Policy alerts, briefs, letters & papers

This brief takes a look at multiple measures beyond waiver waiting lists to evaluate state choices about optional Medicaid eligibility pathways, spending, and services for seniors and people with disabilities as of 2018. The analysis draws on KFF resources, including 50-state surveys of Medicaid financial eligibility pathways for seniors and people with disabilities, HCBS waiver programs, and state plan benefits offered, as well as state Medicaid LTSS expenditures reported by Mathematica.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), issued updated guidance for nursing homes to safely expand visitation options during the COVID-19 pandemic public health emergency. This latest guidance comes as more than 3 million doses of vaccines have been administered within nursing homes. Read the full guidance for more information.

The Center for Health Care Strategies, in partnership with the California Health Care Foundation as well as In-Sight Associates, Health Management Associates, and Schoen Consulting, is developing a series of resource packages that share best practices for supporting the integration of community health workers and promotores into programs run by Medicaid managed care plans for members of Medi-Cal. Download the resource to learn more.

The purpose of this study is to examine the physical and mental well-being of community-dwelling older adults and their informal or unpaid caregivers during public health emergencies, such as COVID-19. This project also aims to identify public health interventions and strategies available to support older adults and caregivers during public health emergencies.

This brief shares considerations for health care organizations and government entities seeking to build effective partnerships with the individuals and communities they serve to better address their health and social needs. It draws from the experiences of two sites — Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis and the Los Angeles Department of Health Services Whole Person Care Program — that participated in the Community Partnership Pilot, a CHCS made possible by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

This issue brief reviews the distribution of provider relief funds to Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) providers based on a review of applications submitted as of November 26, 2020. Additionally, MACPAC interviewed Medicaid officials in 5 states and representatives from national provider organizations to learn more about the barriers experienced by Medicaid providers applying for provider relief funding. Read the brief to learn their findings.

On behalf of The SCAN Foundation, Manatt Health identifies federal and state Medicaid flexibilities available to state officials and other stakeholders and how those flexibilities are being deployed during COVID-19 to help ensure access to LTSS. The resource guide also highlights state policy goals in implementing regulatory flexibilities available during COVID-19.

The RRF Foundation for Aging recently released an issue brief, “Working Together to Achieve Economic Security in Later Life”, which is a first in a series of briefs highlight the foundation’s approach to grantmaking. The brief focuses on the innovative ways for older adults to achieve financial well-being and also as an invitation to others to partner with the foundation on these and other critical issues. The issue brief and social media sharing toolkit are linked to this page.

CMS is committed to continuing to take critical steps to ensure America’s healthcare facilities are prepared to respond to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency (PHE). CMS has issued a new guidance for visitation in ICF/IIDs and PRTFs during the COVID-19 PHE. The guidance provides ways an ICF/IID and PRTF can more safely facilitate in-person visitation and address the psychosocial needs of clients/residents.

Supported by Arnold Ventures, Mathematica conducted this study to understand what leads dually eligible beneficiaries to remain in, or disenroll from, D-SNPs. They examined the association of MA quality and member experience scores, and level of Medicaid integration, with voluntary disenrollment rates (VDRs) in D-SNP dominant MA contracts. Download the publication to read more.