Announcement/Press release

NCOA has issued a call for presentations for their 7th Annual Older Adult Mental Health Awareness Day symposium. The free virtual event is scheduled for Thursday, May 2, 2024, and will be hosted by NCOA with funding provided by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The symposium is designed to raise awareness to better address the issues of older adult mental health and substance use disorders and highlight resources, case studies, and initiatives available to practitioners working with adults age 50+ living in the community. Last year, over 9,500 people registered for the event...

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced that beginning Monday, September 25th, every U.S. household can again place an order to receive four more free COVID-19 rapid tests delivered to their home.

In April, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the ‘HHS Bridge Access Program For COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments Program’ to maintain broad access to COVID-19 vaccines for millions of uninsured Americans. This program, Administered through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has created a unique public-private partnership to help maintain uninsured individuals’ access to COVID-19 care at their local pharmacies, through existing public health infrastructure, and at their local health centers. This week, the program officially launches, providing continued free coverage for the estimated 25-30 million adults who would have otherwise lost access to affordable COVID-19 vaccines...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced the first 10 drugs covered under the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit selected for negotiation. As a result of the Inflation Reduction Act (P.L. 117-169), Medicare, for the first time, has the ability to directly negotiate prices of certain high expenditure, single source drugs without generic or biosimilar competition, based on total gross covered prescription drug costs under Medicare Part D and other criteria as required by the law. The negotiations with participating drug companies will occur in 2023 and 2024, and any negotiated prices will become effective beginning in 2026. The negotiation process will consider the selected drug’s clinical benefit...

On August 22, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), awarded over $1.4 billion for Project NextGen to support the development of a new generation of tools and technologies to protect against COVID-19. Project NextGen, a $5 billion initiative led by ASPR’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) in partnership with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), coordinates across the federal government and the private sector to advance innovative vaccines and therapeutics into clinical trials, regulatory review, and potential commercial availability for the American people...

This week the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced more than 20 million households have enrolled in the agency’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). With the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), the FCC is now helping households across the country connect to the internet and save on their monthly bill. In order to reach today’s enrollment milestone, the FCC heavily engaged local, state and federal organizations to serve as ACP outreach and awareness-raising partners. The FCC has committed over $72 million in grants at the state and local level, with 228 ACP Outreach Grants issued to trusted state, local, and Tribal governments and community partners. If you or someone you know is seeking affordable internet connectivity

ADvancing States is pleased to be a collaboration partner on this important project focused on age-friendly care in rural communities. If you want more information please contact Kathy Greenlee, kgreenlee@advancingstates.org. The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) has received grant funding from The John A. Hartford Foundation to establish the National Rural Age-Friendly Initiative, aimed at enhancing comprehensive health care for older adults in rural areas. With a focus on research, partnerships, education, and community outreach, the initiative seeks to address the unique needs of rural populations, who constitute one in five older adults...

On August 15, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an Informational Bulletin to advise that the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 modifies section 2404 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) to require that state Medicaid agencies apply the spousal impoverishment rules to married applicants and beneficiaries eligible for home and community-based services (HCBS) through September 30, 2027.

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) has announced the selection of eight new grantees for the Lifespan Respite Care Program in FY 2023. Among these, seven states - Arizona, Idaho, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington - have been awarded cooperative agreements, with these awards totaling $2,699,847. These agreements are designated for four-year initiatives granted under the State Program Enhancement Grants. The primary objective is to expand and enhance access to equitable respite services for caregivers across all age groups, disabilities, and chronic conditions, while also improving coordination among various state programs. Delaware was awarded an additional cooperative agreement totaling...

August marks National Immunization Awareness Month, and during this time, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) are emphasizing the significance of immunizations in protecting individuals from a range of diseases. Despite vaccination recommendations, disparities persist in immunization rates, particularly among minority populations due to access and historical factors. Efforts to improve these rates involve addressing social and health inequities, supported by initiatives such as the Inflation Reduction Act that bolster coverage and affordability of vaccines. In an effort to improve vaccine accessibility and uptake, CMS OMH has launched the “National Immunization Awareness Month” webpage...