HCBS Updates From DOH - June 2025
The Situation Report | June 23, 2025
On June 17 2025, HCANYS and other associations representing the home and community-based services sector met with the state Department of Health (DOH) Office of Aging and Long Term Care (OALTC). The DOH holds meetings with the associations to provide updates and give the participants the opportunity to raise any issues.
Some of the items discussed at this meeting included:
Surveys
Effective June 17, LHCSA providers will have three days to complete and submit the survey to comply with the existing HERDS survey reporting requirement. The reporting cycle for all LHCSA providers will begin on Tuesdays at 8:00 a.m. and will close on Thursdays at 2:00 p.m. In addition, a new two-part question has been added to collect the provider’s patient census by county. These new changes will remain in effect until further notice from DOH. HCANYS has long advocated for the 13 COVID-related questions to be removed from the survey and will continue to do so.
The reporting requirements for CHHAs and Hospices remain the same for now.
For questions about the HERDS surveys, please contact
DOH Lunch & Learn Education Series
Millie Ferriter, director of the Division of Home & Community Based Services, announced that the topics for the next Lunch and Learn webinars have been determined.
July: The Center for Hospice and Palliative Care
August: Nursing Home Transition and Diversion / Traumatic Brain Injury (NHTD/TBI)
September: Alzheimer's Disease Program
October: Money Follows the Person Program
November: TBD: A comparison of Home Health Aide and Personal Care Aide Duties, or a guest speaker on Criminal History Records Checks
December: No webinar- break for the holidays
HCANYS encourages you to take advantage of these complimentary webinars. DOH continues to seek ideas for webinar topics especially from CHHAs and hospices. Send your suggestions for DOH Lunch and Learn webinars to
Archived webinars are now available here.
HCS Reminder
Ferriter said that they expect one member from each provider to log into the Health Commerce System daily. Providers are strongly urged to ensure complete profiles on the Health Commerce System, particularly up-to-date names of staff, cell phone numbers, and email addresses. It is imperative for the DOH to be able to reach a provider at any given time.
HCANYS likewise asks every HCANYS organizational member that enrolls in the HCS to please verify and, as necessary, update the information on your organization and your key contacts on the HCS site, especially the person or persons mandated for 24x7 contact availability. As HCANYS serves as a collaborative and contracted partner to the state and to NYC for health emergency preparedness, it is essential to role of the home and community-based services sector to maintain updated and fully functional HCS participation information.
If you are experiencing any issues with your HCS account or have been closed out, please contact
For further information on DOH’s most recent HCS changes, please email the HCS Account Management Unit (CAMU) at