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NASUAD Announces Exciting Developments in Their Work to Expand the National Core Indicators
NASUAD Executive Director, Martha Roherty, announced on October 21st that the Administration for Community Living (ACL) has awarded funding to support NASUAD's efforts to expand the National Core Indicators (NCI) Project to encompass a focus on aging and disability services. In conjunction with the expansion, Mrs. Roherty announced that Kelsey Walter will assume the role of Director of the National Core Indicators-Aging and Disabilities (NCI-AD).
Since 2012, with support from their Board of Directors and NCI-AD Steering Committee, NASUAD has been working with the Human Research Services Institute (HSRI) and the National Association of Developmental Disabilities Directors (NASDDDS) to expand NCI to include a new focus on services for seniors and adults with physical disabilities. Currently, NASUAD and HSRI are working with the NCI-AD Steering Committee to redesign the adult consumer survey in preparation for its use in three pilot states. NASUAD is pleased to announce that Georgia, Minnesota, and Ohio have agreed to run the pilot in their states.
Martha Roherty explained, "This funding is especially important because it signifies the Administration for Community Living's support of the states' efforts to measure and track their performance." With involvement of the states from the initial design of the instrument through its implementation, the results and benchmarking can lead to greater shifts in services and care provided. States will be able to use data from NCI-AD to gauge their success in meeting national benchmarks, and use the overall feedback to inform state policy and strategic plans.
"I am delighted to announce that Kelsey Walter will fill the critical role of Director as the NCI-AD project gains momentum," said Mrs. Roherty. Ms. Walter has worked as a Policy Associate at NASUAD since November 2012, and has been closely involved in the work to expand the NCI-AD since the beginning stages. In her new capacity, Ms. Walter will assist the NCI-AD Steering Committee as they finalize the adult consumer survey and support Georgia, Minnesota, and Ohio as they begin to pilot the new tool.
If you would like to learn more about this effort, contact Kelsey Walter at kwalter@nasuad.org.
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NASUAD Urges Congress to Reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act
More than a decade overdue for reauthorization, the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) was designed to facilitate increased coordination among federal workforce development and related programs. It is vital that Congress modernize the nation's workforce development system to ensure that individuals at all skill levels are able to obtain the training and education they need to get and keep jobs that lead to economic security, while also ensuring that employers in high-growth and emerging industries are able to find qualified workers to fill current and projected job openings.
Accordingly, NASUAD is pleased to support a bipartisan effort to strengthen the law, the Workforce Investment Act of 2013 (S. 1356), and urges Congress to bring the bill to the floor. Introduced in July by Senator Murray (D-Wash.), and co-sponsored by Senators Harkin (D-Iowa), Alexander (R-Tenn.), and Isakson (R-Ga.), S. 1356 would enhance critical employment opportunities, research, and independent living services.
In particular, NASUAD supports the bill's inclusion of the reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act, which would move the Independent Living Program from the Department of Education to the Department of Health and Human Services by establishing an Independent Living Administration within the Administration for Community Living (ACL). Such a change would better coordinate and emphasize the importance of independent living and disability-related research in the agency that is best equipped to guide those efforts, ACL.
NASUAD's letter of support for the Workforce Investment Act of 2013 (S.1356) is available here.
The text of S. 1356 is available here.
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Hawaii HCBS Conference: A National Perspective for Local Aging and Disability Professionals
The Hawaii Executive Office on Aging has partnered with the NASUAD to host the 2013 Hawaii HCBS Conference. Participants will include federal, state, and local policymakers and those who administer, manage and deliver waiver and other HCBS programs. Presentations and workshops will be provided from leaders from the U.S. Health and Human Services Administration; the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities; the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging; the National Council of Independent Living and many others on national trends and innovations in aging and disability programs.
When: December 2-5, 2013
Where: Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa, Honolulu, HI
Click here to register.
Click here to learn more.
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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CMS Releases a Guidance Document on Existing External Quality Review Protocols for MLTSS Programs
On October 22, 2013, CMS posted a road map for states to use in interpreting and applying existing External Quality Review (EQR) protocols when assessing MLTSS program compliance. Federal law requires state Medicaid agencies that contract with managed care organizations (MCOs) to develop a state quality assessment and improvement strategy consistent with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) standards. It also requires HHS to develop protocols for use by independent, external quality review organizations (EQRO) to evaluate and report on the quality, timeliness of, and access to, care and services provided by Medicaid MCOs and prepaid inpatient health plans (PIHPs). These protocols were developed with a focus on acute and preventive medical services; however, states and EQROs have found that they do not easily translate to long-term services and supports. The technical assistance document is intended to provide guidance to states on how to apply the revised protocols for EQR of Medicaid MCOs, released in 2012, to MLTSS programs.
Click here to view the October 22 informational bulletin.
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| Department of Health and Human Services |
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National Health Security Strategy Stakeholder Meetings
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) is holding stakeholder meetings about the development and implementation of the 2014 National Health Security Strategy (NHSS). The meeting will be open to the public and available via webinar. For more information, email NHSS@hhs.gov.
When:
November 7, 2013 1:00-2:30 p.m. ET
November 12, 2013 1:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Where: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Thomas P. O'Neill Federal Building, 200 C St. SW, Washington, DC 20024
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Applying for Health Coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace
The Department of Health and Human Services has released the following information for applying for health coverage. There are four basic ways to apply for health coverage through the Marketplace.
- Apply online. Visit HealthCare.gov to get started.
