SDP Spending-Plan Changes
SPENDING-PLAN CHANGES
One of the advantages of the SDP is that participants have the flexibility to add new services or reallocate funds throughout the SDP budget year, accommodating emerging service needs and changes in life circumstances.
Please be advised that each Regional Center has its own policies and processing timeframes for implementing spending plan changes, which may result in a processing period of 1 - 4 months. FMS Pay does not have oversight or control over the policies and procedures of your local Regional Center. Excessive client initiated spending-plan changes are currently bottlenecking the Regional Center fiscal staff and system, unfortunately.
Overview of spending-plan changes:
During the participant’s SDP budget year, there may be a need to explore new services or reallocate funds between service categories. FMS Pay is authorized to administer only the approved spending plan on record. To add new services or transfer funds between service codes, a formal spending plan change must be processed through your local Regional Center. Given the complexity of these adjustments, many participants find it beneficial to seek the assistance of an Independent Facilitator to ensure a smooth and accurate transition.
Timeframe of changes:
Please note that changes to the spending plan may require advance planning, as these modifications are not processed instantly. The approval and implementation process by the Regional Center can take 1 - 4 months. It is essential to schedule your service adjustments accordingly and to notify your Regional Center promptly if you wish to request a change to your spending plan. Also, please note, some Regional Centers do not allow spending-plan changes past month 10 of your budget year.
Requesting a spending-plan change:
Participants are required to collaborate with their Regional Center case manager to add new services and transfer funds between service codes as necessary. Due to the complexity and the need for careful attention to detail involved in this process, many participants are supported by their Independent Facilitator to ensure successful implementation of these changes.
Please be advised that FMS Pay will be unable to process your new spending plan until the updated spending plan and corresponding authorization have been received. It is common for invoices to be rejected when submitted prior to the finalization of these changes. To ensure smooth processing, participants are encouraged to confirm with their Regional Center case manager that both the finalized spending plan and the new purchase of service authorization (POS) have been forwarded to FMS prior to submitting invoices for the newly approved services. Please note, Regional Centers do not always transmit current spending-plans and authorizations to us, which can cause service disruptions to the client. Don't assume the Regional Center is sending your FMS the new spending-plan, many RCs do not have solid policies or procedures in place to ensure FMS have the current plan. Additionally, RC fiscal staff do not always update the POS. Spending-plan and POS Authorization mis-matches are very common in SDP, and typically lead to invoice rejections. Clients typically will need to escalate the matter internally with the RC to resolve in these cases.
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