Affordable Care Act (ACA)

This letter provides guidance to State Medicaid agencies regarding implementation of section 4201 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the Recovery Act), Pub. L. 111-5, and our recently published regulations at 42 CFR Part 495, Subpart D. Section 4201, as well as our final regulations, will allow the payment of incentives to eligible professionals (EPs) and eligible hospitals to promote the adoption and meaningful use of certified electronic health record (EHR) technology.

Find interactive timelines for health insurance, revenue and delivery system reform provisions of the Affordable Care Act. An graphic overview is included, as well as PDF documents with interactive year by year listings of the legislation’s provisions.

What are the key health reform provisions related to investments in direct-care worker training and workforce development? This fact sheet highlights national advisory panels as well as grant opportunities for states and individual employers. Action steps and additional resources are included.

Recently enacted health care reform has a number of implications for PAS users. The Center for Personal Assistance Services has compiled a number of publications on this topic. The information is divided into the categories of: overall, long-term care, Medicaid, Other and Implications. A link to the full text of the Act is included as well as a summary and timeline of the Act

Find a summary of the CLASS Act developed by the AARP Public Policy Institute. The legislation creates a voluntary national insurance program for long-term services and supports (LTSS) to help address the financial challenges many American households face when confronted with the high cost of LTSS. This fact sheet succinctly answers questions such as who can participate in CLASS, what are the benefit amounts, how are premiums computed and how CLASS interacts with Medicaid.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) established the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) program, a new federally administered voluntary insurance program to help adults age 18 and over with disabilities pay for long-term services and supports (LTSS). This publication describes the major provisions of the legislation, including requirements for enrollment and eligibility, benefits and services, premium amounts, the CLASS Act trust fund, and timelines.

Integral to the coverage framework laid out in the reform law is a dramatic expansion of the Medicaid program. This primer provides key information about the program today, including a definition of what it is, who and what services are covered, Medicaid expenditures and how they are financed, and information of how health reform reshapes the program for the future.

The Departments of HHS, Labor, and Treasury issued regulations to implement a new Patient’s Bill of Rights under the ACA – which will help children (and eventually all Americans) with pre-existing conditions gain coverage and keep it, protect Americans’ choice of doctors and end lifetime limits on the care consumers may receive. Review this fact sheet, geared towards the consumer, summarizing the legislation’s impact on them.

Find a link to a collection of fact sheets published by the AARP Public Policy Institute that discuss how health reform legislation specifically affects aspects of Medicare, Medicaid, health insurance and coverage, the health care delivery system, prevention, long term care options, and the primary care workforce. One specific fact sheet address how "Health Care Reform Improves Access to Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services".

Listen to a recorded webinar that analyzes the recently enacted legislation, highlighting the CLASS Act, the direct care workforce, Medicare payment for post-acute care, care coordination, and quality of care in nursing homes. It was presented by Joshua M. Wiener. Ph.D., a Senior Fellow and Program Director for Aging, Disability and Long-Term Care at RTI International.