Network

To support states in designing and implementing CMS’ proposed member advisory groups, the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) is launching the Building State Capacity for Community-Informed Policymaking Learning and Action Series. This project will support Medicaid programs in establishing or strengthening a Medicaid member advisory group aligned with CMS’ vision for centering Medicaid lived experience in Medicaid program and policy decision-making processes.

The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) recently announced the availability of two new technical assistance opportunities. The first focuses on person-centered thinking, planning, and practice. The second focuses on home and community-based services (HCBS) and addressing rights restrictions for people receiving support.

Individualized Technical Assistance

Join the Association on Aging with Developmental Disabilities (AADD) on May 20-21 at the 33rd Annual Aging with Developmental Disabilities (DD) Conference in St. Charles, MO, addressing the critical issue of supporting individuals with DD who are aging. Learn from industry experts, network with peers, and drive positive change. 

The Aging with DD Conference will include the following:

The Aging and Disability Business Institute at USAging is now accepting nominations for The John A. Hartford Foundation 2024 Business Innovation Award. Each year, The John A.

Join the American Society on Aging (ASA) for an upcoming webinar discussing key aspects of aging in place, emphasizing the significance of home safety and fall-prevention measures. Learn more about empowering older adults to maintain their independence safely and confidently within the comfort of their homes. During this webinar, ASA will review the importance of home safety and the prevalence of falls among older adults, discuss tips for creating an age-friendly environment at home, and provide fall-prevention strategies and resources to support aging in place.

The new Center for Dementia Respite Innovation (CDRI) is accepting applications for grants to support respite care innovation. The CDRI will award up to $20 million over five years to local respite care providers to develop and improve the quality of available services, especially in underserved communities. CDRI will support grant recipients through online training and technical assistance and will collect data and study the outcomes of these projects to inform public policy.

On March 27, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule to update Medicare payment policies and rates under the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Prospective Payment System (PPS) and the IRF Quality Reporting Program (QRP) for fiscal year (FY) 2025. CMS proposes a 2.8% increase in IRF PPS payment rates. Additionally, CMS proposes adding four assessment items to the IRF QRP, modifying one assessment item, and removing one from the IRF-Patient Assessment Instrument (PAI).

Join the Administration for Community Living’s (ACL) Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR) for an upcoming Lunch & Learn webinar, which will respond to questions on the topic of including people with lived experiences on research teams. At the end of the panel discussion, there will be a 15-minute Q&A session with the audience. The audience will include a wide range of ICDR stakeholders, federal interagency partners, researchers, practitioners, disability organizations, and ICDR committee members.

Presenters:

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have rescheduled the “Medicaid and CHIP Renewals: What to Know and How to Prepare” webinar from Wednesday, March 27, to Wednesday, April 3, at 12:00 p.m. ET. If you registered for the previously scheduled date, you do not need to re-register. The Zoom system will automatically keep you registered for this new date, but please update your calendar accordingly.

On March 20, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), announced a new voluntary model that empowers primary care providers in eligible Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) to treat people with Medicare using innovative, team-based, person-centered proactive care.