The Latest From DOH - April 2025
The Situation Report | April 14, 2025
On April 10, 2025, HCANYS and other associations representing the long-term care continuum met with the state Department of Health (DOH) Office of Aging and Long Term Care (OALTC). The DOH holds meetings with the associations every two weeks to provide updates and give the participants the opportunity to raise any issues.
Some of the items discussed at this meeting included:
HCS Reminder
Michael Chittenden, director of the Center for Home & Community Based Services, said DOH is still having difficulty getting ahead of providers in the event of an emergency. 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
DOH Lunch & Learn Education Series
Millie Ferriter, director of the Division of Home & Community Based Services Surveillance, announced that the next webinar, on tuberculosis, is scheduled on April 29 from 1-2 pm. Registration is available here. The June webinar is targeted for Certified Home Health Agencies (CHHAs); a May webinar is also planned. HCANYS will update members upon its announcement.
Telehealth
Heidi Hayes, director of the Center for Residential Surveillance, said that a Dear Administrator Letter is in the works on telehealth with a number of moving parts. Valerie Deetz, deputy director of OALTC, said one specific to home care is in the works; there is no anticipated release date at this time. HCANYS will keep you informed on the release of both letters.
HCAYS authored NY’s home telehealth law in 2007, which was one of, if not the very first, state laws in the country specifically providing for Medicaid coverage for home telehealth services. HCANYS subsequently worked arm in arm with HCANYS members and DOH throughout the balance of 2007 to implement the program in 2008. Subsequent state Medicaid changes in 2012 and beyond, including transition to the EPS system and to managed care, changed the accessibility of this law. HCANYS has drafted legislation to both restore and modernize the home telehealth provisions and will also seek these opportunities administratively with DOH, if possible, in conjunction with DOH’s current OALTC efforts on behalf of this servive.
PACE
Lynn Baniak, deputy director for the Center for Long-Term Care Licensure, Planning and Finance, said that comments on Draft Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) are still under review; she hopes they will be available for public release soon.
Master Plan
Deetz affirmed that the final draft report is with the New York State Office for Aging and the Chamber. The final report includes all proposals received from peer agencies. HCANYS looks forward to sharing the report with members once published.