Provider Rate Survey Must Be Completed by August 3

As required by Welfare and Institutions Code § 4519.8 (http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=WIC&sectionNum=4519.8), the California Department Developmental Services (DDS) is in the process of studying the reimbursement rates paid for community-based services for individuals with developmental disabilities. 

Our organization, Burns & Associates, Inc. (B&A), is assisting DDS with this study. This assistance includes the administration of a vendor survey to collect data regarding providers’ service delivery designs and costs. B&A consulted with DDS and the Developmental Services Task Force’s Rates Workgroup to develop the Excel-based survey and accompanying instructions, which can be accessed at http://www.burnshealthpolicy.com/DDSVendorRates/.

B&A will be recording a series of webinars to explain the rate study and to walk through the survey page-by-page. The recordings will be posted to http://www.burnshealthpolicy.com/DDSVendorRates/ by the end of the day on May 29. Other project-related materials, including the survey and instructions attached to this e-mail, can also be found at this website. B&A has updated their Web site to include a Table of Contents with time marks for the Provider Survey webinars. The link following provides the exact time mark within the webinars where information pertaining to specific topics, and/or service codes can be located: http://www.burnshealthpolicy.com/wp-contenthttps://lanterman.org/uploads/2018/06/Webinar-TOC-and-Time-Marks.pdf. 

Please note the following:

• Data collected through the survey will be a key consideration as DDS assesses the adequacy of current payment rates and studies possible changes to the rates. Thus, although the survey is voluntary, all vendors are encouraged to participate.  
• The survey includes worksheets (‘tabs’) for every service code included within the survey. You should only complete forms for the services that your organization provides. The table of contents (‘TOC’) worksheet in the survey file lists the specific forms to complete for each service code. Similarly, the Service Listing page beginning on page 3 of the instructions directs you to the appropriate pages for directions for each survey worksheet.
• Information collected through the survey will be utilized only for the purpose of this rate study and vendors’ individual responses will not be released to DDS.
• Partially completed surveys will be accepted. You may skip any questions that request information that your agency cannot provide, and those portions of the survey that are completed will still be part of the survey analysis. 
• If there are any factors that you believe should be considered but were not included in the survey, note those issues (and any other comments) in the transmittal e-mail when submitting the survey. You may also submit any other documentation that you would like considered as part of this study.

We recognize that the survey is lengthy and detailed. In addition to the recorded webinars noted above, you are encouraged to contact us with any questions at DDSProviderSurvey@burnshealthpolicy.com or 602.241.8515.

Completed surveys are due by Friday, August 3 and should be submitted to DDSProviderSurvey@burnshealthpolicy.com.

If you have any questions regarding the rate study, you may contact your local regional center or DDS at vendorsurvey@dds.ca.gov or 916.654.2300.  

Additional Information on the provider survey can be found on the Department's Web site.