Talk To The Member
A Member asks:
“Will HSS pay my rent every month?”
Answer: No. HSS does not pay ongoing monthly rent.
“HSS does not pay your ongoing monthly rent. It may help with housing planning, finding long-term housing, and certain approved move-in costs. We would also want to understand how the rent would be paid after you move in.”
Lightbulb: HSS Helps Build The Housing Path. It Does Not Become The Rent Plan.
A Member wants to learn more about HSS. What is one easy place we can send them?
Answer:
Send them to the SilverSummit Healthplan HSS landing page.
That page gives them a simple overview of:
Lightbulb: When In Doubt, Start With The HSS Page.
Which document helps us understand the Member’s current housing situation, needs, barriers, and qualifying circumstances?
UHAT — Unified Housing Assessment Tool
What The UHAT Helps Us Understand
Lightbulb: UHAT = What Is Happening With The Member Right Now?
Who completes the full UHAT with the Member?
Answer: The HSS provider/CBO, such as Novum.
Lightbulb: FindHelp Starts The Referral. The Provider Builds The Housing Record.
A Member has found a 2-bedroom apartment in Clark County. The 2026 FMR is $1,735. The landlord requires a $3,200 security deposit.
What is the 2 × FMR amount, and is the requested deposit within that benchmark?
Answer:
$1,735 × 2 = $3,470.
The $3,200 deposit is within the 2 × FMR benchmark.
But that does not automatically mean approval. The cost still has to be allowable, supported, and within the applicable H0044 limits.
Lightbulb: Within The Limit Means Reviewable — Not Automatically Approved.
A Member says:
“I need somewhere to sleep tonight. Can HSS get me a hotel?”
Answer: No. HSS is not an emergency shelter or hotel program.
Best response: “HSS may help with longer-term housing, but it is not an immediate housing solution. We should also look at resources that may help with your urgent need.”
Lightbulb: Urgent Need = Look For Immediate Resources Too
A Member asks:
“I submitted the HSS referral on FindHelp myself. What happens next?”
Answer: The referral starts the process. A Housing Specialist or HSS provider may contact the Member to review their situation, complete the needed assessment and planning documents, and determine the next appropriate HSS step.
“Submitting the referral is the first step. A housing provider will contact you to learn more about your housing situation and complete the information needed for HSS.
That will include a housing assessment, a Housing Support Plan, and other documents depending on the service you need. Some services also require review and approval before they can begin.
The referral does not guarantee approval, but it gets the process started.”
Lightbulb: Referral Starts The Process. The Documents Build The Case.
Which document shows the Member’s housing goals and the steps that will help move them toward long-term housing?
Housing Support Plan — HSP
What It Helps Us Understand
Lightbulb: HSP = Where Are We Trying To Go?
What should Novum help create after the housing assessment?
Answer:
The Housing Support Plan and Housing Crisis Plan.
A Member tells you about their housing situation, but based on what they’ve shared, you are not sure HSS fits their needs. What is the safest way to respond?
Answer
Do not tell the Member they definitely qualify or do not qualify.
Explain that HSS has specific eligibility requirements and may not be the right option for everyone. Provide the SilverSummit HSS landing page so they can review the program information, and offer to connect them with other community resources that may better fit their needs.
“Based on what you’ve shared, I’m not sure HSS will be the best fit for your situation, and I would not want to tell you that you qualify or do not qualify without the appropriate review.
HSS has specific eligibility requirements, and we understand that it will not be the right option for everyone. I can send you the SilverSummit HSS webpage so you can review the program information and see whether it sounds like it may fit your situation.
I can also send you information about other community resources that may help with deposits or other housing needs. Would it be okay if I emailed those resources to you?”
Lightbulb: Level Set. Keep The Door Open. Offer Another Path.
A Member says:
“I have no income, but I want HSS to help me get an apartment.”
What is the safest response?
Answer: Do not tell them they automatically qualify or do not qualify.
Explain that HSS does not pay ongoing rent and that a realistic plan for ongoing housing costs is important. Help connect them with resources while HSS eligibility is reviewed.
“HSS does not pay ongoing monthly rent, so we would want to understand what could help cover your housing costs after you move in. Not having income right now does not automatically tell us whether you qualify. We can still look at your situation, talk about possible resources, and help you understand the next steps.”
Lightbulb: Do Not Promise. Do Not Close The Door. Explain The Next Step.
True or False:
A FindHelp referral means HSS has been approved.
Answer:
False.
