Illinois is advancing proposed rate adjustments affecting developmental disability (DD) service funding and provider wages beginning January 1, 2026. These changes are contingent upon Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approval and reflect ongoing efforts to align reimbursement with updated federal standards and workforce needs.
The Illinois Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) has released a draft bulletin indicating increases to Home Based Support (HBS) service maximums. These caps will be recalculated based on the revised Supplemental Security Income (SSI) figures effective in 2026, with an additional 5 percent increase factored into HBS budgets. The update aims to enhance funding for services by building upon the federally recognized SSI base, pending CMS’s final authorization. The draft bulletin remains open for public comment and does not guarantee rate changes until approved.
In parallel, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) filed a public notice detailing a proposed $0.80 hourly wage increase for direct support professionals (DSPs) and frontline workers in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (ID/DD) as well as Medically Complex/Developmental Disabilities (MC/DD) residential and day programs. This adjustment is incorporated within a broader revision of state Medicaid payment methodologies under federal review. CMS approval will be required before implementation of these wage-based increases.
Illinois officials emphasize the importance for service providers to maintain up-to-date Individualized Care and Planning (ICAP) and Health Care Level (HCL) data. These inputs will influence finalized rates once CMS grants approval. Meanwhile, the Community Integrated Living Arrangements (CILA) Estimated Rate Calculator is now accessible on the IDHS/DDD website. This tool supports providers in projecting CILA funding under the current methodology during planning efforts.
The state’s proposed updates underscore a strategic movement toward bolstering service budgets and frontline pay structures to meet evolving demands in DD care. Providers engaged in Illinois IDD services are advised to review the ongoing notices carefully and continue tracking CMS communications as federal review progresses.
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