(A) Administration of NET is directed by the county department of job and family services (CDJFS) community transportation plan. The “community transportation plan” is a document developed by each CDJFS that describes the methods by which the CDJFS implements transportation services in accordance with Chapter 5101:3-24 of the Administrative Code to adequately ensure transportation.

(1) The community transportation plan must be reviewed by the CDJFS and updated at a minimum of once per year or when changes in the NET program occur.

(2) The CDJFS employee(s) responsible for administering NET must sign and date the community transportation plan after each review or update and send a copy to the Ohio department of job and family services (ODJFS) for review.

(3) The community transportation plan must include but not be limited to the following information:

(a) The contact name(s) of person(s) at the CDJFS who is responsible for administering NET.

(b) A description of consumer access to services for NET from the CDJFS and the process the consumer uses to request transportation.

(c) The CDJFS definition of community and the process for approving transportation out of community.

(d) A list of organizations the CDJFS uses to coordinate transportation resources.

(e) The mode(s) of transportation the CDJFS determines to be its primary, or most often utilized mode of transportation.

(f) The mode(s) of transportation the CDJFS utilizes as secondary modes of transportation.

(g) The CDJFS policy regarding the selection of the transportation that is the most cost-effective mode of transportation that addresses the consumer’s medical condition and timeliness concerns.

(h) The identity of each contract vendor’s name, address, phone number, length of the contract, parameters of the contract, and cost of the contract.

(i) The implementation of policies and procedures to address the misuse of services by consumers through NET.

(j) The implementation of policies and procedures to address quality control issues with vendors.

(k) The implementation of referrals by the CDJFS for consumers that can access transportation through other medicaid programs other than NET.

(l) The CDJFS process to identify and implement the use of attendants for those consumers that cannot be safely transported independently during a medicaid covered service.

(m) The CDJFS will inform consumers of the NET program and the guidelines for service use per the community transportation plan and this chapter.

(B) The CDJFS may have the following allowable modes of transportation and/or services:

(1) Taxi, bus, and other transportation companies.

(2) Mileage costs to a private vehicle, other than transportation providers with contractual agreements with the CDJFS, at the same rate as the CDJFS reimburses employees.

(3) Vouchers to gasoline service stations.

(4) When medically necessary, an attendant’s salary is reimbursable at the current federal minimum wage rate up to eight hours per day. Relatives of the consumer cannot receive an attendant’s salary.

(a) “Relative” is defined as spouse, child, grandchild, parents, grandparents, siblings, step-child, step-parents, step-siblings, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or legal guardian or other person who stands in the place of a parent.

(b) “Attendant” is a person who accompanies the consumer who is unable to travel independently during a medicaid covered service.

(5) Lodging, meals, and other related travel expenses for the consumer, and when medically necessary, an attendant, at the same rate or higher than the CDJFS pays its employees for such expenses.

(6) Mileage reimbursement for CDJFS staff using private vehicles, at the rate the county reimburses its employees for work-related travel.

(7) Transportation of parents or legal guardians when accompanying the medicaid consumer who is twenty years of age or younger.

(C) The CDJFS must maintain a data collection system organized by transportation vendor and mode of transportation capable of providing quarterly reports that include the following:

(1) The unduplicated count of medicaid consumers.

(2) The unduplicated count of one-way trips.

(3) The cost of providing each transportation service.

(4) The total amount of mileage, if applicable.

(D) The CDJFS is required to submit the JFS 04208, “Non-Emergency Transportation Report” (rev. January 2006) containing the information in paragraph (C) of this rule for each quarter. The report submission must be by the thirtieth day after the end of the quarter.

(E) Documentation of NET is to be in accordance with rules 5101-9-21 and 5101-9-211 of the Administrative Code.

Replaces: Part of 5101:3-24-01, 5101:3-24-03, 5101:3-24-04, 5101:3-24-05, 5101:3-24-06

Effective: 01/01/2006

R.C. 119.032 review dates: 01/01/2011

Promulgated Under: 119.03

Statutory Authority: 5111.02

Rule Amplifies: 5111.01, 5111.02

Prior Effective Dates: 5/5/88 (Emer), 8/6/88, 1/1/89, 12/31/90, 8/26/00, 1/1/94