1. (a) The vendor fiscal intermediary (VFI) payment option is made available to eligible consumers in the Community Based Alternatives (CBA), Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS), Deaf-Blind Multiple Disabilities, Medically Dependent Children, and Primary Home Care (PHC) programs.
2. (b) The sum of the payment rate for the contracted VFI and the payment rate for the consumer must not exceed the hourly attendant compensation enhancement participant payment rate made to contracted providers in these programs. The payment rate for the contracted VFI is determined by modeling the estimated administrative cost to carry out the responsibilities of the VFI. The payment rate for the consumer is determined by subtracting the contracted VFI payment rate from the attendant compensation enhancement participation payment rate made to contracted providers in these programs.
3. (c) The VFI payment rate is paid to the VFI as a percentage of the amount expended and claimed to the Texas Department of Human Services (DHS).
4. (d) Consumers must expend on the average hourly compensation of attendants, an amount equal to the calculated attendant cost component of the consumer payment rate per hour of service divided by 1.07. Compensation includes salaries and wages, payroll taxes, workers' compensation, employee benefits/insurance, and mileage reimbursement.

Source Note:The provisions of this §355.114 adopted to be effective December 1, 2001, 26 TexReg 9375.