State/Agency Information

As represented in the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1999 Olmstead decision, our nation’s values and laws have moved to a point where states should be developing community supports and services with people, not for them. Yet many professionals were trained and agency protocols were set in motion in an earlier time period, when the current view was far from predominant. This research looks at how a sample of agencies within the State of Connecticut promotes self-determination.

The Research Data Assistance Center (ResDAC) is a CMS contractor that provides free assistance to academic, government and non-profit researchers interested in using Medicare and/or Medicaid data for their research. ResDAC also provides workshops & presentations and offers help in building the research and data capacities of small schools.

ArcLink has created a cognitively accessible website offering information on Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage and the Discount card. The site gives answers to frequently asked questions, offers definitions of commonly used terms in Medicare and explains how to get help and how to get a card.

The US Government Accountability Office examined the challenges faced by entities impacted by the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996 including the experience of providers & health plans in implementation, the experience of public health entities, researchers, & representatives of patients in obtaining access to health information, & the extent to which patients appear to be aware of their rights. The report reviews why the GAO started the study, findings & recommendations.

Producing a translated document of high quality requires commitment and planning. It can be complex, expensive & time consuming, & is often politically sensitive, especially if you are not a community-based provider of the same ethnic & cultural background as your target audience. This brief provides basic “how to” information for translating written materials into languages other than English. Additional information & sample materials can be found on the Center for Medicare Education Web site.

This report describes the FY ‘01 & FY ‘02 Grantees’ accomplishments & progress, using information from 10/1/02 to 9/30/03 (Year Two of grant period for FY ‘01 Grantees & Year One of grant period for FY ‘02 Grantees). The report describes grant activities in six major areas: Consumer Direction & Control, Access to LTC Services & Supports, State Budgeting & Reimbursement Rates & Methodologies, Service Creation/Modification, LTC Service & Support Workforce, Quality Management Mechanism.

This report summarizes a study supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation examining how states are addressing declining enrollments in Medicaid by renewing outreach. A decline in Medicaid enrollments in recent years and the creation of the Children’s Health Insurance Program prompted many states to undertake renewed outreach efforts to those potentially eligible for medical assistance. The extent and nature of these outreach efforts, however, have varied widely across states.

In 2003, the Minnesota Board on Aging was awarded a 3 year Aging and Disability Resource Center Grant. The Resource Center will serve individuals and their family caregivers who need long-term care support and those planning for future long-term care support needs. They will also serve as a resource for health and long-term care professionals. This document summarizes Minnesota's timeline and activities under the grant.

Some state agencies use online applications for assessing and determining eligibility for health and social service programs. This issue brief highlights some of the key considerations for states moving toward online applications. The discussion includes advantages, disadvantages, and some state examples.

The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 has far reaching implications for consumers, state Medicaid agencies, health care providers, and the public and private entities that provide benefits counseling and supports to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. This issue brief provides an overview of the measure, resources for more information, and suggested action steps for ADRC projects.