Reports

States received approval for temporary changes to their HCBS programs from CMS, within the Department of Health and Human Services to enable states to limit in-person contact to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This GAO report describes the temporary changes to Medicaid HCBS programs and examines CMS’s monitoring and evaluation of the effects of those changes.

CMS released the 2020 Medicaid and CHIP Beneficiary Profile and Infographic. The profile and infographic provide an overview of the characteristics, health status, access, utilization, expenditures, and experience of the beneficiaries served by Medicaid and CHIP.

USAging, formerly known as n4a, published a new report on findings from the 2020 Title VI Native American Aging Program Survey. The National Title VI Program Survey, conducted approximately every three years, explores trends and evolving needs of Title VI programs across the country. This 2020 Report analyzes data on staffing, budget and services, and the needs of Title VI programs. The survey also gathered data on the impact of the pandemic on Title VI grantees and the older adults they serve.

This report highlights what Medicare Advantage plans, providers, and community partners are doing to address social risk factors for older adults. The report is based off of interviews with over 20 experts from 14 organizations representing health plans, providers, health plan associations, non-profit social service organizations, and service and technology vendors. Findings show an increase in plan activity to address areas of social isolation, transportation, housing, and food.

The Center for Health Care Strategies, with support from the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health, conducted a 50-state survey and a set of interviews to gauge the broad range of engagement strategies being used by Medicaid agencies. This report highlights key findings from the survey, including engagement themes, challenges, and recommendations for Medicaid agencies that can have lasting impact on outcomes, quality, equity, and cost.

NADTC has released it's 2020 Annual Trends Report, highlighting challenges in transportation over the past year and solutions being immplemented across the United States. Topics include: Volunteer Driver Programs in the Age of COVID-19, Transportation for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, A Fixed-Route Response to Assisting Communities During a Pandemic, Meeting the Transportation Needs of Diverse Older Adults and People with Disabilities, and more.

Georgia’s Department of Human Services’ Division of Aging Services (DAS) used WellSky’s configurable platform to meet the case management, data collection, decision making, and reporting needs of the state during the pandemic. Download this case study to read about how Georgia was successful in meeting the increased needs of seniors during COVID-19.

On Monday, July 12, 2021 three ACL grantees released a digital book titled, 30 Years of Community Living for Individuals with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities. The book shares personal perspectives on community living and inclusion shared by people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (ID/DD) who served as advisors to the project. The book was written by the directors of three longitudinal studies funded by ACL’s Projects of National Significance program.

On Tuesday, July 6, 2021, CMS released the Quality Report to Congress identifying efforts undertaken to improve the quality of health care for children and adults enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The report provides information on activities undertaken between 2017 and 2019, including changes in performance in the quality measures included in the Medicaid and CHIP Child and Adult Core Sets.

On Tuesday, June 15, 2021 the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) released its June 2021 Report to Congress on Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The report recommends that Congress take measures to address the effect of high-cost specialty drugs on state Medicaid programs and take steps that would improve access to mental health services for adults and children enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP.