Medicaid

NCOA has partnered with the Medicare Rights Center to develop a toolkit for counselors who work with dual eligibles and beneficiaries themselves. This toolkit was created following interviews and focus groups with counselors and will be updated continually.

The Medicaid Leadership Institute supports Medicaid directors in successfully leading their Medicaid programs to improve key health outcomes and advance health equity. This 10-month leadership development program is recruiting a new cohort of up to six Medicaid directors. Medicaid directors in all states, commonwealths, and territories are eligible to apply. Applications are due July 8, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. ET.

CHCS published a Medicaid Policy cheat sheet detailing the importance of family caregivers. The resource reviews legislation and efforts led by the Biden Administration to support unpaid family caregivers, and answers the following questions: Who are family caregivers and what do they do? What hardships do family caregivers face as a result of providing care? How can legislation help family caregivers?

CMS has released a Center Informational Bulletin providing tools to states and CMS to improve the oversight of managed care and increase beneficiaries’ access to care. In the bulletin, CMS shares resources to improve compliance with managed care standards and requirements and guidance setting the content and format of the Annual Managed Care Program Report. The bulletin also outlines multiple tools and resources for improving managed care oversight that are currently in development at CMS.

On Tuesday, June 15, 2021 the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) released its June 2021 Report to Congress on Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The report recommends that Congress take measures to address the effect of high-cost specialty drugs on state Medicaid programs and take steps that would improve access to mental health services for adults and children enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP.

NCOA has partnered with the Medicare Rights Center to develop a toolkit for counselors who work with dual eligibles and beneficiaries. The toolkit includes a break down of coverage options in an easy-to-understand format for counselors and consumers. This toolkit was created following interviews and focus groups with counselors, and will be updated and enhanced with additional materials on an ongoing basis.

ATI Advisory, supported by the Robert Wood Foundation, has conducted research to create a package of recommended legislative and administrative reforms around LTSS and the caregiving workforce. The goal of the reforms is to increase access to HCBS, reduce the institutional bias in Medicaid, and create a strong caregiving workforce.

Justice in Aging has released a primer providing an overview of Medicaid HCBS, the bias within Medicaid towards institutional care, and how different states are serving older adults with disabilities in the community. It also briefly discusses the race, wealth, and population based inequities in the HCBS system.

The Institute for Medicaid Innovation has released a new report on how amendments and waivers are used to support innovative Medicaid program payment and delivery system models. The report is the second release in IMI’s “Introduction to Medicaid” series. The resource outlines 5 ccommon Medicaid waivers including a comparison table of all waivers implemented throughout the country. The report also explores the current use of 1135 waivers to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On January 19th Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Medicaid LTSS Annual Expenditures Report for Federal Fiscal Years (FFY) 2017 and 2018. This report discusses the LTSS rebalancing trends and growth in expenditures for home and community based services (HCBS) as compared to institutional spending during these select years.