Policy alerts, briefs, letters & papers

Long-term care providers are often skeptical of the value of engaging in government workforce development initiatives. This Issue Brief examines the reluctance to invest and highlights five examples of successful partnerships between employers and workforce development networks. Partnerships are seeking to change business as usual to improve the quality of care, increase the supply of direct care workers and promote greater workforce stability through higher retention and lower turnover.

Who are dual eligibles and how do they qualify for Medicaid? This fact sheet describes the over 7.5 million “dual eligibles,” the low-income elderly and persons with disabilities who are enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid, why this population needs Medicaid, what services they receive from Medicaid, and the current policy challenges related to dual eligibles, including the new Medicare prescription drug benefit.

This issue brief summarizes the Medicaid provisions of the budget reconciliation law signed in February 2006 and discusses the implications of the proposed changes. The changes would net reductions of $4.8 billion over the next five years and $26.1 billion over the next ten years from current Medicaid spending. Read about the many policy changes in the DRA, which both reduces federal and state Medicaid spending and also changes health care access and coverage for low-income beneficiaries.

Can agency consolidation bring about consistent policymaking and focus long term care services on persons with disabilities rather than on program providers? This AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper provides readers with an examination of a consolidated agency approach, by studying agency structure, reviewing the arguments for consolidation, and the barriers to achieving it. It also reviews several states accomplishing consolidation and a checklist of steps towards such a model.

Informal caregiving has long been the most common source of long-term care for older persons with disability however; a number of factors such as demographic trends may reduce the supply of traditional family caregivers and changes in the LTC delivery system indicate the need to track the changes. This paper examines key trends in family caregiving patterns. The findings should help to inform public policy debates and the data provides evidence of the need to provide adequate long-term services.

The first in a series of policy briefs from the Health Care for Health Care Workers campaign, this four-page paper provides basic facts about the health care crisis for direct-care workers. More than one in three workers has no health insurance, contributing to the instability of the workforce that undermines the quality of services for consumers. The brief also explains why direct-care workers lack access to health insurance and offers initial solutions for expanding coverage.

The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured has collected resources related to the Medicaid policy changes in the budget conference agreement to be voted on in February. Review the fact sheet and other resources related to the bill.

Amid federal and state budget pressures, policymakers in many states are either planning to start new managed care programs for Medicaid beneficiaries with LTC needs or are expanding existing programs. This AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Brief reviews the limited but important experience of states that have implemented such programs to date, identifies key policy issues going forward, and assesses the likelihood of future growth in these programs.

Looking for the facts about Fast track, presumptive and expedited eligibility? Do they mean the same thing? This handout from the ADRC Fall Meeting offers a quick overview of questions around federal laws and state implementation.

In October 2005, CMS approved a Section 1115 waiver, allowing fundamental changes in their program. This fact sheet summarizes the main themes of Florida's Medicaid waiver and discusses key issues for consideration in assessing the waiver's impact. The state is looking to increase personal responsibility, market competition, and participation in private coverage.