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This report examines weaknesses in the home and community-based services ecosystem and outlines a roadmap to expand community living options that meet the needs of people with disabilities. The report builds upon findings in NCD’s 2021 Progress Report: The Impacts of COVID-19 on People with Disabilities (2021) and Deinstitutionalization: Unfinished Business (2012) and illustrates how each piece of the HCBS ecosystem must operate at full capacity to ensure that appropriate community living options and support systems remain available to the disabilities community.

This Kaiser Family Foundation analysis found that 656,000 people nationwide were on state waiting lists for home and community-based services financed through Medicaid waivers in 2021. This new data is among the latest set of findings from the 20th KFF survey of state officials administering Medicaid HCBS programs in all 50 states and Washington, DC.

The annual Medicare open enrollment period for Medicare Advantage and Part D plans ends Wednesday, December 7, 2022. To assist individuals who counsel Medicare clients, the National Council on Aging or NCOA developed a “Medicare Open Enrollment Toolkit”. The Toolkit includes many useful resources designed for professionals, advocates, caregivers, and/or older adults, including a fact sheet on changes to Medicare in 2023; information on Medicare Part A and Part B premiums and cost-sharing in 2023; a 2023 Medicare Part D cost-sharing chart; and other helpful information and guidance.

A recent report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services used Medicare data to identifiy certain characteristics or risk factors that placed nursing home residents at an increased risk of discharge. Characteristics included residents with severe behavioral symptoms, residents with psychiatric and mood disorders, residents with impairments that required more staff time, residents transitioning to Medicaid.

Health Affairs has published a new blog highlighting the value of improving health and well-being through establishing community care hubs. Hubs are characterized as community-focused entities that support a network of community-based organizations providing services for health-related social needs. The blog complements ACL’s investments to develop and scale community care hubs across the country including the National Learning Community, and plans to administer grants to support community care hub infrastructure.

The Profile of Older Americans is an annual summary of the statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, the National Center for Health Statistics, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics related to older adults in the United States. The Profile illustrates the shifting demographics of Americans age 65 and older and includes information on population growth, marital status, living arrangements, income, employment, and health. This year's report includes a special section on family caregivers.

Each edition of the AARP Public Policy Institute's Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) State Scorecard has measured state performance against an objective, data-driven set of metrics that illustrate how states were doing with their LTSS systems at a given time. This paper discusses the approach to the 2023 edition of the Scorecard, reflects on what has changed since the Scorecard was first published, and considers the possibilities of future editions.

This article presents case studies from different global regions to illustrate how disabilities are often overlooked in responding to climate-related health impacts and disaster planning. Health Affairs draws particular attention to mutual aid networks led by people with disabilities in adapting to climate-related health impacts and makes suggestions policy makers and practitioners can use to integrate disability justice into their work.

The AHRQ Academy has released a new guide on health equity and behavioral health integration designed to help practices reduce health disparities and advance health equity by promoting belonging, dignity and justice for providers and patients from marginalized groups. The AHRQ Academy aims to support the integration of behavioral health into primary and ambulatory care settings with a focus on providing care for patients using substances, particularly opioids, and for those with mental health conditions. This guide provides tools and resources for addressing economic and social inequities, bias, discrimination and racism.

On Friday, November 11, 2022 HHS announced that it will again extend the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). Based on commitments to provide at least 60 days’ notice prior to allowing the PHE to lapse, HHS had until Saturday, November 12, to provide states with notice that the PHE would either be extended or end in January. This means that unwinding protocol will not yet begin, and that the PHE policies such as Medicaid FMAP increases; continuous eligibility; and the 1135, Appendix K, and Emergency SPAs will remain in effect.