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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

(a) Introduction. The following list of allowable and unallowable costs is not comprehensive but serves as a guide and clarifies certain key expense areas. If a particular type of expense is classified as unallowable for purposes of reporting on a cost report, it does not mean that individual contracted providers may not make such expenditures. Except where specific exceptions are noted, the allowability of all costs is subject to the general principles specified in §355.102 of this title (relating to General Principles of Allowable and Unallowable Costs). In addition, refer to program-specific allowable and unallowable costs, as applicable.

  (1) Accounting and audit fees. See subsection (b)(3)(A) of this section.

  (2) Advertising and public relations. See subsection (b)(16) of this section.

  (3) Amortization expense. See subsection (b)(10) of this section.

  (4) Bad debt expense. See subsection (b)(20)(M) of this section.

  (5) Boards of directors and trustees. See subsection (b)(5) of this section.

  (6) Bonuses. See subsection (b)(1)(A)(i) of this section.

  (7) Central office costs. See subsection (b)(7) of this section.

  (8) Charity allowance. See subsection (b)(20)(N) of this section.

  (9) Compensation of employees. See subsection (b)(1) of this section.

  (10) Compensation of owners and related parties. See subsection (b)(2) of this section.

  (11) Compensation of outside consultants. See subsection (b)(3) of this section.

  (12) Courtesy allowance. See subsection (b)(20)(N) of this section.

  (13) Depreciation expense. See subsection (b)(10) of this section.

  (14) Donated revenues. See subsection (b)(18) of this section.

  (15) Donated services, supplies, and assets. See subsection (b)(19) of this section.

  (16) Dues or contributions to organizations. See subsection (b)(14) of this section.

  (17) Employee relations expenses. See subsection (b) (20)(A) of this section.

  (18) Employment-related taxes. See subsection (b)(12)(B) of this section.

  (19) Endowment income. See subsection (b)(18) of this section.

  (20) Expenses not related to contracted services. See subsection (b)(20)(H) of this section.

  (21) Fines and penalties. See subsection (b)(20)(G) of this section.

  (22) Franchise tax. See subsection (b)(12)(C) of this section.

  (23) Finance charges. See subsection (b)(11)(E) of this section.

  (24) Franchise fees. See subsection (b)(20)(C) of this section.

  (25) Fringe benefits. See subsection (b)(1)(A)(iii) of this section.

  (26) Fundraising activities. See subsection (b)(17) of this section.

  (27) Gains on disposal of assets. See subsection (b)(10)(F) of this section.

  (28) Gifts. See subsection (b)(18) of this section.

  (29) Goodwill. See subsection (b)(10) and (20)(C)(ii) of this section.

  (30) Grants, gifts and income from endowments. See subsection (b)(18) of this section.

  (31) In-kind donations. See subsection (b)(19) of this section.

  (32) Insurance expense. See subsection (b)(13) of this section.

  (33) Interest expense. See subsection (b)(11) of this section.

  (34) Legal fees. See subsection (b)(3)(B) of this section.

  (35) Life insurance. See subsection (b)(13)(G) of this section.

  (36) Litigation expenses and awards. See subsection (b)(20)(I) of this section.

  (37) Lobbying costs. See subsection (b)(20)(J) of this section.

  (38) Losses on disposal of assets. See subsection (b)(10)(F) of this section.

  (39) Losses due to theft or embezzlement. See subsection (b)(20)(L) of this section.

  (40) Management fees. See subsection (b)(6) of this section.

  (41) Medicaid as payor of last resort. See subsection (b)(21) of this section.

  (42) Medical supplies and medical costs. See subsection (b)(20)(F) of this section.

  (43) Nonpaid workers. See subsection (b)(4) of this section.

  (44) Operating revenue. See subsection (b)(18)(D) of this section.

  (45) Organization costs. See subsection (b)(20)(B) of this section.

  (46) Payroll taxes and insurance. See subsection (b)(1)(A)(ii) of this section.

  (47) Penalties. See subsection (b)(20)(G) of this section.

  (48) Planning and evaluation expenses. See subsection (b)(10)(E) of this section.

  (49) Promotional activities. See subsection (b)(17) of this section.

  (50) Public relations. See subsection (b)(16) of this section.

  (51) Repairs and maintenance. See subsection (b)(9) of this section.

  (52) Research and development costs. See subsection (b)(20)(E) of this section.

  (53) Salaries and wages. See subsection (b)(1) and (2) of this section.

  (54) Self-insurance. See subsection (b)(13)(B) of this section.

  (55) Staff training costs. See subsection (b)(15)(A) of this section.

  (56) Startup costs. See subsection (b)(20)(D) of this section.

  (57) Tax expense and credits. See subsection (b)(12) of this section.

  (58) Travel costs. See subsection (b)(15)(B) of this section.

  (59) Utilities. See subsection (b)(8) of this section.

  (60) Volunteers. See subsection (b)(4) of this section.

  (61) Voucher-paid expenses. See subsection (b)(20)(K) of this section.

  (62) Workers' compensation insurance. See subsection (b)(13) of this section.

(b) Allowable and unallowable costs.

  (1) Compensation of employees. Compensation includes both cash and non-cash forms of compensation subject to federal payroll tax regulations. Compensation includes wages and salaries (including bonuses); payroll taxes and insurance; and benefits. Payroll taxes and insurance include Federal Insurance Contributions Act (old age, survivors, and disability insurance (OASDI) and Medicare hospital insurance); Unemployment Compensation Insurance; and Workers' Compensation Insurance.

    (A) Allowable compensation of employees is compensation paid to employees in arm's-length transactions as nonowners and non-related parties and is subject to the reasonable and necessary costs which must be incurred by providers in the provision of contracted client services. Guidelines for compensation of owners and related parties are specified in paragraph (2) of this subsection.

      (i) A bonus is a type of compensation granted to employees as a wage enhancement. Bonuses paid to employees in arm's-length transactions are allowable costs, subject to the reasonable and necessary costs that must be incurred by providers in the provision of contracted client services. In determining the employee classification type, part-time employees may be considered a different classification type than full-time employees. To be allowable, bonuses to owners and/or related parties:

        (I) must not represent any form of profit sharing and must not be determined on the level of profit earned by the contracted provider;

        (II) must be clearly defined in a written agreement or employment policy;

        (III) must not be made only to related parties, in which case the bonuses are unallowable costs;

        (IV) must be based upon the same criteria for all members of the same employee classification type;

        (V) must be made available to all employees of the same classification type, unless the employee classification type predominantly consists of related parties, in which case the bonuses are unallowable costs; and

        (VI) must not discriminate in favor of certain employees, such as employees who are officers, stockholders, or the highest paid individual(s) of the organization.

      (ii) Payroll taxes and insurance are described in paragraph (12) of this subsection, concerning tax expense and credits, and paragraph (13) of this subsection.

      (iii) Benefits are amounts paid to or on behalf of an employee, in addition to direct salary or wages, and from which the employee, his dependent, or his beneficiary derives a personal benefit before or after the employee's retirement or death.

Cont'd...

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