The Texas Health and Human Services Commission's Office of Inspector General provides training to Medicaid providers, contractors, their employees, and staff from other state agencies that are involved in the administration of health and human services.

This web-based course on the Minimum Data Set (MDS) – Resource Utilization Group (RUG) is intended for long-term care nurses and other providers of long-term care in an institutionalized setting, and for nurses and providers associated with the Department of Aging and Disability Services Community Programs. It is designed to provide providers the requirements for completing MDS assessments for Texas Medicaid payment.

Texas State University, in cooperation with the Office of Inspector General, has made this training available through the Office of Continuing Education's online course program.

As of 9/1/09, the TILE Certification Course is no longer available.  Nurses must complete RUG training every two years to be able to submit forms for Texas Medicaid payments.

 
Texas State University-San Marcos will be closed two days for the Thanksgiving Holiday.  Completions received between November 26-29, 2009 will be processed on Monday, November 30th.  There will be no registrations processed during the break. 

Texas State University-San Marcos will be closed for two weeks for Christmas Break.  Completions received between December 18, 2009 and January 3, 2010 will be processed January 4-5, 2010.  There will be no registrations processed during the break.
 

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
Connection to the Internet

A working email account - paid Internet providers or free internet providers (i.e., Yahoo or Hotmail)

A web browser such as Firefox or Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher – must accommodate and allow security settings that enable Javascript and Java

Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0 or higher - free Acrobat Reader can be downloaded from 
           http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/reastep.html        

If you have a pop-up blocker on your browser, you may need to turn it off or tell it to allow pop-ups.  Another problem could be the firewall on the computer.  This problem will have to be taken care of by your computer technician.

HOW TO ENROLL

Fill out the online application in it’s entirety (incomplete applications cannot be processed) and click on the submit button at the bottom of the page.  Be especially careful when entering your email address, as it will be used to send your username and password to access the training materials, and where we will send your verification of completion of the training. 

HHSC Nurse Reviewers are to enter "HHSC Nurse Reviewer" in the position/title section and check the confirmation box on the application.  Your position will be verified and your enrollment processed without you having to make payment.

Nurses with out-of-state licenses - If your license number is from a neighboring state and only contains 5 digits, add a “0” first to make 6 digits.  You will be required to enter all 6 digits when submitting forms to TMHP.

If you are an administrator or other professional without a license number, enter "000000" (six zeros) for the license number and "Not Applicable" for the issuing state.

Click on the following link for each person taking the training to submit an application.

ENROLLMENT  ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Once your registration has been processed, within 1-2 days you will receive an email with your user name, password and the link to the training.  Please contact our office if you have questions.  Do not contact TRACS.

Quite often emails are caught in junk mail / spam folders.  Be sure to check these locations before contacting our office.

There are no rushes – so do not delay.  We suggest allowing ample time for any problems that might occur with your application, payment, internet provider, personal timing issues in completing training, and receipt of acknowledgement of completion.

PAYMENT INFORMATION

The training fee is $40.00.  There are no refunds.

Payments can be made with a personal or company check; money order/cashier’s check or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover).

ONLINE PAYMENTS - After submitting an online application, a page will pop up with a link to the online payment site.  In the box for the "Applicant Name(s)" you will be allowed to enter up to 15 names.  (NOTE: - this is for payment information only - this does not count as an application - each person taking the training will need to submit an individual application).  Enter the name(s) of the person(s) taking the training as the applicant(s) in order for us to be able to match the payment with the name on the actual application.  Later during the process you will need to enter a name for "Billing Information".   Enter the name of the person or entity paying at that point in the process. 

You can also call (512) 245-7118 (M-F, 8-5) to provide credit card information; or fax your information to (512) 245-3173.

Mail payments to:    Texas State University-San Marcos
                                 Office of Continuing Education
                                 601 University Drive
                                 San Marcos, TX  78666

Please be sure to include the name(s) of the applicant(s), their licence number(s) and a phone number with this correspondence.

Once payment has been received, it will be matched up with the application for processing.  

Receipts are not automatically sent out, but can be emailed upon request.

