Announcement/Press release

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued updated guidance for nursing home visitation ahead of the conclusion of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) on May 11, 2023. The guidance emphasizes that despite the end of the PHE, nursing homes must continue to uphold infection control procedures and practices. The updated guidance advises nursing homes to follow CDC recommendations and post visual alerts to inform the public of infection control practices. Additionally, it states that indoor visitation during a COVID-19 outbreak should occur in the resident's room.

On the 60th anniversary of Older Americans Month, the White House has issued a proclamation recognizing the invaluable contributions of our Nation's seniors. The proclamation celebrates the progress made through programs such as Medicare and Social Security in raising many seniors out of poverty and providing affordable healthcare. However, it also acknowledges the need for continued efforts to ensure seniors can age with dignity and financial security. Specifically, President Biden calls on Congress to improve accessibility to high-quality care and support for caregivers, increase funding for nutrition services, and improve the quality and safety of nursing homes to help ensure that all older adults are supported.

Join the Administration for Community Living (ACL) in celebrating May as Older Americans Month, a time to recognize the contributions of older adults and promote support for aging Americans. This year's theme, Aging Unbound, encourages communities to challenge stereotypes and promote flexible thinking about aging. Visit the ACL's website to learn more about Older Americans Month and how you can participate in promoting support for aging Americans.

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) has opened registration for the 3rd annual Walk for WEAAD (World Elder Abuse Awareness Day). This event aims to promote a national movement for elder justice and encourages participants to engage in various activities that can be tracked through the Walker Tracker app. The Walk for WEAAD offers a chance for individuals to show their support for WEAAD and become part of the expanding national movement promoting elder justice.

CMS made publicly available detailed information on the ownership of over 6,000 hospices and 11,000 home health agencies that are Medicare-certified. Data elements include: organization name, type, practice location addresses, National Provider Identifier (NPI), CMS Certification Number (CCN); detailed information about each owner such as whether it is an organization or an individual and whether it is a direct owner or indirect owner; and a numerical associate ID for each owner to enable linkage to the enrollment file.

The Aging and Disability Business Institute at USAging is now accepting nominations for The John A. Hartford Foundation 2023 Business Innovation Award. Each year, The award recognizes aging and disability community-based organizations (CBOs) for their innovative approaches to reducing health care costs and improving the well-being of older adults and people with disabilities through contracts and strategic partnerships with health care entities. This award draws national attention to innovative strategies from the Aging and Disability Networks and spurs the replication of these approaches nationwide. Nominations will close Friday, May 5.

On March 16, ACF announced an award of $560 million to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program or LIHEAP, following an award of $1 billion February 2023. LIHEAP provides asssistance with heating and cooling costs for low-income households. Over 6 million households received funding from the LIHEAP program during the past year, with LIHEAP funding for Fiscal Year 2023 totaling $6.1 billion.

The CMS Innovation Center announced that the Medicare Advantage (MA) Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) Model will be extended for calendar years 2025 through 2030. Changes intended to address the health-related social needs of patients, advance health equity, and improve care coordination for patients with serious illness will be announced by the Innovation Center when available.

On March 15, CMS released initial guidance describing the requirements and parameters on key elements of the new Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program for 2026. The initial program guidance describes the requirements and procedures for the first set of negotiations, which will occur during 2023 and 2024 and result in prices effective in 2026.

The Council on Quality Leadership published a Q&A with ACL Acting Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging Alison Barkoff about the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) settings rule in their latest newsletter. The Q&A session explores the settings rule, and how states can implement best practices throughout the transition period for implementation.