Included in CFR Manual Only - New York State Office of Mental Health

New York State
Consolidated
Budget and Claiming
Manual
Subject: Appendix EE – OPWDD
Reimbursement Principals
For the Periods:
January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010
July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011
Section/Page: 55.1
Issued: February 15, 2010
The following is a set of guidelines which the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities
(OPWDD) issued to all OPWDD funded service providers. The reimbursement principles
became effective January 1, 1999 and set forth the decision principles by which OPWDD will
determine allowed levels of reimbursement for the following categories of expense: meals,
travel, professional fees and dues and subscriptions for personal purposes, entertainment,
personal automobile use, agency provided vehicles, gifts, office furnishings, tuition, and
housing. OPWDD will not reimburse provider expenses which exceed the guidelines contained
in this document.
Costs Eligible for Reimbursement by OPWDD
The following principles shall be used by OPWDD to determine costs eligible for reimbursement:
(1.) Any cost must be related to the provision of services to consumers, the
enhancement of agency staff skill and training, the direct provision of services
to consumers, or the operation of the agency.
(2.) In order to be considered eligible for reimbursement, any cost is subject to the
“prudent buyer” concept (i.e., the maximum spent should be what a typical
buyer would reasonably expect to pay).
Meals
The cost of meals is eligible for reimbursement when staff and/or board members are in
business related travel status, meeting with outside parties, or when engaged in board related
business.
The cost of staff meals for those staff being honored at employee recognition events is eligible
for reimbursement. In all cases, the expense of a meal includes the amount spent for food, nonalcoholic
beverages, taxes and tip only.
Costs incurred by staff in the provision of direct service to consumers are considered program
costs.
Travel Status
The cost of travel is eligible for reimbursement if the trip is related to the business of the agency.
Expenses include the travel cost to and from the destination where the agency’s business will
be transacted and any business related travel expenses (e.g., lodging, car rental, parking, tolls,
taxi) while at the business destination. The least costly reasonable mode of transportation is
eligible for reimbursement with reasonable consideration given to the requirements of the
particular business circumstances at hand.