Kaiser Family Foundation

This issue brief from the Kaiser Family Foundation examines the implications of work requirements for Medicaid recipients with disabilities. Kaiser’s analysis finds that waivers that condition Medicaid eligibility on meeting a work requirement could affect people with disabilities who have limitations that interfere with their ability to work but do not rise to the stringent SSI level of disability.

This brief from the Kaiser Family Foundation describes what the Medicaid eligibility work requirements would be in each state, including what would count as work activities, the hours required, and what the common exemptions to the requirements would be. The brief also describes key issues to consider in implementing such requirements, such as administrative costs, potential confusion over documentation requirements and the risk that some people will lose coverage for which they remain eligible.

This issue brief from the Kaiser Family Foundation discusses four key issues related to long-term services and supports (LTSS), including institutional and home and community-based services (HCBS) quality, highlighting major legislative and policy changes over the last 30 years. The brief also includes data about LTSS providers and consumers, summarizes key federal laws and policies related to quality, and lists selected federal quality measures.

Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Management Associates released a report about implementing coverage and payment initiatives in Medicaid. The data for this report was collected from the 16th annual budget survey completed by the Medicaid directors and Medicaid staff in all fifty states and the District of Columbia. Included in the report is information on the policy changes to the Medicaid programs in each state that were implemented in FY 2016 or planned for implementation in FY 2017.

Kaiser Family Foundation released a new issue brief titled, "Medicaid Enrollment & Spending Growth: FY 2016 & 2017." The implementation of Medicaid Expansion in the Affordable Care Act influenced the growth of Medicaid spending. The brief explores these trends using survey data provided by the Medicaid directors in all fifty states and the District of Columbia.

The Kaiser Commission of Medicaid and the Uninsured published an issue brief on the system design of Medicaid's current home and community-based (HCBS) programs.

The Kaiser Family Foundation released an issue brief that analyzes the cost of Medicare Part D drug plans, specifically out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries. A major finding from the brief showed that Medicare Part D enrollees may pay thousands of dollars of out-of-pocket costs if they require a specialty drug, even after exceeding the catastrophic coverage threshold. This study's findings emphasize how important it is for beneficiaries to diligently shop for new plans each year.

The Kaiser Family Foundation published an issue brief of the role of Medicaid for People living with dementia. Individuals with dementia generally require a multitude of medical and behavioral health services. Medicare covers some services for this population but there are gaps where Medicaid may need to fill in for payment of long term services and supports (LTSS) for low-income people. This brief includes a fact sheet for explain the role of Medicaid for people with dementia.

The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured released a report that provides an overview of Medicaid enrollment and spending during state Fiscal Years (FY) 2015 and 2016. The results were gathered from interviews with state Medicaid directors as part of the 15th annual survey of Medicaid directors. Enrollment and spending significantly increased in Fiscal Year 2015, which was the first full year that the Affordable Care Act expansions were implemented.

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation released an issue brief reviewing the national and state-level Medicaid Advantage enrollment trends as of March 2015. It was believed that the reductions in payments to Medicare Advantage plans would reduce enrollments, but it has actually increased by 5.6 million. One key finding showed that "Almost one in three (31%) of people on Medicare (16.8 million beneficiaries) were enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan in March 2015."