fiscal impact of these changes will be a decrease in state and federal expenditures of approximately $0.74 million for FFY 2017 (federal share of $0.49 million and state share of $0.24 million) and $0.98 million for FFY 2018 (federal share of $0.64 million and state share of $0.34 million).

A copy of this notice is now on file at the Indiana Government Center South, 402 West Washington Street, Room W451 and is open for public inspection. Also, a copy of this notice is now available and may be inspected by contacting the local county Division of Family Resources office, except in Marion County, where public inspection may be made at 402 West Washington Street, Room W374, Indianapolis, Indiana.

There will be no public hearing. Anyone who wishes to comment on the proposed changes may submit written comments via email to jennifer.white@fssa.in.gov or via mail at:

Indiana Family and Social Services Administration

Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning

Attention: Jennifer White

402 West Washington Street, Room W382

P.O. Box 7083

Indianapolis, IN 46207-7083

Correspondence should be identified in the following manner: COMMENT RE: CHANGES TO PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT REIMBURSEMENT. All written comments concerning this change received by OMPP will be available for public inspection at the address contained herein.

John J. Wernert, M.D.

Secretary

Family and Social Services Administration