(1) The hourly rate is paid for services provided less than six hours during a calendar day.

(2) The daily rate is paid for six to ten hours of service during a calendar day.

(3) Child care authorization and corresponding certification plans may authorize payment for extended care of more than ten hours during a calendar day. When care is provided for ten to 16 hours per day, the daily rate applies to the first ten hours of service. The hourly rate applies up to six hours of additional service. If the authorization and corresponding certification plan specifies service exceeding 16 hours of care during a calendar day, the state will pay twice the daily rate for each day in which care exceeds 16 hours.

(4) Providers are paid for child care provided when the child is present. Payment for child care when the child is absent is only allowed as described in ARM 37.80.206. 

(5) The rates set forth in the Child Care Manual, section 1-4, are the maximum rates payable.

(6) The rate charged by a child care provider for children whose child care is paid for by the department cannot exceed the rate charged to private pay parents for the same service.

(7) Rates for children with special needs may be adjusted for special accommodations which increase the cost of care. A special needs subsidy rating scale and/or an individual child care plan must be completed to determine the appropriate rate adjustment. The criteria used to determine special needs adjustments are set forth in section 1-4a of the Child Care Manual.

(8) When child care is provided in the child's home by a provider who does not live with the child, the state payment will be made to the parent. The parent is responsible to pay the provider, and failure to do so will result in the parent's ineligibility for child care assistance until the provider has been paid in full or the parent has made arrangements for payment which are satisfactory to the provider.