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Page updated: 1/15/26

Federally approved BI, CAC, CADI, DD and EW waiver plans, Alternative Care (AC) program (Minn. Stat. §256B.0913), Essential Community Supports (ECS) program (Minn. Stat. §256B.0922), Government Data Practices Act (Minn. Stat. §13.36, subd. 1(c))

Enabling technology: Technology that makes on-demand remote supervision and support possible.

Live, two-way communication: Real-time transfer of information between a person receiving services and an actively involved caregiver. This communication can happen through the exchange of speech, visuals, signals or writing, but it must flow both ways and be in actual time.

Remote support is the provision of a covered service by a staff member or caregiver who is at a remote location and is engaged with the person through enabling technology that uses live, two-way communication.

Remote support as a method of service delivery is covered when it:

The remote support method of service delivery does not affect:

Remote support is not a service. It is a method used to deliver an allowable service. The person has the right to refuse, stop or suspend the use of remote support at any time.

BI, CAC, CADI and DD

For people on Brain Injury (BI), Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI), Community Alternative Care (CAC) and Developmental Disabilities (DD) waivers, remote support can be used for the following allowable services:

AC and EW

For people on Alternative Care (AC) and the Elderly Waiver (EW), remote support can be used for the following allowable services:

CDCS (AC, BI, CAC, CADI, DD and EW)

For people using the CDCS service option on AC, BI, CAC, CADI, DD and EW, remote support can be used for the following allowable services:

ECS

For people on Essential Community Supports (ECS), remote support can be used for the following allowable services:

When a person chooses to use remote support, their support plan must include all of the following information:

CDCS

The support plan documentation requirements listed above must be included in the person’s individual CDCS support plan.

Remote support as a method of service delivery is covered when it:

Remote support can be initiated by the person or staff member/caregiver, on either a scheduled or intermittent/as-needed basis, depending on the person’s individual support plan needs.

A person may receive in-person support and remote support on the same day.

If a person receives residential or day services, they cannot receive both in-person support and remote support at the same time.

Additional service-specific requirements

Individualized home supports

Individualized home supports has additional requirements for remote support delivery. For more information, refer to CBSM – Individualized home supports.

ICLS

ICLS has the following requirements:

For more information, refer to CBSM – ICLS.

Adult day services

Adult day services has additional requirements for remote support delivery. Licensed adult day service providers must request approval from DHS Licensing to provide remote adult day services. For more information, refer to the provider standards and qualifications and secondary information sections of CBSM – Adult day services.

Remote support service delivery is not covered when:

Enabling technology

Remote support does not fund the enabling technology used for remote support service delivery. A person could use the following services to purchase the technology:

When technology used to provide remote support meets the definition of monitoring technology (e.g., alarms, sensors, cameras and other devices or equipment used to oversee, monitor or supervise a person who receives services), the lead agency must follow monitoring technology usage policy. DHS approval is not required for use of cameras in bedrooms when cameras are used solely to provide remote support. Use of cameras in bathrooms is prohibited. For more information, refer to CBSM – Monitoring technology usage.

Phone service costs

Waivers, AC and ECS do not cover the cost of utilities, including phone service, per federal Medicaid requirements.

The person may use remote support in a flexible manner that meets their needs, within the total yearly authorized amount/budget or units and service-specific limitations.

Remote support policy is separate from monitoring technology policy (refer to CBSM – Monitoring technology usage).

Service provider and/or caregiver responsibilities

During the enrollment process, all providers sign and follow the same data privacy laws, restrictions and guidelines in Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) Provider Agreement, DHS-4138 (PDF), agreeing to comply with the data privacy provisions in paragraph 21 of the agreement.

The direct staff or caregiver responsible for responding to a person's health, safety and other support needs through remote support must:

1. Respect and maintain the person’s privacy at all times, including when:

2. Ensure the use of enabling technology complies with relevant requirements under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

3. Comply with the data privacy laws, restrictions and guidelines in MHCP Provider Agreement, DHS-4138 (PDF) and the data privacy provisions in paragraph 21 of the agreement.

4. Ensure all transmitted written electronic messages are retrievable for review by choosing a storage method that makes the messages retrievable.

BI, CAC, CADI and DD

Authorization for remote support delivery

The following services require separate MMIS service agreement line item authorizations for in-person and remote support:

Other allowable services currently do not have separate MMIS service agreement line item authorizations for in-person and remote support. The HCPCS modifier(s) used for remote support authorizations are different than in-person support authorizations.

For more information, refer to CBSM – Rate Management System (RMS) and Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Service Rate Limits, DHS-3945 (PDF).

Rates

Units of the approved services are paid at the same rate, whether provided in person or remotely. Remote support rates follow the rate-setting requirements of the allowable service.

Framework rates

For more information, refer to CBSM – RMS.

Market rates

For more information, refer to CBSM – Market rate services.

Indirect time

Remote support policy is separate from billable indirect time policy. For more information, refer to RMS User Manual – Quick reference guide on billable indirect time.

AC, ECS and EW

Authorization for remote support delivery

The following services require separate MMIS service agreement line item authorizations for in-person and remote support:

In-person and remote support delivery is authorized with the current procedure codes and modifiers for the service. The procedure code modifier(s) used for remote support authorizations are different than in-person support authorizations.

For more information, refer to LTSS Service Rate Limits, DHS-3945 (PDF).

For people on EW who are enrolled in a managed care organization (MCO), contact the MCO for authorization instructions.

Rates

Units of the approved services are paid at the same rate, whether provided in person or remotely. For more information, refer to LTSS Service Rate Limits, DHS-3945 (PDF).

CDCS

Authorization for remote support delivery

If a person using CDCS receives services through remote support delivery, those services must be documented in the CDCS support plan. There is not a separate authorization for CDCS remote support delivery.

Additional resources

CBSM – Assistive technology
CBSM – Environmental accessibility adaptations
CBSM – ICLS
CBSM – Individualized home supports
CBSM – Monitoring technology usage
CBSM – Specialized equipment and supplies
CBSM – Waiver/AC programs overview
CBSM – Waiver/AC service provider overview
CBSM – Waiver, AC and ECS general processes and procedures
CBSM – Resource: Guidance on support technology and service planning
LTSS Service Rate Limits, DHS-3945 (PDF)
MHCP Provider Agreement, DHS-4138 (PDF)
RMS User Manual
RMS User Manual – Quick reference guide on billable indirect time