Subject:  Transfer of Authorizations from SPOE Software to Web System
Source:  Mary Corey, Director, Data Coordination
Intended Audience:  SPOEs, Service Coordinators, Providers
Date:  August 26, 2005

Original guidance to SPOEs on the transfer of child records from the SPOE software to the new web-based system stated that active authorizations in the SPOE software should not be transferred to the web system.  Several SPOEs have been advocating that it would be better to transfer those authorizations which would enable the SPOE record to be inactivated so a child is only active in one data system.  After checking with some provider agencies to assess the impact of this, we are going to allow for the transfer of authorizations from the SPOE software to the web system. 

SPOEs MUST TAKE CARE WHEN TRANSFERRING THE AUTHORIZATIONS TO NOT CREATE DUPLICATE AUTHORIZATIONS.  In no case should cancelled or inactive authorizations be entered in the web system.

Steps to be taken for child records not yet transferred to the web system:

1. Create child’s record in the web system and attach previous ID to that record

2. When entering the last IFSP, enter existing active authorizations, but change the start date to a FUTURE date (i.e. August 31, 2005)

3. Go to child’s record in the SPOE software, cancel the active authorizations with a cancel date of one day prior to the start date entered in the web system (i.e. August 30, 2005)

4. When all active auths have been cancelled in the SPOE software, mark the SPOE record as duplicate and inactivate the record with the “Record moved to CCM” reason.

If a child’s record has already been transferred to the web system, the ongoing service coordinator needs to be aware that there are still active authorizations in the SPOE software for that child.  The transfer of auths will require a meeting be “ongoing” and we do not want inter-periodic meetings entered solely for the purpose of transferring auths from the SPOE software to the web system; therefore the SPOE/service coordinator should wait until the next inter-periodic, or six-month IFSP review to transfer the auths.  If the ongoing service coordinators are transferring the authorizations, they need to notify the SPOE if/when authorizations need to be cancelled in the SPOE software.  So in the case of a six-month review, the service coordinator can transfer the existing active auths in the web system (Step 2 above), but must notify the SPOE to cancel those auths in the SPOE software (Step 3) and inactivate the SPOE record (Step 4). Failure to notify the SPOE to cancel the auths in the SPOE software will result in duplicate authorizations and therefore enable double billing.

The cancellation and recreation of authorizations will produce additional notifications to parents and providers from the CFO.  When possible, SPOEs and/or service coordinators should notify parents and providers that the transfer of authorizations is happening and will result in the cancellation of existing auths and the creation of new identical auths, but that the dates will not overlap.  The parents will then understand the additional paperwork, and providers will be aware that they need to watch the dates of the authorizations for billing purposes.

Let me know if you have questions.