Aging Together NY is a monthly newsletter dedicated to sharing news and analysis on aging issues and community-based care locally, in New York State and around the nation.

Featured in this month's edition: BIP (aka the Balancing Incentive Plan), an app for your dying wishes and a way for seniors to prove their identities.

Best regards,

Michael Romano, President	Laura Cameron, Executive Director

Reducing Avoidable Hospital Use through Delivery System Reform
DOH (4/2014)
New York has finalized terms and conditions with the federal government for an $8 billion waiver that will allow the state to reinvest savings generated by Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT) reforms. The waiver's Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program will promote community-level collaborations and focus on system reform. Click here for more information.

Quality of Managed Long-Term Care Plans Gets Closer Look
NYS Department of Health (April 2014)
Medicaid and Medicare recipients who require 120-plus days per year of community based, long-term services are required to enroll in Managed Long Term Care. Click here for a report describing 38 of New York's certified MLTC plans and their quality of care.

United Hospital Funds Report on Medicaid Reforms
Medicaid Institute at United (March 2014)
The shift of Medicaid home- and community-based long-term care services(HCBS) from fee-for-service (FFS) in 2010 to a predominantly managed care model in 2013 has been documented in a new report. Read brief.

In a second report, the Medicaid Institute at United Hospital Fund provides an overview of New York State's mandatory MLTC enrollment policy, including the implementation schedule and beneficiaries' plan options. Read brief.

100,000 Direct Care Workers Receive Pay Raise
The Associated Press (4/14/2014)
New York's new budget will increase pay 2 percent for about 100,000 residential and developmental aides and food service workers at nonprofits funded by six state agencies that serve developmentally disabled, mentally ill, addicted, elderly and juvenile clients. Read more.

Gov. Cuomo Places Blame for DOH Chief's Departure
Newsday (4/10/2014)
What did Gov. Cuomo blame for the health commissioner's resignation from the NYS Department of Health? Click here
to find out.

Put Your Dying Wishes in an App
NY Times (4/24/2014)
Why do emergency room staff get so frustrated when they find out someone has a designated health care proxy? Read more.

Mortgage Reversal May Mean Reversal of Fortune for Some
NY Times (4/10/2014)
Why do elder law and reverse mortgage experts frequently encounter resistance from children of older adults looking to apply for a reverse mortgage? Read more.

Sliver of Medicare Doctors Get Big Share of Payouts
NY Times (4/10/2014)
Medicare payments to individual doctors have long been shrouded in secrecy, but a change in "shrouding"  laws reveal that much of Medicare spending is concentrated among a small fraction of doctors. Read more.