ADvancing States

This issue brief is the first publication from the Aging and Disabilities Technology Workgroup. The paper seeks to define key IT terms for agency staff and explain how they relate to the technology that is currently used in aging and disabilities services as well as emerging opportunities in the field.

Thank you to all of the states and organizations who have responded with activities, ideas, and actions taken to address social isolation for older adults during the COVID-19 crisis. The following document combines responses received thus far. Please continue to submit state, CBO, and facility activities to ADvancing States so that we may continue to share practices from across the country. Thank you for all you are doing to help decrease loneliness in older adults! UPDATED: 10.14.20

This webinar discussed two issue briefs from the MLTSS Institute on aligning Medicare and Medicaid for dually eligible individuals. The briefs covered were, "Starting from Square One: Considerations for States Exploring Medicare-Medicaid" and, “The Value of Integration to State Medicaid Agencies”. The webinar also highlighted the perspective of the District of Columbia, which is planning to launch new program elements to better integrate care.

This issue brief from the MLTSS Institute focuses on aspects of delivering effective care to individuals eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Only about 2/3 of states have undertaken any activity to better integrate care for dually eligible beneficiaries; many have encountered a number of barriers in pursuing better integration of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. This issue brief identifies key questions that states should ask themselves before they design an integrated care program.

States operating Medicaid waiver programs, as well as other programs, are required to safeguard consumers against critical incidents such as abuse, neglect, exploitation, and unexplained death. While states have different approaches for managing critical incidents; there are key elements that every state should have to better protect its citizens from harm and to reduce the state from liability. This webinar explores key elements related to an effective critical incident management system.

This issue brief explores software systems that state aging and disability agencies use for resource databases and for client tracking, case management, and reporting. Data and findings are drawn from ADvancing States’ 2018 National Survey of Aging and Disability Information & Referral/Assistance (I&R/A) Agencies. This issue brief highlights responses from state agencies on aging and disability, though in some instances, data from all survey respondents is shared for comparison purposes.

States operating Medicaid waiver programs are required to safeguard consumers against critical incidents such as abuse, neglect, exploitation, and unexplained death. Yet there is no federally defined term for “critical incident.” This webinar explores what constitutes a critical incident, and the steps your agency should take to protect your citizens from harm and your state from liability.

This report is the fourth in a series of publications from the MLTSS Institute, which was established in 2016 to drive improvements in key MLTSS policy areas, facilitate sharing and learning among states, and provide direct and intensive technical assistance to states and health plans. This issue brief focuses on delivering effective care to individuals eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid and aims to lay out the case for state Medicaid agencies to invest in integrated care programs.

The Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Conference is hosted annually by ADvancing States (formerly known as NASUAD). This event highlights best practices from across the country in home and community-based services. The conference includes federal, state, and local policymakers as well as those who administer, manage, and deliver waiver and other HCBS programs. This link contains all of the slide presentations from the 2019 HCBS Conference.

This infographic provides information on coverage and costs for low-income Medicare beneficiaries. The resource describes people on Medicare, financial needs among beneficiaries, programs supporting low-income beneficiaries, and ways to improve access.