Aging/Older Adults

When COVID-19 appeared in early 2020, human services agencies across the country had to adapt overnight. The Georgia Department of Human Services’ Division of Aging Services created new partnerships with restaurants, placed emergency funds into use quickly, streamlined decision-making and more to meet the needs of seniors.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that propels innovative technology so Medicare beneficiaries have access to the latest, most advanced devices. This action represents a step forward that will help smooth the Medicare coverage pathway for innovative products, resulting in faster access to new devices for America’s seniors.

In 2017, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation launched the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model to test whether connecting Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries to community resources can improve health outcomes and reduce costs by addressing health-related social needs (HRSNs)—adverse social conditions that affect health and health care. This report describes the Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries who were eligible for the AHC Model in the Assistance Track.

This report offers initial results and findings from COVID-19 CheckUp, a service provided by BellAge, Inc. to help governments capture actionable data regarding the pandemic in near real-time. The service is currently in use by the governments of New York, Florida, Michigan, Los Angeles, and St. Louis. The first issue of the Bulletin focuses on COVID-19 risk related findings from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services CV19 CheckUp launch.

The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) is ready to provide you with the information you need to PROTECT yourself from Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse; DETECT potential fraud, errors, and abuse; and REPORT your concerns. SMPs help educate and empower Medicare beneficiaries in the fight against health care fraud. Your SMP can help you with your questions, concerns, or complaints about potential fraud and abuse issues. It also provides information and educational presentations.

The National Guardianship Association, along with the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging and the National Center for State Courts have developed an FAQ for guardians about consent for the COVID-19 vaccine for residents of long-term care facilities.

ACL has announced that the theme of Older Americans Month (OAM) 2021 is Communities of Strength. Older adults have built resilience and strength over their lives through successes, failures, joys, and difficulties. Their stories and contributions help to support and inspire others. In May, ACL will celebrate the strength of older adults and the Aging Network, with special emphasis on the power of connection and engagement in building strong communities.

The AARP Public Policy Institute recently launched a three-year initiative which aims to transform long term care in the United States. LTSS Choices will be a series of reports, blogs, videos, podcasts, and virtual convenings that seek to catalyze reform and spark ideas to modernize LTSS, long term services and supports. The goal is a long-term care system that provides a wide range of choices to meet the dynamic needs and preferences of consumers and their families.

CMS released an update to the COVID-19 Vaccines Toolkit that was released on 10/28/20 and first updated on 11/23/20. This update includes more information on vaccine administration reimbursement and outlines a streamlined review process available to states looking to quickly adjust vaccine administration reimbursement rates in state plans. The toolkit also provides more clarification on managed care network adequacy and the phased distribution and administration approved COVID-19 vaccines.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is approving Nebraska’s fourth submission to amend the following 1915(c) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers with the Emergency Preparedness and Response Appendix K in order to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The amendments that the state has requested in the Appendix Ks are additive to those previously approved and are effective from March 6, 2020 through March 5, 2021.