Policy alerts, briefs, letters & papers

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released a set of resources aimed at supporting state Medicaid and partner agencies in designing and delivering supports and services to meet the needs of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), as well as their aging parents and caregivers. These resources cover a variety of topics, including strategies for how state Medicaid agencies can anticipate the needs of adults with I/DD, ways states can design and implement person-centered planning to support adults with I/DD, and state policies and practices to support aging caregivers of adults with I/DD.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released a set of resources aimed at supporting state Medicaid and partner agencies in designing and delivering supports and services to meet the needs of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), as well as their aging parents and caregivers. These resources cover a variety of topics, including strategies for how state Medicaid agencies can anticipate the needs of adults with I/DD, ways states can design and implement person-centered planning to support adults with I/DD, and state policies and practices to support aging caregivers of adults with I/DD.

This recently published brief by the Association of University Centers on Disabilities explores how Medicaid, particularly Medicaid home- and community-based services (HCBS) funding, can enhance employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities and older adults. It highlights the importance of competitive integrated employment (CIE) in improving wages, income, and financial outcomes for people with disabilities. The brief provides policy recommendations on leveraging Medicaid and Medicaid HCBS programs to ensure individuals with disabilities have access to both employment and essential long-term supports and services, reducing the need to choose between work and healthcare.

The Partnership to Align Social Care has developed a new resource detailing the roles and responsibilities of Community Care Hubs (CCHs) in addressing health-related social needs. This comprehensive guide outlines the specific responsibilities and functions of CCHs, providing a roadmap for the development of collaborative networks among social care providers. This resource also highlights the potential of CCHs to foster cross-sector collaborations that practice community governance. In addition, the Partnership to Align Social Care recently released recordings from its past webinars exploring the functions of a mature CCH.

The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) has released a brief that gauges Medicaid enrollee’s knowledge of and preparedness for the Medicaid renewal process and possible disenrollment from the Medicaid program. The findings are based on a survey of health insurance consumers fielded between February 21, 2023, and March 14, 2023. Key findings indicate that most Medicaid enrollees were not aware that states are now permitted to resume disenrolling people from the Medicaid program, and nearly half of the Medicaid enrollees indicated they have not been through a renewal process, including two-thirds of older adults. The brief also notes that fewer older adults indicate they have provided updated contact information to their state Medicaid agency.

CMS’ recent rule, released on May 23, proposes to lower the cost of prescription drugs covered by Medicaid by increasing price transparency. The proposed regulation would give CMS and states additional tools, like a drug price verification survey, which would verify drug prices to increase transparency about why the costs of certain drugs are expensive for Medicaid and help states better negotiate what the Medicaid program pays for high-cost drugs. CMS also proposes that contracts between states, Medicaid-managed care plans, and third-party contractors, such as pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), reflect transparent reporting of drug payment information among third-party contractors...

On May 12, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a 15-page FAQ document for State Medicaid agencies on the end of the Medicaid continuous enrollment condition. The FAQ document provides additional information and clarification on the Medicaid redetermination and unwinding process. The FAQ includes guidance in the following areas: Returned mail condition, which was added by the CAA, 2023 into Section 6008(f)(2)(c) of the FFCRA and established a new condition for receiving the FFCRA temporary FMAP increase. Medicaid and CHIP resumption of premiums, and the modifications of the condition found in the CAA, 2023, and described in SHO#23-002. Renewals for individuals receiving SSI in Section 1634 States....

The latest resource from Justice in Aging focuses on Medicare and LGBTQ+ older adults, addressing the challenges they face in accessing and utilizing their Medicare benefits. The publication includes two fact sheets to provide essential information and tips for LGBTQ+ older adults with Medicare and their advocates. The first fact sheet, "Marriage, Medicare, and Medicaid: What Same-Sex Couples Need to Know," covers Medicare coverage rules for spouses and the impact of spousal income on programs affecting Medicare costs. The second fact sheet, "Medicare & Transgender Older Adults: What Transgender People Need to Know," addresses critical issues related to gender identification, surgeries, transition-related drugs, and sex-specific procedures.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an informational bulletin that describes the end dates of certain COVID-19-related Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage and enhanced federal funding resulting from the May 11th PHE end date. The bulletin includes information on COVID-19 vaccines, vaccine administration, testing, and treatment; telehealth flexibilities; and implications of the end of the COVID-19 National Emergency for section 1135 waivers. Additional federal guidance on flexibilities enabled by the COVID-19 emergency declaration and how they will be impacted by the end of the COVID-19 PHE can be found here.

The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) has released an article in conjunction with FEMA to provide information and resources that help people with disabilities before, during and after disasters. This article highlights the importance of ensuring that people with disabilities and older adults have accessible public transportation options during these emergencies, and provides guidance to help transportation providers better serve these communities.