Kaiser Family Foundation

This policy brief provides a comparison of CMS’ finalized memoranda of understanding with California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Virginia to test a capitated model and with Washington to test a managed fee-for-service (FFS) model to integrate care and align financing for dual-eligibles. These 2013 demonstrations will introduce changes in the care delivery systems and will test a new system of payments and financing arrangements among CMS, the states and providers.

The Census Bureau created the supplemental poverty measure, in an effort to differently reflect cost of living and financial status from the "official" measure. Poverty rates among older adults are higher under the supplemental poverty measure (15%) than under the official poverty measure (9%). This analysis does a state-by-state comparison using both poverty measures to describe seniors living in poverty. An understanding of elder financial hardship is important for fiscal policy debate.

Four new papers look at the Money Follows the Person demonstration program, drawing on a 2012 survey of state MFP programs. A total of 46 states have received federal grant money under the program, which was extended through 2016 by the Affordable Care Act. As of August 2012, over 25,000 individuals nationally had been transitioned back to the community since the program’s inception. The survey report describes trends in enrollment, services and per-capita spending in state MFP efforts.

This brief examines Medicaid's key role in meeting the long-term care needs of seniors in the United States, particularly those with limited incomes. Medicaid is the nation's primary payer of long-term services and supports, and state Medicaid programs provide a range of long-term care services. The brief includes state-by-state data on Medicaid enrollment and expenditures for elderly beneficiaries.

As 2014 approaches, many states are preparing for implementation of the major provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) law, including a new streamlined Medicaid enrollment system and, at states' option, the expansion of Medicaid. It has been found that nearly all states are pressing forward with information technology and process improvements to develop faster, streamlined Medicaid enrollment systems, whether or not the state elects to expand Medicaid coverage under the law.

This brief provides a short summary of Medicaid eligibility and benefits for people with disabilities today and explains how they will be affected by the ACA in light of CMS's new regulations. Provisions of the new Exchange regulations are discussed briefly to the extent that they related to Medicaid eligibility determinations for people with disabilities.

This brief provides a summary of the CMS’s March 23, 2012 final rule to implement the ACA provisions relating to Medicaid eligibility and enrollment coordination. The rule (effective Jan. 1, 2014) lays out procedures for states to implement expansion and streamline and integrate eligibility and enrollment system. Achieving this goal will require substantial process and system changes among state Medicaid agencies and close coordination between Medicaid and other insurance affordability programs.

What strategies addresses the growth in Medicare and Medicaid spending by improving the coordination of care and reducing the cost for those who are dually eligible for both programs? This report evaluated plans such as PACE, Minnesota Senior Health Options, the Wisconsin Partnership Program and Evercare, which showed a reduction of hospitalizations. PACE was included as part of the solution to controlling Medicare and Medicaid spending.