HCBS Conference Early-Bird Registration Deadline Approaching
Early-bird registration for this year's National Home and Community Based Services Conference end on
August 5th. Don't miss your chance to receive discounted conference registration rates!
Click here to register today.
When: September 9-12, 2013
- Pre-Conference workshops: September 9
- HCBS Conference: September 10 - September 12
Where: The Hyatt Regency Crystal CityArlington, VA
Click here to make a hotel reservation.
Click here for a draft agenda of the conference.
|
State Medicaid Integration Tracker
June 2013 Edition Published
NASUAD has published the June 2013 Edition of the State Medicaid Integration Tracker. The report is updated each month with information on the following state actions:
- Managed care for people who receive Medicaid-funded long-term services and supports (LTSS)
- State Demonstrations to Integrate Care for Medicare-Medicaid enrollees and other Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Initiatives
- Other LTSS Reform Activities including Balancing Incentive Program, Medicaid State Plan amendments under §1915(i), Communities First Choice Option under §1915(k), and Medicaid Health Homes
You can download a PDF version of State Medicaid Integration Tracker here.
|
Administration for Community Living |
|
2013 Webinar Series on Alzheimer's Disease and Resources
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Administration for Community Living (ACL) are collaborating to host a five-part webinar series with the goals of 1) improving coordination of federal resources available to assist people with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias and their family caregivers and 2) encouraging awareness of research participation opportunities. NIA & ACL invite you to take advantage of these opportunities. You can register for all of the webinars or just the one or two that most interest you. Registration will open approximately two months in advance of each webinar.
The next webinar, Webinar #3: Diverse Populations, Health Disparities and Dementia, will take place on Wednesday, July 24, 1:30-3:30pm ET. Join this session to learn what experts know about the experience of dementia in diverse populations, and hear what researchers are doing to better understand and improve outcomes for people with dementia and their caregivers. This session will focus on American Indian/Alaskan Native/Native Hawaiian, African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people with dementia and their family caregivers.
|
Revisiting Census Bureau's Facts for Features on Americans with Disabilities
July 26th, 2013 marks the 23rd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In celebration of the day, U.S. Census Bureau each year releases Profile America: Facts for Features with statistics on the U.S. population with disabilities.
|
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
CDC's Disability and Health Data System
Disability and Health Data System ( DHDS), CDC's innovative disability and health data tool, uses data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to identify disparities in health between adults with and without disabilities. Find data on a range of health indicators for your state, and compare the health of adults with disabilities and adults without disabilities.
|
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services |
|
CMS Sends A Letter To State Medicaid Directors On NQE Grant Completion
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Disabled & Elderly Health Programs Group recently sent a
letter to State Medicaid Directors to inform them that on September 30, 2013, the National Quality Enterprise (NQE) grant project, operated through Truven Health Analytics, Inc., will be concluding quality technical assistance (TA) activities related to home and community based services. CMS is currently working with NQE to develop a plan to close out the grant activities, including, but not limited to:
- Voluntary technical assistance: New technical assistance requests made prior to August 15, 2013 will be considered on an individual basis and will require CMS approval;
- Mandatory technical assistance: CMS will establish a process with NQE to finalize the development of existing Correction Action Plans (CAPs) and transition mandatory TA activities and CAP oversight to CMS analysts. If CMS determines required elements have been met prior to September 30, 2013, mandatory TA activities will be concluded.
- Training: CMS is working with NQE to conduct training on the enhanced quality system changes prior to the close of the grant.
|
CMS Releases Final Rule on Medicaid,CHIP and Health Insurance Marketplaces
On July 5, 2013, CMS issued a final rule implementing provisions of the Affordable Care Act related to eligibility, enrollment, and benefits in Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and the Health Insurance Marketplace.
This final rule addresses aspects of the Medicaid, CHIP and Marketplace eligibility notices and appeals processes; provides additional flexibility regarding benefits and cost sharing for state Medicaid programs; codifies several eligibility and enrollment provisions included in the Affordable Care Act and the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) and provides operational guidance to help states implement their Health Insurance Marketplaces.
This final rule does not address all of the proposed regulatory changes included in the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) released on January 22, 2013. In order to best assist states in preparation for the availability of new coverage beginning January 1, 2014, this rule focuses on those provisions that are most critical for implementation. CMS intends to address the remaining provisions of the January NPRM in future rulemaking.
|
Department of Health and Human Services |
Obama Administration Awards $150 Million to Assist Enrollment into Affordable Health Coverage
On July 10, 2013, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced $150 million in grant awards to 1,159 health centers across the nation to enroll uninsured Americans in new health coverage options made available by the Affordable Care Act. With these funds, health centers in all 50 states are expected to hire an additional 2,900 outreach and eligibility assistance workers to assist millions of people nationwide with enrollment into affordable health coverage.
