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The Administration for Community Living (ACL), in collaboration with the disability and aging networks it funds, is committed to protecting the voting rights of older adults and people with disabilities. Through ACL's programs, a variety of resources are available, including information, education, supportive services, and legal assistance, all aimed at improving voting process accessibility in partnership with states and communities. ACL has released a dedicated webpage to serve as a resource "hub" to make it easier for people with disabilities and older adults to find the voting resources they need.

The U.S. Census Bureau recently released its annual reports on poverty, income, and health insurance for 2022. Key findings relevant to aging and disability networks included: Of the more common subtypes of health insurance coverage, employment-based insurance was the most prevalent, covering 54.5% of the population for some or all of the calendar year, followed by Medicaid (18.8%), Medicare (18.7%), and direct-purchase coverage (9.9%). Between 2021 and 2022, the rate of Medicare coverage increased by 0.3 percentage points to cover 18.7% of people. This increase was in part due to growth in the number of people age 65 and older...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are hosting an upcoming series of patient-focused Listening Sessions this fall as part of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. These virtual public Listening Sessions will provide opportunities for patients, beneficiaries, caregivers, consumer and patient organizations, and other interested parties to share input relevant to drugs selected for the first round of negotiations. CMS will host 10 Listening Sessions this fall, one for each of the 10 selected drugs: (Click attached links to find times for all 10 listening sessions).

The 2023 Sarah Taub Memorial Webinar shared highlights from the 2021-2022 National Core Indicators - Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (NCI-IDD) and National Core Indicators - Aging and Disabilities (NCI-AD) surveys. The webinar showcased promising outcomes and areas for improvement across domains such as person-centered planning, community participation and employment, health and health care, staffing, and the HCBS Final Settings Rule.

The proposed Access Rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) is a transformational shift that would change requirements in place since 2014. WellSky has recently released a tip sheet providing a framework to plan for the Access Rule and its implications. By starting to plan early, funding may still be available from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Waiver programs can also learn much from the history of VBP in healthcare, which is briefly described in this tip sheet. This resource will help attendees understand: 1. What is the Access Rule 2. How the Access Rule may lead to value-based payment (VBP) 3. What value-based strategies should you consider

Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the Campaign for Disability Employment (CDE) has released a new resource titled "What Can State Agencies Do? A Step-by-Step Implementation Guide for State Agencies." This guide offers practical steps that state agencies can follow to promote awareness of disability-inclusive workplace policies and practices, both internally and externally. This initiative is a collaborative effort among various organizations aiming to showcase supportive workplaces that are inclusive for all workers.

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (The Rehab Act), as revised multiple times in various years, prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by federal agencies, in programs receiving federal financial assistance, in federal employment, and in the employment practices of federal contractors. In observance of the 50th anniversary of this landmark legislation enacted on September 26, 1973, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) acknowledges the enduring work needed to fully realize its objectives. To facilitate information sharing, they have created a dedicated web page featuring upcoming events, webinars, and additional resources to support the aging and disability networks in recognizing this important...

Northern Virginia Government contractor is seeking an experienced professional to join their team supporting the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) as a Senior Analyst. The ideal candidate should have a Master's degree in public health, policy, or a related field, along with prior experience in CMS, Long Term Supports and Services, and Home and Community-Based Services, Aging, and Disability policy at the state or Federal level. The position involves interpreting policy and regulations, providing technical assistance to states, developing resources, and conducting policy analysis. Candidates should have at least 7 years of state government experience, including 3 years of program/project management, and a Bachelor's Degree...

On September 1, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule to establish staffing requirements, including national minimum nurse staffing standards, for nursing facilities. Nursing facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid would be required to: provide residents with a minimum of 0.55 hours of care from a registered nurse (RN) per resident per day (hours per resident day or HPRD) and 2.45 hours of care from a nurse aide (NA) per resident per day; have a registered nurse onsite 24 hours per day, seven days per week to provide direct resident care; and complete facility assessments on staffing needs. CMS proposes that implementation of the final requirements will occur in three phases over a three-year...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced the first 10 drugs covered under the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit selected for negotiation. As a result of the Inflation Reduction Act (P.L. 117-169), Medicare, for the first time, has the ability to directly negotiate prices of certain high expenditure, single source drugs without generic or biosimilar competition, based on total gross covered prescription drug costs under Medicare Part D and other criteria as required by the law. The negotiations with participating drug companies will occur in 2023 and 2024, and any negotiated prices will become effective beginning in 2026. The negotiation process will consider the selected drug’s clinical benefit...