Submitting a referral means the Member has raised their hand for help and started the HSS process. It does not confirm eligibility, approve HTS or HRD, or guarantee payment.
After the referral, additional steps may still be needed, such as:
“Your referral lets us know you’re interested in Housing Supports & Services and starts the process. It does not mean the service has been approved yet. A Housing Specialist or housing provider may contact you to learn more about your situation and complete the next steps.”
Lightbulb: Referral Starts The Conversation. Review Determines The Service.
Which document explains what the Member and provider should do if the housing situation becomes unstable or a crisis happens?
Housing Crisis Plan — HCP
What It Helps Us Understand
Lightbulb: HCP = What Do We Do If Things Go Wrong?
What do we expect Novum to do if information is missing after we ask for it?
Answer: Provide the requested information and supporting documentation as timely as possible to avoid delays and additional barriers to the Member.
Lightbulb: Clear Request In. Clear Response Back.
A Member says:
“My landlord says they will give the apartment to someone else if the deposit is not paid today. Can SilverSummit just pay it now?”
Answer: No. The request still has to go through the required HSS process, documentation, and review.
“I understand why this feels urgent, especially if the landlord is asking for payment right away. HSS may be able to help with certain approved move-in costs, but the request still has to go through the required review before we can say that payment will be made.
I do not want to promise something before that review is complete. We can make sure the request and documents are submitted as quickly and completely as possible, and if you need help with an immediate housing need in the meantime, we can also look at other resources.”
You can acknowledge the urgency, but do not promise same-day payment or approval.
Lightbulb: Urgency Does Not Skip The Process.
A Member asks:
“Do I qualify?”
You are not sure.
What should you say?
Answer: “HSS may be an option, but your eligibility would need to be reviewed.”
Then guide them to the SilverSummit HSS webpage or referral process.
Lightbulb: We Can Explain HSS. We Do Not Guess Eligibility.
What happens after a Member is referred to an HSS provider?
Answer: The provider may:
Lightbulb: Referral → Screening → Documents → Request → Review
Which document tells us what HSS service the provider is asking SilverSummit to review?
PAR — Prior Authorization Request
What It Helps Us Understand
Lightbulb: PAR = What Are They Asking Us To Review?
What HSS document can Novum use before sending a request—and we can use during review—to check that the required documents are present and the request is ready to move forward?
The Key Document Checklist
Why It Matters
Lightbulb: Same Checklist. Same Expectations. Fewer Gaps.
A Member says:
“Can you call my landlord and tell them SilverSummit is going to pay my deposit?”
The Member has started HSS, but the HRD request has not been approved.
What should you say?
Do not tell the landlord or Member that payment is guaranteed.
You can explain that the request is going through the HSS process and that any payment must be reviewed and approved first.
“Your request is still going through the HSS review process, so I cannot say yet that the deposit has been approved or that payment will be made.
If the request is approved, there are still steps that have to happen before payment is issued to the approved landlord, utility company, or other payee.
I know it can be hard to wait when you are trying to secure housing, so we can make sure the information we have is complete and let you know if anything else is needed.”
Lightbulb: Pending Is Not Approved. Approved Is Not Paid.
A Member calls and says: “I’m staying with family right now, I need somewhere permanent, and I heard Medicaid will pay my deposit. What do I tell them first?”
A strong answer would include:
Lightbulb: Explain The Program. Set Expectations. Guide The Next Step.
A Member does not appear ready for HSS today. What should we do?
Answer: Keep the door open and connect them with other resources.
Possible options:
Lightbulb: HSS Is One Resource, Not The Only Resource.
We have the UHAT, HSP, HCP, and PAR. Does that automatically mean the request is ready to approve?
No. We still need to make sure the documents are:
Lightbulb: Having The Document Is Not The Same As Having The Evidence.
You open an H0043 request and see the UHAT, HSP, and HCP. The HSP belongs to a different Member. Is the request ready to move forward?
No. The documents must belong to the correct Member and support the request being reviewed.
Lightbulb: Right Document. Right Member. Right Request.
That is stronger than asking them to recite what the checklist contains, because it teaches the behavior you actually want.
Novum sends a signed lease and deposit request because the Member found an apartment quickly, but HTS has not been approved yet.
What is the important thing to recognize?
The housing opportunity may be real, but HRD cannot skip the required HTS step.
H0043 must come first before H0044 can move through the appropriate review pathway.
Lightbulb: A Lease Does Not Replace The Sequence.