Policy alerts, briefs, letters & papers

This brief examines four key questions that emerge related to how dual eligibles will fare under the Medicare Part D plans starting in January 2006. Given the potential that the dual eligible population could be adversely affected by the current legislation, it may be prudent to give serious consideration to the issues highlighted in this brief as the new benefit is being implemented.

SAMHSA's Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) is currently sponsoring a national project to promote the widespread adoption of six evidence-based practices (EBPs)—treatments that have consistently proven to generate positive outcomes for adults with serious mental illness. Specifically, project teams are working to develop, test, revise, and disseminate comprehensive resource toolkits that will enable practitioners to replicate EBPs successfully and reap the benefits in community settings.

This brief examines the efforts of a local area systems collaboration. In order to better understand partnership and collaboration at a local level, the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on State Systems and Employment at the Institute for Community Inclusion facilitated a collaboration to assist state systems in a local area to address employment services for people with disabilities.

This document presents examples of presumptive and fast track eligibility programs implemented by several states to reduce the time it takes to process the Medicaid application.

This April 2004 issue brief on Medicaid eligibility policies is the first in a series designed to share with federal and state policy makers as well as other stakeholders the issues and options being considered by NASHP’s Medicaid Resource Center workgroup as they prepare “Making Medicaid Work for the 21st Century”. This brief outlines four key questions to consider when thinking of eligibility issues.

This document identifies assessment instruments being used and reviews some of the variation across instruments and in the processes for using them. It includes an overview of the major components of the assessment instruments and of their role in a state’s eligibility determination, assessment, or care planning processes.

On May 28, 2004, Glenn Stanton Acting Director of CMS’ Disabled Elderly Health Programs Group transmitted modifications and additions to the Interim Procedural Guidance for oversight of Medicaid waivers to all CMS Regional Administrators. The Guidance documents include the memo from Mr. Stanton, a diagram detailing the HCBS Waiver Quality Life Cycle and several attachments. The Guidance was updated in Feb. 2007, the link to that letter is also attached.

This memorandum presents data on Medicaid long term care expenditures in Federal Fiscal Year 2003 (September 2002 through September 2003). The accompanying tables present data on Medicaid Expenditures for Long-Term Care services from 1991 to 2003.

This memorandum and the accompanying tables present data on Medicaid 1915(c) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver expenditures from Federal Fiscal Years 1998 through 2003.

CMS has revised its web-based resporting system for Systems Change Grantees. This letter, dated May 10, 2004, announces the changes made to the system and provides important information about report due dates and training calls.