SECTION 317:30-5-134. Nurse Aide Training Reimbursement

(a)   Nurse Aide training programs and competency evaluation programs occur in two settings, a nursing facility setting and private training courses. Private training includes, but is not limited to, certified training offered at vocational technical institutions. This rule outlines payment to qualified nurse aides trained in either setting.

(b)   In the case a nursing facility provides training and competency evaluation in a program that is not properly certified under federal law, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority may offset the nursing facility's payment for monies paid to the facility for these programs. Such action shall occur after notification to the facility of the period of non-certification and the amount of the payment by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority.

(c)   In the case of nurse aide training provided in private training courses, reimbursement is made to nurse aides who have paid a reasonable fee for training in a certified training program at the time training was received. The federal regulations prescribe applicable rules regarding certification of the program and certification occurs as a result of certification by the State Survey Agency. For nurse aides to receive reimbursement for private training courses, all of the following requirements must be met:

(1)   the training and competency evaluation program must be certified at the time the training occurred;

(2)   the nurse aide has paid for training;

(3)   a reasonable fee was paid for training (however, reimbursement will not exceed the maximum amount set by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority of 800 dollars);

(4)   the Oklahoma Health Care Authority is billed by the nurse aide receiving the training within 12 months of the completion of the training. Reimbursement requests outside the first 12 months are not compensable;

(5)   the nurse aide has passed her or his competency evaluation; and

(6)   the nurse aide is employed at a SoonerCare contracted nursing facility as a nurse aide during all or part of the year after completion of the training and competency evaluation.

(d)   If all the conditions in subsection (c) are met, then the Authority will compensate the nurse aide on a quarterly basis. For every qualifying month employed in a nursing facility during a quarter, OHCA will pay the previous quarter's sum of eligible expenses incurred by the nurse aide. The term "qualifying month" is defined as a period of 16 days or more within one calendar month. The terms "quarter" and "quarterly basis" are defined as three qualifying months.

[Source: Added at 12 Ok Reg 751, eff 1-5-95 through 7-14-95 (emergency); Added at 12 Ok Reg 3131, eff 7-27-95; Amended at 22 Ok Reg 407, eff 11-1-04 (emergency); Amended at 21 Ok Reg 2471, eff 7-11-05; Amended at 24 Ok Reg 675, eff 2-1-07 (emergency); Amended at 24 Ok Reg 2104, eff 6-25-07; Amended at 25 Ok Reg 2668, eff 7-25-08; Amended at 32 Ok Reg 1041, eff 8-27-15]