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TITLE 1ADMINISTRATION
PART 15TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION
CHAPTER 355REIMBURSEMENT RATES
SUBCHAPTER ACOST DETERMINATION PROCESS
RULE §355.103Specifications for Allowable and Unallowable Costs

        (III) The fair market value generally can be ascertained by competent appraisal. If no appraisal is made, the cost of repairs to the damaged property is acceptable as evidence of the loss of value if the repairs restore the property to its condition immediately before the casualty and, as a result of the repairs, the value of the property has not been increased. The amount of the allowable loss is then deducted from the cost basis of the asset before the casualty, to arrive at the adjusted cost basis of the asset. Any insurance proceeds received or recoverable must be deducted from the amount of the casualty loss to determine the gain or the loss.

        (IV) Actual costs incurred in the restoration of an asset are added to the adjusted cost basis of the asset to arrive at the revised cost of the restored asset and capitalized over the remaining useful life of the restored asset.

        (V) When the repairs materially improve or add to the value or utility of the property or appreciably prolong its useful life, the repairs must be depreciated over the estimated life of the repairs.

        (VI) When the contracted provider maintains a self-insurance reserve fund, the amount of the casualty loss recognized as an allowable cost is limited to the lesser of the decrease in fair market value, as adjusted, of the damaged or destroyed asset or the amount of cash, and/or investments, comprising the accumulated balance of the self-insurance reserve account.

        (VII) When an asset is sold before the end of its useful life and a gain is realized (the sales price is greater than the remaining allowable depreciation), no additional depreciation or expense is allowed.

  (11) Interest expense. Reasonable and necessary interest on current and capital indebtedness is an allowable cost. In the case of allowable interest incurred on a loan, in order to be determined necessary, the loan must have been made to satisfy a financial need for a purpose reasonably related to contracted client care.

    (A) For cost-reporting purposes, allowable interest expenses are limited to that net portion of interest accrued which has not been reduced or offset by interest income. Refer to §355.104(5) of this title (relating to Revenues). To be allowable, the following requirements must be met:

      (i) the loan must be supported by evidence in writing of an agreement that funds were borrowed and that payment of interest and repayment of the funds are required and systematically made. Refer to §355.105(b)(2)(B)(ii) of this title;

      (ii) the loan must be made in the name of the contracted provider entity as maker or comaker of the note; and

      (iii) the proceeds of the note or loan must be used for allowable costs.

    (B) Interest expense on a demand note is allowable if the loan is the result of an arm's-length transaction.

    (C) Where the lender is a related party, allowable interest is limited to the prevailing national average prime interest rate in effect at the time at which the loan contract was finalized, as reported by the United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, in the Survey of Current Business.

    (D) Interest costs incurred during the period of construction or enlarging of a building must be capitalized as part of the cost of the building.

    (E) Reasonable finance charges and service charges, together with interest on indebtedness, are allowable costs.

    (F) Other fees associated with obtaining an allowable loan, such as broker's fees to solicit financing, lender's fees, attorney's fees, and due diligence fees, are allowable costs.

    (G) Interest expenses on funds borrowed for purposes of investing in operations other than contracted services, on loans pertaining to unallowable items, and on borrowed funds creating excess working capital are unallowable costs.

  (12) Tax expense and credits.

    (A) Generally, taxes assessed against the contracted provider, in accordance with the levying enactments of Texas and lower levels of government and for which the contracted provider is liable for payment, are allowable costs. Tax expense based on fines and penalties are unallowable costs.

    (B) Employment-related taxes such as Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA), Workers' Compensation and Unemployment Compensation, are allowable costs. Refer to paragraph (1) and (1)(A) of this subsection.

    (C) Franchise taxes are allowable costs. A franchise tax is a periodic assessment, as defined by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and paid to the Texas State Treasurer, levied on the operation of a business in the State of Texas. Franchise taxes do not refer to franchise fees, which are the costs associated with a company's granting the right to sell its products or services in a specified territory.

    (D) Unallowable taxes include:

      (i) federal income taxes and excess profit or surplus revenue based taxes, including any interest or penalties paid thereon. However, fees for preparation of business tax reports and business returns required by law are allowable;

      (ii) state or local income and excess profit or surplus revenue based taxes. However, fees for preparation of business tax reports and/or business returns are allowable;

      (iii) taxes in connection with financing, refinancing, or refunding operations, such as taxes on the issuance of bonds, property transfers, issuance or transfer of stocks. Generally, these costs are either amortized over the life of the securities or depreciated over the life of the asset. They are, however, unallowable as tax expense;

      (iv) taxes from which exemptions are available to the contracted provider;

      (v) special assessments on land which represent capital improvements should be capitalized and depreciated over their estimated useful lives and are not allowable as tax expenses;

      (vi) taxes, such as sales taxes, levied against the client and collected and remitted by the contracted provider; and

      (vii) self-employment taxes.

  (13) Insurance expense. This section covers the following types of insurance: property damage and destruction; fire and casualty; malpractice and comprehensive general liability; errors and omissions insurance covering boards of directors; theft insurance (fidelity bonds and burglary insurance); workers' compensation; transportation equipment insurance; life insurance for owners, officers, and key employees; health; disability; and unemployment compensation.

    (A) Purchased and commercial insurance. The reasonable costs of insurance purchased from a commercial carrier or a nonprofit service corporation are allowable if resulting from an arm's-length transaction. The commercial carrier or nonprofit service corporation must meet the standards as set by the Texas Department of Insurance. Costs of insurance purchased from a limited purpose insurer are allowable if they are not in excess of the cost of available comparable commercial insurance premiums and meet the reasonable cost provisions. If comparable insurance premiums are not available, the limited purpose insurer or captive insurance company must obtain an evaluation of the adequacy and reasonableness of its insurance premium by an independent actuary, commercial insurance company, or broker.

    (B) Self-insurance. Self-insurance is a means whereby a contracted provider undertakes the risk to protect itself against anticipated liabilities by providing funds in an amount equivalent to liquidate those liabilities. Self-insurance can also be described as being uninsured. To qualify as an allowable self-insurance plan, a contracted provider must enter into an agreement with an unrelated party that does not provide for the shifting of risk to the unrelated party designed to provide only administrative services to liquidate those liabilities and manage risks. Self-insurance costs for contracted providers who have received certificates of authority to self-insure from the Texas Workers' Compensation Commission are allowable costs. Self-insurance costs in excess of costs for similar, comparable coverage by purchased and/or commercial insurance premiums are subject to a cost ceiling in accordance with subparagraph (E)(i) - (iv) of this paragraph. Documentation substantiating the cost of comparable coverage by purchased and/or commercial insurance premiums must be obtained and maintained as specified in §355.105(b)(2)(B)(ix) of this title.

      (i) Costs related to self-insurance are allowable on a claims-paid basis. Contributions to the self-insurance fund or reserve which do not represent payments based on current liabilities are not considered actual incurred expenses and are not allowable costs. For cost-reporting purposes, self-insurance costs are reported on a cash basis. For cost-reporting purposes, compensation paid to employees who have been injured on the job is allowable and should be reported as compensation according to the type of compensation expense incurred in accordance with paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection.

Cont'd...

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