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This brief highlights the critical services provided by the Older Americans Act (OAA). It also reviews the current funding challenges the program faces in light of rising inflation and increased demand for services from a growing population of older adults. The OAA was last renewed in 2016 for three years and is up for renewal again in 2019.

This study analyzes the financial burden experienced by people who require long-term services and supports. The study analyzes medical and LTSS spending among older Medicare beneficiaries, particularly the costs of assistive devices and personal care. The results show that for medical services covered by Medicare, beneficiaries with a high need for long-term services spend more than $2,700 a year out of pocket on average, twice as high as those without such need.

This resource provides a summary of the ten most-reported scams the Senate Aging Committee's toll-free Fraud Hotline (1-855-303-9470) in 2018. Common instances reported include IRS impersonation scams, sweepstakes scams, and computer tech support scams. This report also summarizes common scams by state and provides tips for avoiding scams.

This issue brief identifies key food sources of sodium, saturated fat, empty calories, and refined grains in the diets of congregate and home delivered meal participants. It also compares these key food sources for both participants and nonparticipants and explores differences between the two groups. Click here to read more about ACL's Nutrition

The purpose of this issue brief is to describe the types of foods that participants consumed as part of congregate and home delivered meals. The brief also examines differences between participants and nonparticipants in foods consumed over 24 hours

This brief highlights the importance of ongoing litigation around the ACA and discusses Medicaid demonstration waiver activities. It also addresses the recent passage of bi-partisan legislation with new tools and financing that states can use to strengthen their response to the opioid crisis. Finally, the brief reviews issues including Medicaid financing for Puerto Rico and USVI; Medicaid and public charge changes; and reforms in benefits, payment and delivery systems.

ACL undertook a two-part evaluation of the Older Americans Act Title III-E National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) between 2013 and 2018. ACL conducted a small, retrospective study of caregivers in the Outcome Evaluation whose care recipient passed away during the course of the outcome evaluation. This supplementary study gathered information on the service components and needs of bereaved caregivers and highlights “advice from caregivers to caregivers.”

While healthcare payment systems are moving toward paying for value, the unique needs of individuals with I/DD and their families means that the transition toward alternative payment models (APMs) for Medicaid-funded services must be undertaken carefully. This white paper includes 14 payment reform principles to guide the development and assessment of new and emerging APMs for Medicaid I/DD services. The paper also includes 13 recommendations for current and future APMs for I/DD services.

Medicaid value-based payment (VBP) models tie payment to outcomes including quality of care, health status, and costs. This guide presents a checklist of four issues for consideration as states identify issues to consider when developing and adopting value-based payment (VBP) models for HCBS within managed long-term services and supports (MLTSS) programs. The guide also reviews strategies for stakeholder engagement.

This report explores the factors that are associated with the financial well-being of older Americans. It looks at the association of financial well-being and a range of topics including employment and retirement; housing situation; debt; family and living arrangement; health-related experience; and financial knowledge, skill, and behavior. The findings indicate that, in general, financial well-being increases with age into the late seventies, then declines.