Lutheran Social Services Foster Care Rates 623-05-20-37

(Revised 9/15/20 ML #3592)

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LSS ND is a private non-profit agency offering therapeutic foster care as well as refugee services inclusive of foster care. LSS provides evidenced-based services and supports to children and families in North Dakota as a child placing agency. LSS is accredited by the Council on Accreditation for Services to Children and Families (COA).

 

Billing Address: Lutheran Social Services

Administrative Office

3911 20th Avenue South

Fargo, ND 58103

 

Maintenance rates effective July 1, 2020:

Lutheran Social Services Foster Care Rates	July 2020 Avg. Monthly Rate (30 day)	July 2020 Daily Rate
Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC)	$3,293.00	$109.78
TFC Sibling Placement	$2,016	$67.21

Resource: LSS Payment Chart

 

The “monthly” rate is provided for reference. The child’s foster care reimbursement is paid at a daily rate, specific to the actual number of days in placement for the service month. The payment is made to the licensed child placing agency, inclusive of administrative costs embedded into the rate for the agency. LSS reimburses the licensed foster parents after removing administrative and service fees from the established maintenance rate.

 

ND foster care rates are reviewed and revised annually, based on legislative action.

 

LSS MONTHLY BILLING:

Payments to LSS should not be authorized until a billing statement has been received for the service month. The amount billed is based on the level of care (TFC or Sibling rate) and number of days in placement, not to exceed the number of days in the month.

 

Reimbursement of overlapping days of placement from one LSS provider to another is not allowed. Example: A child changes placement from one therapeutic home to another on the 3rd of the month, only one LSS therapeutic provider can be reimbursed for the 3rd.

 

The LSS billing office will send separate child specific bills to the financial county monthly. The county should receive the bill by the 10th of the month following the month of service. The payment amount is not automatically calculated by the foster care payment system and will require manual data entry by the eligibility worker. The bill must be kept in the foster care eligibility file for auditing purposes.

 

LSS Itemization Bill

1. Child specific – one child per bill.
   
   
2. If multiple providers served the child in one month, the placement dates will be itemized and the provider information. Do not authorize a lump sum payment to only one of the providers if multiple placements with LSS exist during the service month. Each provider is reimbursed based on placement dates of service.
   
   
3. Secondary placements in a therapeutic home when a child is in a primary therapeutic placement are not reimbursable (LSS to LSS). However, if the child is transitioning to a LSS home from a non-LSS provider (county home, group home, etc.) the “pre-placement” can be reimbursed as a secondary placement.
   
   

LSS Irregular Payments

Allowable irregular payment reimbursements are authorized as follows:

1. All eligible irregular payments must be pre-approved as set forth in policy by the foster care case manager.
   
   
2. Foster care case managers must provide the eligibility worker with documentation of the approved irregular expenses.
   
   
3. After pre-approval to purchase, the TFC provider will deliver receipts to the LSS case manager.
   
   
4. The LSS case manager will distribute the receipts to the LSS billing office and the primary foster care case manager.
   
   
5. The foster care case manager will provide information to the eligibility worker with a copy of the receipt’s for approved reimbursement.
   
   
6. LSS will reimburse the foster parents the amount of standard maintenance and irregular expenses for the billing cycle.
   
   
7. LSS will bill the county itemizing the standard maintenance rate for the specific level of care placement dates and any pre-approved irregular expenses. LSS will submit a copy of the required irregular payment receipts along with the bill for reimbursement.

 

Authorizing Irregular Payments in the payment system:

LSS therapeutic providers: The ND payment system allows only two irregular payment codes to be authorized:

1. Code 53 - transportation to school
   
   
2. Code 71 – parent/infant care

These irregular payments must be authorized separately and on the irregular payment screen consistent with placement dates.

 

Sibling placements: Sibling placements not receiving therapeutic services must have applicable irregular payments added to the maintenance payment for the billable month. Authorization to the TFC provider will include the combined total of the standard maintenance + irregular payment.

 

Overpayments to LSS

If there is an overpayment made to an LSS provider, the overpayment must be entered in the payment system. Children & Family Services (CFS) can auto-recoup the overpayment during either the supplemental or standard check write so long as the provider where the overpayment took place has a current foster care placement.