Health centers have a long history of providing eligibility assistance to patients along with delivering high-quality, primary health care services in communities across the nation. Today, health centers serve more than 21 million patients annually. The funding from these awards will help consumers get help understanding their coverage options through the new Health Insurance Marketplace, Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program; determine their eligibility for insurance and financial assistance; and enroll in new affordable health coverage options.
The awards, issued by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), complement and aligns with other federal efforts, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services-funded Navigator program.
This announcement is part of the administration's larger effort to make applying for health coverage as easy as possible. The new, consumer focused HealthCare.gov website and the 24-hour-a-day consumer call center will help Americans prepare for open enrollment by increasing their understanding of coverage options, selecting the plan that best suits their needs, and ultimately signing up for health coverage through the new Health Insurance Marketplace when open enrollment begins October 1, 2013.
Click here for a list of health centers receiving this funding.
Click here to learn more about HRSA's Health Center Program.
To learn more about the Affordable Care Act, visit HealthCare.gov.
|
HHS Releases a Report on Populations Affected by Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias
The National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease requires the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) and the Administration for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD) within the Administration for Community Living (ACL) to establish a task force to create a plan of action to address the needs of specific populations disproportionally affected by Alzheimer's disease. These populations include people with younger-onset dementia, racial and ethnic minorities, and persons with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities.
In June 2013, the task force released a report, Improving Care for Populations Disproportionally Affected by Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias: Report from the Task Force on Specific Populations, which summarizes input and recommendations received from a wide variety of stakeholders for consideration by the members of the Federal Interagency Task Force.
|
Social Security Administration |
SSA's Mobile Website Is Now Available in Spanish
Social Security Administration's new mobile website (www.segurosocial.gov) is now available in Spanish. People visiting Social Security's Spanish website by smartphone (Android, Blackberry, iPhone, and Windows devices) will be redirected to the agency's new mobile-friendly site. There, visitors can access a mobile version of Social Security's website, including frequently asked questions, an interactive Social Security number decision tree to help people identify documents needed for a new or replacement Social Security card, and mobile publications, which they can read or listen to in both English and Spanish.
|
| Government Accountability Office |
New GAO Report on Elder Justice
This week, GAO released a new report on federal elder justice activities, titled "Elder Justice: More Federal Coordination and Public Awareness Needed."
As the percentage of older adults in the U.S. population increases, so too does the number of older adults at risk of abuse. At the same time, the lack of dedicated federal funding for elder justice activities, combined with recent constraints on public funds, necessarily limits assistance to the growing population of older adults in need. To better understand the capacity of the few existing federally-supported elder justice programs to meet this demand, GAO was asked to review the administration of the 12 elder justice programs that were under the purview of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Justice (Justice) in fiscal year 2011.
The resulting report, released on June 10, addresses: (1) the extent to which there is fragmentation, overlap, or duplication across the federal grant programs that support elder justice; (2) the extent to which federal programs coordinate their efforts and monitor elder justice outcomes; and (3) how state aging agencies, area agencies on aging, and service providers deliver federal elder justice services and what challenges, if any, they face in doing so.
At the end of its review, GAO concluded that these programs have minimal overlap and low risk of duplication, citing the variation across funding mechanisms and recipients, the elder abuse victims and service providers targeted, and the types of activities conducted. Recognizing the need for greater consistency in program implementation and awareness to protect older adults, GAO recommends that moving forward, HHS take the lead in identifying common objectives for the federal elder justice effort, and that HHS and Justice develop a national elder justice public awareness campaign.
The report is available for download here:
http://gao.gov/products/GAO-13-498
|
Aging Network's Volunteer Collaborative |
PowerUP! Training: Build Your Capacity with Volunteer Teams
The Aging Network's Volunteer Collaborative invites you to participate in their PowerUP! Training at the n4a Annual Conference. The PowerUP! Training helps Aging Network organizations learn how to engage with older adult volunteers to expand their organization's reach and better serve older adults using self-directed teams.
When:
- Pre-workshop Webinar: Thursday, July 18: 2:00 p.m. EST
- Training Workshop (at n4a Annual Conference in Louisville, KY): Sunday, July 28: Registration and Breakfast, 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m., Training: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Post-workshop Webinar: Date to be determined based on participants' availability
Where: Louisville Marriott Downtown - Louisville, KY
|
Family Caregiver Alliance |
FCA Calls For Award Application
Nonprofit organizations, government agencies and universities are invited to apply for the sixth annual Rosalinde Gilbert Innovations in Alzheimer's Disease Caregiving Legacy Award. The application is available on the Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) website.
