Reports

The CMS Office of the Actuary released the 2018 National Health Expenditures. The study includes estimates on health care services and goods, health insurance costs, government administration, public health activities, and other areas related to health care including personal care, residential services, and nursing care facilities.

This report estimates that half of all single older adults in the United States lack the income to afford basic needs, a calculation that matched Elder Index expense data with state-level income statistics. The report also ranks states based on their levels of elder economic insecurity by measuring the percentage of older adults who did not have sufficient income to meet their realistic expenses.

This issue brief explores software systems that state aging and disability agencies use for resource databases and for client tracking, case management, and reporting. Data and findings are drawn from ADvancing States’ 2018 National Survey of Aging and Disability Information & Referral/Assistance (I&R/A) Agencies. This issue brief highlights responses from state agencies on aging and disability, though in some instances, data from all survey respondents is shared for comparison purposes.

This updated annual report examines spending in the functional areas of state budgets and includes fiscal 2017-2019 data. The report looks at spending in the areas of elementary and secondary education, higher education, public assistance, Medicaid, corrections, transportation, and all other. It includes state-by-state breakdowns, highlights data on capital expenditures by program area, and reviews revenue sources.

This report is the fourth in a series of publications from the MLTSS Institute, which was established in 2016 to drive improvements in key MLTSS policy areas, facilitate sharing and learning among states, and provide direct and intensive technical assistance to states and health plans. This issue brief focuses on delivering effective care to individuals eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid and aims to lay out the case for state Medicaid agencies to invest in integrated care programs.

The latest report in the AARP Public Policy Institute’s Valuing the Invaluable series estimates the economic value of unpaid family caregiving at $470 billion in 2017. The report also explores family caregiving trends, highlights federal and state policy changes since the release of the previous Valuing the Invaluable report in 2015, and offers further policy recommendations to enhance the well-being of caregiving families.

Over 15% of people ages 60+ are veterans. This issue brief from the National Council on Aging analyzes the unique needs of older veterans. It highlights demographic characteristics, financial data, and statistics on health outcomes for this population. Overall, the brief concludes that while older veterans generally have a higher income, they tend to have worse health than their counterparts, emphasizing the need for targeted outreach to connect veterans to benefits.

As people age, the risk of neurodegenerative disease increases. This new report from the Milken Institute looks at how we can combat both the risk and cost of dementia. It is structured around five key goals. The report provides actionable recommendations around these goals along with updated data and analysis.

This brief describes the racial disparities in access to oral health and oral health outcomes. Coverage is a key factor in reducing the existing disparities. This brief proposes adding oral health as a Medicare benefit as a potential solution. It also proposes additional policy options aimed at reducing disparities beyond expanding oral health coverage,

This brief examines information about rural older adults using data from the 2012 to 2016 American Community Survey. It compares rural older adults to their counterparts and also looks at level of rurality within the rural older adult population.