State/Agency Information

This brief is a summary of survey results related to aging and disability agencies and I&R/A specialists' role in connecting individuals with public benefits. It provides an opportunity to learn about benefits screening, assistance, and outreach within aging and disability networks.

While faced with new challenges, reduced budgets, and growing populations requiring more services, states are stronger than ever, and the work they do is more effective than ever in reaching individuals and addressing their needs. The National Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Conference 2018 highlights these achievements, allowing states to share best practices, present unique partnerships, and recognize the work of their peers.

This brief analyzes fifteen structured interviews conducted with leadership staff in states using state-based health insurance marketplaces. It explores the different actions these states may utilize to stabilize the marketplace and reduce consumer confusion in the face of uncertainty regarding federal policies.

CMS recently released a 2017 update to its 2012 MLTSS inventory, compiled by Truven Health Analytics. This study reviewed available information about the status of Medicaid MLTSS programs, and provides updates on the prevalence of MLTSS programs, total enrollment, and specific program design elements as of August 2017. The report surveys the landscape of MLTSS programs across the country, provides detailed summaries of each MLTSS program, and identifies national trends.

This report from the Center for Oral Health highlights how an alarming number of Californians age 65 years and older are suffering from untreated tooth decay and poor oral health. This report includes a series of recommendations to eliminate barriers to care and improve oral health.

This brief and interactive map from the Kaiser Family Foundation provide the latest national and state-level estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau of the share of people ages 65 and older who are living in poverty. These resources explore the poverty rate among seniors under the official poverty measure and the Supplemental Poverty Measure.

Presentation from the 2017 HCBS Conference on "Why and How Minnesota is Keeping LTSS Quality Measures Relevant".

This issue brief reviews the structure of the prescription drug benefit in Medicaid and the traditional policy levers states have used to control drug spending. It also describes state strategies to contain costs, such as efforts to obtain greater rebates, actions concerning generic drugs and biosimilar alternatives, transparency laws and new efforts to draw on federal resources.

Older adults are affected by the opioid public health emergency because they often use prescription opioids to cope with painful chronic conditions or procedures. This issue briefing provides a summary about the problem, treatments, federal strategies to address the crisis, and funding and programs that are addressing this issue. The briefing also highlights innovative programs to address the opioid public health emergency in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, and New Hampshire.

This report examines state and federal oversight of assisted living services in Medicaid. Individuals receiving long-term care services from Medicaid in community residential settings is expected to grow. This report describes state spending on and coverage of these services; describes how state Medicaid agencies oversee the health and welfare of beneficiaries in these settings; and examines the extent that CMS oversees state Medicaid agency monitoring of assisted living services.