Massachusetts

This report identifies ways to effectively address nutrition problems using innovative intergenerational strategies. It lays out a set of recommendations that invite policymakers, business and community leaders, and advocates to: 1) directly engage older and younger community members in tackling the hunger and nutrition challenges, 2) view people of different generations as problem-solves and sources of supports for each other, 3) cultivate the leadership qualities in people of all ages.

This report is composed annually by the Data and Systems Group (DSG) of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). It provides descriptions of the states’ Medicaid managed care programs as of July 1, 2011. The report is organized by 1915(b), 1115, 1932(A), 1915(A), Concurrent 1915(B/C), Concurrent 1915(A/C), 1932, 1937, and PACE programs.

This report profiles enrollment statistics on Medicaid managed care programs on a plan-specific level. It provides national-level summary tables relating to trends, breakout of managed care entities, managed care enrollment by state, regional breakout and states with comprehensive health care reform demonstrations. The information was collected from State Medicaid agencies and CMS Regional Offices.

This paper discusses the progress states have made in moving away from institutional care for Long-Term Supports and Services and toward home and community-based programs. It analyzes the opportunities available through the Affordable Care Act and other programs whereby states can continue that progress even in a challenging budget environment.

This survey reports on trends in Medicaid spending, enrollment and policy initiatives for FY 2012 and FY 2013. The report describes policy changes in reimbursement, eligibility, benefits, delivery systems and long-term care, as well as detailed appendices with state-by-state information, and a more in-depth look through four state-specific case studies of the Medicaid budget and policy decisions in Massachusetts, Ohio, Oregon and Texas.

Massachusetts is the first state to finalize a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to test CMS's capitated financial alignment model for beneficiaries who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. This policy brief summarizes the MOU terms in the several key areas, including enrollment, care delivery model, benefits, financing, beneficiary protections and monitoring and evaluation.

This paper examines the contents of the 26 states’ proposals, which intent to test on two models related to financing dual eligible beneficiaries, in the areas of target population, implementation date, enrollment, financing, benefits, beneficiary protections, stakeholder engagement, and demonstration evaluation as set out in the states’ initial submission to CMS. Negotiations between CMS and the states are ongoing and are likely to result in some changes from the states’ initial proposals.

The affordability of private pay services is an important component of LTSS system performance. This Insight on the Issues presents data on private pay affordability for every state and more than 400 markets in the U.S. There is wide variation in affordability between states and markets. Private pay nursing home care is not affordable for middle-income families. While less costly than nursing homes, home health care is still unaffordable for middle-income older people at typical levels of use.

This web link is an online, searchable menu of policies and programs -each with a rating based on strength of evidence for factors that can help make communities healthier places to live, learn, work and play. Each of the policies, such as increased alcohol taxes, for example, and programs, such as early childhood interventions, included in What Works for Health is given evidence rating to help guide users toward choosing proven strategies.

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) is the largest source of federally-funded employment and training services. WIA allows states to apply for waivers of WIA regulations to provide greater flexibility in serving the needs of local populations. The Department of Labor approved more than 750 state-requested waivers of statutory and regulatory requirements between 2008-2010. This report evaluates selected waivers during the time period to examine the possible effects of waiver implementation.