How to Log In Once Enrolled

Go to http://www.txstate.edu/continuinged (we suggest book marking this page)

Click on TRACS link

Enter your username and password

Click on LOGIN – this will open the “My Workspace” page.

 
How To Access Training Modules

From the My Workspace Page, click on the NURSING FACILITIES or COMMUNITY SERVICES box found at the top of the page (to the right of the My Workspace box; above the Message of the Day).

This will take you to the home page for the training you are taking.  Information on how to navigate the site is found here.

Disregard the Start/End dates in the Table of Contents and the Due Date in Assessments.

What Happens when Training is Completed?

After completing the training, you will be sent an email indicating as such.  This email is your acknowledgement of completion.  We suggest printing several copies; one of which should be kept on file at your facility.

If you are interested in keeping a copy of the results of your learning checks, print out the Assessments page once you have completed the training.  Texas State and HHSC will not track this information.

You will be removed from the online course within a week or so of completion.

We also encourage you to fill out and submit the course evaluation.  From the My Workspace page, click on the Nursing tab and click on Learning Checks.  Scroll down and you will find the evaluation link just below the list of assessments.

Important Information

This training may take up to two hours to complete.  You have 90 days to complete the training.

Training must be repeated every two years.  If training requirements are not met, assessment submissions are not allowed. 

If your license number changes, we must be notified so the database can be updated.  Fax or email a written request asking your license number be changed. Include in the written request the old license number that is to be deleted and the new license number that is to be added.  Fax the request to (512) 245-3173 or email it to rugs-ce@txstate.edu. Written requests will be kept on file and the report to TMHP will be adjusted to reflect the change.

This program operates on the Texas State University-San Marcos schedule.  We are closed on University holidays and services are limited during Christmas Break (2 weeks) and Spring Break (1 week).  Holidays will be posted on the Worksite Information page of your course.

Additional Fees

Returned check fee - $30.00

Replacement Email with acknowledgement of completion - $25.00.  If you do not receive your proof of completion email, you must contact us within 30 days of completion or you will need to pay the replacement fee.

Sending information after 3^rd attempt - $25.00 each additional attempt

Transfer fees (course to course or person to person) - $25.00

Processing out of additional registrations - $25.00

Reset another participant's assessments when completed by wrong person - $25.00

CONTACT INFORMATION

A new website is available on the DADS homepage at http://www.dads.state.tx.us/providers/tilestorugs/.  Click on "TILES to RUGs" in the quick links column on the right-hand side of the page.  The site provides answers to frequently asked questions, revised forms and Minimum Data Set assessment instruments, links to other useful sites, and more.  Providers are encouraged to email any questions not answered on the site to RUGS@dads.state.tx.us.

 

           The Texas Medicaid & Healthcare Partnership (TMHP)

              is the contractor with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) that is responsible for
              processing Medicaid claims and the Medicaid primary care case management services program. TMHP                             maintains the LTC Portal in which assessments are submitted and retained for a period of 5 years. 

They also conduct LTC RUG Workshops for Community Waiver Providers and LTC RUG/MDS NF/Hospice Provider Workshops.  These workshops are not the same as the online training.  The workshops are free.  Providers must register for the workshops.  You can register online at TMHP's website at www.tmhp.com - select "Register for a Workshop" from the "I would like to...." links.  The goal of these workshops is to provide an overview of the conversion; highlight the new rules and various changes; inform providers about how TILE values will be transitioned to RUG values; teach providers how to submit the new Medical Necessity and Level of Care Assessment; and to educate community waiver providers, nursing facilities and hospices on their roles and responsibilities.

            Medical Necessity and Level of Care

            MDS Assessment Submission           

            TMHP LTC Online Portal                      www.tmhp.com

            Texas State University Office of Continuing Education

                is the contractor with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Office of Inspector General, and                 administers the Medical Necessity and Level of Care Assessment web based training.

                Texas State University-San Marcos
                Office of Continuing Education
                601 University Drive
                San Marcos, TX  78666
                Telephone: (512) 245-7118 (M-F, 8-5)
                Fax: (512) 245-3173
                Email:  rugs-ce@txstate.edu