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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently released its nineteenth "Worst Case Housing Needs: 2023 Report to Congress," part of a longstanding series providing national data and analysis on critical housing challenges faced by very low-income (VLI) renters. Renter households with VLI who do not receive government housing assistance are defined as having worst-case needs for adequate, affordable rental housing if they pay more than one-half of their income for rent, live in severely inadequate conditions, or both. The report revealed that in 2021, 8.53 million households experienced worst-case housing needs, marking a notable increase from the record high in 2011...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center’s “Making Care Primary (MCP) Model” team will be answering questions about the forthcoming model in an Office Hours webinar on Tuesday, October 24 at 2:00 p.m. ET. A link to register for the event will be sent via listserv once available. In addition to the live Q&A, attendees will be able to submit questions in advance upon registering. The CMS Innovation Center is currently accepting applications for the Making Care Primary (MCP) Model. Interested organizations are encouraged to begin their applications even if they are not prepared to submit at this time; doing so helps CMS provide more tailored support to applicants. Interested organizations must submit their...

In a proclamation for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, 2023, President Biden acknowledged the significant contributions of disabled Americans to the nation's economy and emphasized the country's commitment to equal dignity, respect, and opportunities for all citizens. The proclamation highlights legislative milestones, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and addresses ongoing challenges, including lower employment rates and wage disparities for individuals with disabilities. President Biden outlines efforts to promote job opportunities, accessibility, and inclusivity, emphasizing the importance of diversity and equity in the workforce while urging all Americans to support equal employment opportunities...

On Friday, September 29, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the latest enrollment figures for Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP. As of June 2023, over 66 million people are enrolled in Medicare; more than 33.9 million are enrolled in fee-for-service Medicare and more than 32 million have a Medicare Advantage plan. Over 92.6 million enrollees have Medicaid and CHIP; more than 85.6 million individuals have Medicaid and nearly seven million have coverage through CHIP. Over 12 million individuals are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and are counted in the enrollment figures for both programs.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently conducted an analysis examining the complexities of using data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to identify ownership structures within nursing homes, with a particular focus on private equity ownership. The study highlights complexities in nursing home ownership structures and the limitations of CMS data, emphasizing the difficulty in accurately identifying private equity ownership. The report also discusses the implications of these limitations on transparency and oversight within the nursing home industry. To perform this analysis, GAO adopted a comprehensive approach, including reviewing nursing home ownership data from CMS and other sources, examining...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted proposed updates to the 1915(c) Waiver Application and Technical Guide for public comment. Comments are due to CMS by Monday, November 13. CMS is proposing technical updates and revisions throughout both documents to align with current requirements, such as adding an option for states to indicate whether HCBS can be delivered via telehealth, removing references to Statewide Transition Plans, and integrating settings criteria with person-centered service planning requirements.

On September 22, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a proposed update of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Uniform Grants Guidance, which are the guidelines issued by OMB to federal agencies for use across all grants and other types of Federal financial assistance. The proposal aims to decrease the burden on recipients of federal financial assistance, advance equity, and meaningfully improve the administration of federal financial assistance. The proposed changes will: Reduce unnecessary compliance costs; Remove barriers to entry; and Ensure assistance serves intended communities. Public comments are due to OMB by Monday, December 4.

NCOA is currently accepting proposals for presentations for two events: The 7th Annual Older Adult Mental Health Awareness Day symposium will be held virtually on Thursday, May 2, 2024. Topics include: homelessness; serious mental illness; impact of nutrition on mental health; substance use disorders; and diverse populations. The Age + Action 2024 conference is scheduled for May 6th through 8th, 2024. The session categories are: business acumen; diverse populations; economic security; healthy living; public policy, advocacy & research; and senior centers.

The Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and the Treasury are seeking public input on how best to ensure coverage and access to over-the-counter (OTC) preventive services, including the benefits of requiring most health insurance plans to cover these services at no cost and without a prescription by a health care provider. This new Request for Information solicits comment on access to a range of OTC items recommended by experts for preventive care that can be purchased without a prescription, including contraceptives, tobacco smoking cessation products, folic acid during pregnancy, and breastfeeding supplies.

On October 3, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that all 10 drug companies whose drugs were selected for price negotiation with Medicare for the first cycle of the program have decided to participate in those negotiations. These selected drugs accounted for $50.5 billion in total Part D gross covered prescription drug costs, or about 20%, of total Part D gross covered prescription drug costs between June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023, which is the time period used to determine which drugs were eligible for negotiation. According to HHS, Medicare enrollees taking the 10 drugs covered under Part D selected for negotiation paid a total of $3.4 billion in out-of-pocket costs in 2022 for these drugs.