Policy alerts, briefs, letters & papers

On July 31, Governor Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania announced, by an executive order, an overhaul of the state services and systems to protect the most vulnerable Pennsylvanians. The executive order establishes an Office of Advocacy and Reform, Child Advocate, and Council on Reform. The executive order also lists responsibilities of the state agencies and the Governor’s Office of Performance through Excellence.

CMS released a bulletin addressing frequently asked questions regarding Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) requirements to beneficiaries receiving in-home care. This bulletin responds to questions surrounding beneficiaries with live-in caregivers, services delivered partially in the beneficiary's home, the provision of medical supplies, equipment, and appliances as a component of the Medicaid home health benefit, and the use of web-based timesheets as an EVV method.

This research brief from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation summarizes recent research on older adults' LTSS risks and financial resources. The brief primarily uses data from the Health and Retirement Study.

This brief is a summary of survey results related to aging and disability agencies and I&R/A specialists' role in connecting individuals with public benefits. It provides an opportunity to learn about benefits screening, assistance, and outreach within aging and disability networks.

This brief highlights the importance of ongoing litigation around the ACA and discusses Medicaid demonstration waiver activities. It also addresses the recent passage of bi-partisan legislation with new tools and financing that states can use to strengthen their response to the opioid crisis. Finally, the brief reviews issues including Medicaid financing for Puerto Rico and USVI; Medicaid and public charge changes; and reforms in benefits, payment and delivery systems.

This brief is based on surveys of local service providers and participants at congregate meal sites. The brief examines whether the effect of congregate meal participation on socialization outcomes differs for participants who attend meal sites that offer social activities and those who attend meal sites that do not offer these activities.

On Thursday, November 15, 2018, the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) published an issue brief exploring the upcoming changes to spousal impoverishment policies in Federal Medicaid HCBS policy. This report provides an explanation of why spousal impoverishment policies exist, the changes made by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and the potential implications of the expiration of these ACA changes.

This brief summarizes how recent changes to Medicare Advantage may enable AAAs and other CBOs to form new partnerships with Medicare Advantage plans. These partnerships can be used to provide supplemental benefits, such as home-delivered meals and transportation, to beneficiaries. The updated brief covers additional guidance from CMS on the Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic (CHRONIC) Care Act.

This report highlights elder justice legislation from February to August 2018. The legislation referenced in the report was elicited using NCEA's Listserv as well as independent websites. This particular edition compiles updates from twenty-one states and also includes policy news at the national level.

This technical assistance brief outlines the specifics of Medicaid accountable care organizations' (ACOs') data needs and explores how states can effectively provide data to organizations participating in ACOs. The brief breaks down data support into three categories: Patient Attribution, Cost and Quality Performance, and Care Management Information. It also discusses various lessons and challenges with data support, including time lag, provider readiness, and regulations in conflict.