Reports

A key component of consumer-direction includes methods to ensure that essential supports are provided. This State Policy in Practice technical assistance document offers a practical example from the State of South Carolina. Care Call is a system developed to help South Carolina monitor service delivery provided though South Carolina Choice, an Independence Plus waiver that enables self-direction, and its other traditional home and community-based services (HCBS) waiver programs.

Under Independence Plus Medicaid programs, states must assure that necessary safeguards have been taken to protect the health and welfare of persons receiving services. A key component of participant-direction includes individualized backup planning to ensure that essential supports are available in situations that pose a risk of harm to the participants. These examples are instructive to other states that are considering Independence Plus applications.

This report provides the latest national and state data on Medicaid enrollment and spending for individuals enrolled in both Medicaid and Medicare, also known as dual eligibles. Nationally, there are 7.5 million dual eligibles and while they comprise 14 percent of the Medicaid population, they account for 40 percent of Medicaid spending.

Many Real Choice System Change grantees are struggling with the issues that effect youth with disabilities that are aging out of foster care. The following attachments are promising practices and demonstrated strategies about the subject. Review either of the two reports about Transition Planning for Foster Youth with Disabilities. A resource list of organizations and websites is also included.

As part of the State of Wisconsin’s Quality Close to Home (QCTH) project, a contract was established with the University of Wisconsin – Madison’s Center for Health Systems Research and Analysis (CHSRA). This report describes the uses, methods, advantages, and disadvantages of four distinct sets of quality indicators, also called personal outcomes and performance outcomes. It also provides a overview, structural review and observations of the quality indicators.

On September 1, 2005, The Bush administration's Medicaid Commission released its recommendations for reducing the growth in Medicaid spending by $11 billion over the next five years. The report provides a history and overview of the program, explains the purpose of the commission, and offers six recommendations for savings.

This presentation reviews important changes CMS is making in the reporting system for FY04 RCSC grants. The slides provide an overview of the “why and how of the proposed changes” offers next steps and introduces the Logic Model Framework. The Logic Model is a tool for strategic planning and program evaluation. This presentation notifies grantees of upcoming changes to the web-based reporting system and introduces the systems terminology, context and concepts.

Informal caregivers play an increasingly important role in the health care system; in 2003, nearly one of 10 working-age adults was caring for a sick or disabled family member. Yet a new Commonwealth Fund study says more than half of the 16 million caregivers, or 9 million adults have health problems of their own. As a result, many are financially vulnerable and struggle to obtain needed care. The report suggests possible policy reforms to ease their burdens.

This report describes the FY 2002 and FY 2003 Grantees’ challenges and progress using information provided by the Grantees during the reporting period October 1, 2003 to September 30, 2004. The report describes grant activities in four major LTC systems areas: Access to Long-Term Care Services and Supports, Services, Supports, and Housing, Administrative and Monitoring Infrastructure and Long-Term Care Service and Support Workforce

The Disabled and Elderly Health Programs Group, Center for Medicaid and State Operations, CMS invites your comments on their draft Strategic Action Plan. The action plan is a is a public declaration of what is important, a statement of accountability, and provides direction to the future. Please review and send your comments to StrategicActionPlan@cms.hhs.gov