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This Toolkit provides information for communities interested in working together to develop a one-call or one-click service for transportation to fit their own circumstances. On November 9th, the Federal Transit Administration announced $34.6 million would be awarded to 55 communities for resource centers. Review the website for practical guides and tools on implementation. Additionally there are community profiles and webinars to provide best practice examples.

This paper provides recommendations on changes to improve delivery of the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program so that it can more fully serve the purposes for which the program was established. It is the last in a series of four papers that highlight pressing issues facing dual eligibles and provide recommendations to the federal Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office (MMCO), state Medicaid agencies and other interested policymakers and stakeholders on how to address them.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, along with Mission Analytics Group & Human Services Research Institute, created an implementation manual for the Balancing Incentive Program. The Program encourages states to increase the percentage of long-term care dollars going to home & community-based services through making additional Federal Medical Assistance Percentages available to States that are currently lower performing. This manual aims to help States make the most of this Program.

This survey contains daily private-pay rates for private & semi-private rooms in licensed nursing homes, monthly base rates for assisted living communities, hourly rates for home health aides from licensed agencies & agency-provided homemaker companion services, & daily rates for adult day services across the US. Costs for this survey were calculated for each service provider in an area & were aggregated across all providers to compute a statewide average cost.

Medicaid officials in every state are enacting a variety of cost cutting measures as states’ spending is projected to increase 28.7% in FY2012 to make up for the loss of federal stimulus money. The survey finds cost containment actions ranging from restrictions on payments to providers & benefits, to new copayments for beneficiaries & additional efforts to contain the costs of prescription drugs. States are also trying to make their programs more efficient through a number of procedures.

Two new surveys recently released by the National Family Caregivers Association reveals what family caregivers fear most: first, their loved one's general health and physical decline, and second, the fear that Alzheimer's will take away their loved one's ability to communicate. A second survey tinds Family Caregivers are most concerned about respite care, personal health and finances.

This Primer has been updated to include all relevant statutory, regulatory and other policy changes that have occurred in the last 10 years in Medicaid home and community services. Given the significance of recent changes, this Primer will be an even more useful tool for all those working to ensure that people with disabilities can live in the most integrated settings appropriate to their needs.

The number of older adult drivers with dementia is increasing—and with it, so too must our understanding of the day-to-day experiences of older drivers with dementia, their functional abilities and the transportation options best suited to them. This research-to-practice article provides insight into current knowledge about the transition from driving for older adults with dementia.

Despite more than $428 billion in spending in FY2008 to assist working-age people with disabilities, services provided are often fragmented, confusing, & less effective than they could be. This brief explains how the government serves a caretaker role. Authors point out that this model runs contrary to the goal of maximizing self-sufficiency embraced by the Americans with Disabilities Act & fails to direct funds to help those with disabilities join, remain in, or return to the workforce.

After a systematic review and development process, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has adopted new data standards for race, ethnicity, sex, primary language and disability status. Identifying disparities and effectively targeting and monitoring efforts to reduce them has been limited by a lack of specificity, uniformity and quality in data collection and reporting procedures. Review the Final Collection Standards required by Section 4302 of the Affordable Care Act.