Advocates

On Monday, June 13, 2022 CMS released the 2020 Medicaid Managed Care Enrollment and Program Characteristics and Data Tables. This national data is broken down by program, population, and individual state. The enrollment data provides a snapshot of Medicaid managed care enrollment as of July 1, 2020.

The COVID-19 Vaccine Education and Equity Project (CVEEP) encourages the aging network to submit imput on a short survey to help identify tools, resources, and strategies for protecting older adults against COVID-19. The deadline to complete the survey is Tuesday, June 21, 2022.

CHCS has published a new tool to assist states in planning and implementing a Master Plan for Aging (MPA). A MPA is a cross-sector, state-led strategic planning resource that can help states transform the infrastructure and coordination of services for their aging population and people with disabilities. This tool outlines core principles to guide the MPA development process and shares best practices for cross-sector MPA development through state examples.

This CMCS informational bulletin provides an update on the 2022 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Spousal Impoverishment Standards. Certain Medicaid income and resource standards are adjusted annually in accordance with changes in the SSI federal benefit rate (FBR) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI). These include some of the standards described in section 1924 of the Social Security Act, which describes the financial eligibility rules that apply when married individuals seek coverage of certain long-term services and supports. Included with this informational bulletin is the revised 2022 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards chart that displays the updated MMMNA and Community Spouse Monthly Housing Allowances.

Experts at The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center and the state of Tennessee say families in poverty with disabilities in Tennessee and nationwide face difficulty both accessing and utilizing long term services and supports (LTSS) in both rural and urban areas. This article breaks down issues of accessibility across the country by discussing how affordable housing, transportation, and social determinants of health affect individuals differently based on their ability and region.

ACL has released a new brief, Leveraging Innovation, Collaboration, and Data with Assistive Technology to Reduce Social Isolation and Loneliness: Success Story from Illinois. This brief highlights a model and innovative partnership at both the federal and state levels that successfully purchased and distributed technology devices to older adults and people with disabilities served by local agencies in order to reduce social isolation and loneliness.

Several states are seeking ways to effectively address the health, economic, and social challenges experienced by family caregivers, especially those from marginalized communities. This brief outlines practical strategies to identify and reach family caregivers used by cross-sector state teams participating in Helping States Support Families Caring for an Aging America, a CHCS initiative made possible by The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Michigan Health Endowment Fund.

Prior to COVID-19, Indiana hosted stakeholder workgroups to identify needed improvements to its Medicaid-funded long-term services and supports (LTSS) system. The pandemic amplified existing disparities, including inequitable access to community-based care, unaligned and uncoordinated care for dually eligible individuals, and broad gaps in capacity and resources to effectively oversee and implement the LTSS reform effort. With support from Arnold Ventures, Indiana’s Family and Social Services Administration (IN FSSA) is working with project partners to design a Medicare-Medicaid integration strategy for dually eligible individuals enrolled in MLTSS and engage providers in its development process.

To best meet the health-related needs of Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries, and address equity within these programs and services, Medicaid leaders should reflect the varied populations they serve. Medicaid leaders are more likely to relate to the needs and challenges of their members when they share the identities of enrollees. This blog post and infographic from CHCS highlight key strategies for diversifying the Medicaid leadership pipeline, drawing from a CHCS report developed with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

This Policy Spotlight describes Medicare’s Wellness Visits, current approaches to provide this benefit to Medicare beneficiaries, challenges related to access, and opportunities for the Aging Network. This brief also presents policy and programmatic recommendations to improve the effectiveness of Wellness Visits.