Accessibility

Preventive services is one way of cutting down health care costs, as well as detecting health issues early. Medicare beneficiaries have access to many preventive services, including cancer screenings, glaucoma screenings, certain immunizations, etc. This fact sheet provides an overview and chart of the different preventive services available to Medicare enrollees, outlining the different services covered under the different Medicare plans or “parts”, especially Medicare Part B.

Collaboration between Long-Term Care Ombudsmen and Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) is beneficial in making informed long-term care choices. ADRCs are a vital bank of information for people considering home and community-based services in lieu of institutional settings. This report presents findings from a survey of states’ Ombudsman programs on what types of collaboration exist; some work with ADRCs by making referrals, conducting training, and/or exchanging information.

Held in May 2005 this national conference was designed to meet the unique training needs of waiver program operators. This year’s conference, titled "The Sun Shines Brighter at Home," offered substantive opportunities to learn about the national initiatives, policy directions and grant programs that shape the current environment. The attached agenda has links to all of the presentation overheads.

Home modifications can make performing tasks easier, reduce accidents and support independent living. Examples include lever door handles that operate easily with a push, handrails on both sides of staircase and outside steps, and ramps for accessible entry and exit. Check out this directory of state resources on home modification to find resources in your state. Also note the link to Disability.gov, where you can find more information on accessible housing options.

To date, published information about person-centered care in assisted living has been sparse. This paper presents a comprehensive framework about what is needed to support person-centered care outcomes based on evidence-based practices obtained through a broad review of peer-reviewed and grey literature. This informational guide is an important resource for consumers, caregivers, and professionals.

This issue brief uses the most recent comprehensive data, from 2009, to examine the characteristics and costs of dual-eligible beneficiaries. The report also examines the different payment systems that Medicare and Medicaid use to fund care for dual-eligible beneficiaries and recent efforts at the federal and state levels to integrate those payment systems and coordinate the care between both programs. Given the high cost of dual-eligibles, legislative solutions are reviewed.

Few employer-sponsored and private insurance plans offer the range of services that workers with disabilities may need. Medicaid Buy-In programs are a viable option that allows these workers to receive needed services without spending down for Medicaid. This report describes findings from a study of characteristics and service utilization of higher-income enrollees compared to regular Medicaid enrollees. Providing these programs may keep higher-income workers with disabilities employed.

The effective management of patients' complex illnesses across providers, settings, and systems places extraordinary demands on primary care providers, especially those that work in resource-limited small or rural practices. This issue brief identifies eight states that have adopted strategies to build practice capacity to care for high-need Medicaid beneficiaries through the development of community health teams and reports early data to inform other states thinking about this model of care.