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In light of the Biden-Harris Administration announcing their intent to end the public health emergency (PHE), CMS has created a suite of updated resources to provide guidance around the unwinding. All tools can be found on the CMS Emergencies Page of their website. Guidance includes but is not limited to, a fact sheet for information about PHE waiver flexibilities, Acute Hospital at Home information, and the CMS 1135 Waiver/ Flexibility request inquiry form. The CMS Emergencies Page will be updated continuously as the end of the PHE nears. CMS encourages regular visits to the page for the most up to date information regarding PHE unwinding.

On February 7, 2023 the University of New Hampshire released key findings from the Annual Disability Statistics Collection. The annual report looks at national data for gaps related to people with disabilities across the states. The full compendium of data as well as supplementary data and state reports are available online, and the University of New Hampshire will be holding a virtual release for the compendium which will be recorded.

WellSky recently released a tip sheet to help agencies better respond to the continued workforce crisis. The tip sheet examines the lingering effects of COVID-19 and the broader employment market and provides possible approaches to help alleviate the workforce crisis. The sheet suggests incorporation of new efficiencies, certifications and incentivization programs, best uses for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, and more.

The Center for Health Care Strategies released a blog post covering best practices and advice for creating a multidisciplinary and multi sector plan for aging. The post was authored by Kim McCoy Wade, senior advisor of Aging, Disability, and Alzheimer’s to the California governor. The post dissects the planning process for creating a multi sector plan for older adults and people with disabilities and how to work with multiple stakeholders all vying to reach the same goal.

The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) and the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) have released an updated data book which presents information on the demographic and other personal characteristics, expenditures, and health care utilization of individuals who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid coverage.

Brandeis University in partnership with the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) is doing a national search to identify promising practices and policies that support adults with IDD and aging family caregivers.

This past Tuesday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announce the latest enrollment figures for Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). As of October 24, 2022, over 65.2 million people are enrolled in Medicare, an increase of 132,757 since the last report. More than 35 million people are enrolled in Original or Fee-for-Service Medicare, and more than 30.2 million are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage or other health plan. Over 91.3 million enrollees have Medicaid (84.3+ million) and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) (7.0+ million), an increase of 462,322 since the last report. More than 12 million enrollees are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid and are counted for both programs.

This past Wednesday, February 1st, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the calendar year (CY) 2024 Advance Notice of Methodological Changes for Medicare Advantage (MA) Capitation Rates and Part C and Part D Payment Policies.

On Monday, January 31st, CMS issued a final rule for the Medicare Advantage (MA) Risk Adjustment Data Validation (RADV) program. The MA RADV program is used to identify improper risk adjustment payments made to Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) for claims made to Medicare without supporting evidence from a beneficiary’s medical record. Payments to MAOs are adjusted based on the health status of a MAO’s enrollees using medical diagnoses reported by the insurer. The new policy will apply to plan contracts since 2018.

KFF released a brief “What Happens When COVID-19 Emergency Declarations End? Implications for Coverage, Costs, and Access” (January 31, 2023) that the describes the major health-related COVID-19 emergency declarations made by the federal government since January 2020, and the flexibilities resulting from the declarations. The areas covered in the brief include coverage, costs, and payment for COVID-19 testing, treatments, and vaccines; Medicaid coverage and federal match rates; and telehealth, among other provisions. According to KFF, the list does not include all federal policy and regulatory provisions made in response to COVID-19 emergency declarations.