Announcement/Press release

The Administration will require COVID-19 vaccination of staff within all Medicare and Medicaid-certified facilities to protect themselves and patients from the COVID-19 Delta variant. On Thursday, September 9, 2021, CMS, in collaboration with the CDC, announced that emergency regulations requiring vaccinations for nursing home workers will be expanded to include hospitals, dialysis facilities, ambulatory surgical settings, and home health agencies, among others.

ASA Rise is a 20 week intensive training and mentorship program for BIPOC-identified professionals within the field of aging. The program covers fundamental principles of advocacy, social justice and leadership development. Program dates for 2021: Session 1: January 24–April 1, 2022 Session 2: April 11– June 30, 2022

ACL has awarded the 2021 National CDSME Resource Center to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), Inc. The National CDSME Resource Center will provide technical assistance, education, and resources for the national CDSME network to increase the number of older adults and adults with disabilities who participate in evidence-based CDSME and self-management support programs.

CMS is expanding opportunities for people to receive COVID-19 vaccinations in their home to ensure that Medicare beneficiaries who are hard-to-reach can receive the vaccination. Healthcare providers can now receive additional payments for administering vaccines to multiple residents in one home setting or communal setting of a home.

CMS, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is developing an emergency regulation requiring staff in over 15,000 Medicare and Medicaid-participating nursing homes to get vaccinated. This new requirement is central to protecting the health and safety of nursing home residents and all staff members. Millions of vaccinations have been administered to residents and staff over the last few months and are shown to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, including the Delta variant.

CMS released a SHO letter with updated guidance to assist states in planning for resuming normal state Medicaid, CHIP, and BHP operations for the eventual end of the public health emergency. The SHO provides updated guidance regarding the extended timeframe for states to complete pending work in eligibility and enrollment to up to 12 months after the PHE ends and redetermination of eligibility requirements states must complete after the PHE for all beneficiaries before taking adverse actions.

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.

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.

The Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) connects callers to information about how to access the COVID-19 vaccine and related supports for people with disabilities. DIAL connects callers to vaccine sites and provides information related to barriers to vaccination by referring callers to local and national disability resources. acl.gov/dial | 888-677-1199 from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM ET | DIAL@n4a.org

On April 29, 2021, the U.S. Special Committee on Aging held a virtual hearing on “A Changing Workforce: Supporting Older Workers Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond”, that discussed what steps could be taken to support older Americans in the workforce.