Through a grant to FCA's National Center on Caregiving from the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation, three awards of $20,000 each will be given to organizations to recognize unique programs that address the needs of Alzheimer's caregivers. One award will be granted in each of three categories:
- Creative Expression
- Diverse/Multicultural Communities
- Policy and Advocacy
Family Caregiver Alliance oversees this national awards program. Review the award details or complete the online application. The deadline for applications is August 16, 2013. Winners will be announced in late November 2013.
|
KFF's New Issue Brief Compares Six Approved States' Financial Alignment Demonstrations for Dual Eligible Beneficiaries
Financial Alignment Demonstrations for Dual Eligible Beneficiaries Compared: States with Memoranda of Understanding Approved by CMS. This issue brief compares demonstration programs in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Ohio, Virginia, and Washington state that will introduce changes in the care delivery systems through which people who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid receive services, as well as changing the payment approach and financing arrangements among the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the states and providers.
|
National Council on Aging |
Webinar On Maximizing SNAP Through The Medical Expense Deduction
- Who is eligible for the SNAP medical expense deduction
- How you can get involved with state advocacy for a state standard medical deduction
- Where to get helpful resources and tools to help older adults maximize SNAP benefits by providing proof of medical deductions
This webinar will be offered two times (July 23 and July 30, 2PM-3PM ET) to accommodate participants.
|
NCOA Releases Media Toolkit for Falls Prevention Awareness Day
The 6th annual National Falls Prevention Awareness Day (FPAD) will be observed September 22, 2013 to promote and increase public awareness about how to prevent and reduce falls among older adults. This year's theme is Preventing Falls-One Step at a Time. NCOA has released Falls Prevention Awareness Day Media Toolkit for use by state and local partners of the State Coalitions on Fall Prevention Workgroup. If you are not a partner, please contact fallsfree@ncoa.org for use in your efforts.
|
Free Online Diabetes Workshop
This free resource is aimed at people learning how to manage their diabetes. Better Choices, Better Health® - Diabetes, was developed by Stanford University and has been proven to help people with diabetes:
- Find nutrition and exercise tips;
- Make informed treatment decisions;
- Communicate better with doctors.
Participants log into the workshop from their own computer for 2 hours a week over 6 weeks and receive a free workbook plus online resources to help them live healthier lives.
Click here to learn more and to register.
|
U.S. International Council on Disabilities |
USICD To Hold Annual Meeting on July 25th
U.S. International Council on Disabilities will hold its Annual Meeting on July 25, 2013. At the meeting, the organization plans to share updates and the latest plan of action for U.S. ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, share the most recent advancments in worldwide disability rights, including through USICD's Global Disability Rights Library project, and have speakers sharing their perspective from around the globe. The organization will also celebrate its first graduating class of the Youth in Development Internship.
When: July 25, 2013, 3:30PM-5:30PM
Where: U.S. Access Board, 1331 F St. NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20004
|
July 14, 2013 marks 47th anniversary of Older Americans Act
July 26, 2013 is 23th anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act
July 30, 2013 is 48th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid |
Support for Demonstration Ombudsman Programs Serving Beneficiaries of Financial Alignment Models for Medicare-Medicaid Enrollees
Grant Title: Support for Demonstration Ombudsman Programs Serving Beneficiaries of Financial Alignment Models for Medicare-Medicaid Enrollees
Agency Issuing Grant: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Eligible Applicants: State governments
Close Date: August 5, 2013
Funding Opportunity Number: CMS-1J1-13-001
CDFA Number: 93.634
Grant Amount: $3 million for 10 awards
Description: This opportunity provides financial assistance to States to plan, develop and provide Demonstration Ombudsman Program services to individuals who participate in the Financial Alignment model. States will ensure that individual beneficiaries have access to person-centered assistance in resolving problems related to the Demonstration. The program will inform States, Plans, CMS, and other stakeholders regarding beneficiary experience with the Plans and will recommend areas of improvement in States Financial Alignment Initiatives.
Click here for more information on this funding opportunity.
Applicants must apply for this grant through www.grants.gov.
|
Planning and Demonstration Grant for Testing Experience and Functional Tools in Community-Based Long Term Services and Supports (TEFT)
Grant Title: Planning and Demonstration Grant for Testing Experience and Functional Tools in Community-Based Long Term Services and Supports (TEFT)
Agency Issuing Grant: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Eligible Applicants: State governments
Close Date: August 12, 2013
Funding Opportunity Number: CMS-1H1-13-001
CDFA Number: 93.627
Grant Amount: $500,000 for 15 awards
Description: This solicits applications for participation in the Testing Experience and Functional Tools (TEFT) in Community-Based Long Term Services and Supports (CB-LTSS) planning and demonstration grant. TEFT furthers adult quality measurement activities under Section 2701 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. CMS's strategy is to support state Medicaid agencies in collecting and reporting on the adult core measures, and the goals for the work conducted under TEFT are consistent with the National Quality Strategy, Section 3011 of the Affordable Care Act, and CMS' priorities to achieve better care and a healthier population at a lower cost.
Click here for more information on this funding opportunity.
Applicants must apply for this grant through www.grants.gov.
|
Friday Updates Archive
Did you miss a previous issue? Check out
|
|