- Apply by phone. Call 1-800-318-2596 to apply for a health insurance plan and enroll over the phone. (TTY: 1-855-889-4325)
- Apply in person. Visit a trained counselor in your community to get information and apply in person. Find help in your area at LocalHelp.HealthCare.gov.
- Apply by mail. Complete a paper application and mail it in. You can download the paper application form and instructions from HealthCare.gov.
Before you choose a plan, you may want to explore your options. You can use this calculator to see if you qualify for lower costs on coverage and preview Marketplace plans here.
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Home Care Final Rule Webinars
The Department of Labor has rescheduled their public webinars to help families, other employers, workers, and advocates learn more and ask questions about the Home Care Final Rule, which extended the FLSA's minimum wage and overtime protections to our nation's home care workers. Previously scheduled webinars had to be canceled due to lack of appropriations. Below are new webinar dates:
Northeast Region (ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT, NY, PA, NJ, DE, MD, DC, VA, WV, PR):
Previously scheduled for Thursday, October 3
New date: Thursday, October 31, from 1:00-2:30 pm Eastern Time
Western Region (AZ, NV, CA, OR, WA, ID, HI, AK):
Previously scheduled for Tuesday, October 8
New date: Tuesday, November 5, from 10:00-11:30 am Pacific
Midwest Region (OH, MI, IN, IL, WI, MN, IA, MO, NE, KS):
Previously scheduled for Thursday, October 10
New date: Thursday, November 7, from 12:00-1:30 pm Central
Southeast Region (KY, TN, NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, MS):
Previously scheduled for Tuesday, October 15
New date: Tuesday, November 12, from 2:00-3:30 pm Eastern Time, 1:00-2:30 Central
Southwest and Mountain Regions (LA, TX, AR, OK, NM, CO, WY, UT, MT, ND, SD):
Previously scheduled for Thursday, October 17
New date: Thursday, November 14, from 2:00-3:30 pm Central Time, 1:00-2:30 Mountain
You'll find more about the Final Rule along with webinar registration instructions at our new Home Care website, www.dol.gov/whd/homecare. Note, though, that if you had already registered for your Regional webinar and plan on joining on your Region's new date, there is no need for you to re-register.
Click here for more information and to register.
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National Institutes of Health
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Free Conference on Aging and Chronic Disease
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has issued a reminder about the upcoming conference "Advances in Geroscience: Impact on Healthspan and Chronic Disease," developed by the Trans-NIH GeroScience Interest Group (GSIG) at the NIH, a recently formed group focused on the relationships between aging and age-related disease and disability. Fifty renowned scientists will discuss the extent to which the physiological effects of aging represent a common major risk factor for most chronic diseases affecting the aging population. Registration is free. The conference will be held on October 30-31, 2013 at the Natcher Conference Center on the NIH campus.
Click here for more information and to register.
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OAA Reauthorization Bill Scheduled for October 30 Mark Up
Earlier this month, Senators Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, along with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chairman of the HELP Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging, introduced a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Older Americans Act (OAA) through 2018. The measure, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2013 (S. 1562), is the result of bipartisan negotiations on the part of the Committee and Subcommittee leadership.
The legislation, though more modest in scope than previous attempts to reauthorize the Act, represents a truly bipartisan effort to modernize the OAA. The bill maintains several NASUAD-member priorities, while addressing the concerns we had with earlier versions of the package.
NASUAD has formally endorsed the bill, and we encourage those who are able weigh in with their Members of Congress or release statements of support to do so, particularly those states or organizations with ties to the Senate HELP Committee.
The full HELP Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, October 30 to mark up the legislation. It is our understanding that S. 1562 is likely to be the final attempt to reauthorize the OAA in the current Congress, making the HELP Committee's approval extremely critical. NASUAD supports a continuation of the reauthorization process. Therefore, we encourage members of the HELP Committee to support the bill in its current form, which would afford the full Senate the opportunity to consider and debate S. 1562.
The text of the bill, as well as a one-page summary, is available here.
NASUAD's Letter of Support for S. 1562 is available here.
The Senate HELP Committee's Agenda for October 30th is available here.
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| AARP Public Policy Institute |
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Medicaid HCBS Discussion Forum
Join the AARP Public Policy Institute on October 30, 2013 for a discussion forum entitled, "Modernizing Medicaid: Putting Home and Community-Based Services on Equal Footing with Nursing Homes." The forum is designed to explore modernizing Medicaid to enable people who need long-term services and supports (LTSS) to live where they choose, including their own homes and communities. Please join AARP Public Policy Institute for a discussion of policy options and lessons learned in the states.
Forum Title: Modernizing Medicaid: Putting Home and Community-Based Services on Equal Footing with Nursing Homes
When: October 30, 2013, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. ET (Continental breakfast will be available at 9:00 a.m.)
Where: Senate Russell Office Building, Room 325, Washington, DC
Click here to read more about the forum and to register.
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The Growing Problem of Elder Abuse: A Discussion with Assistant Secretary Kathy Greenlee
AARP's recent blog post highlights issues of elder abuse: The Growing Problem of Elder Abuse: A Discussion with Assistant Secretary Kathy Greenlee.
In the post, ACL Administrator and Assistant Secretary Greenlee highlights the growing caseload with decreasing funding states have been facing in recent years. Currently, Greenlee explained, "It's hard to collect data on elder abuse. Each state has their own data with their own definitions [because] there is no national infrastructure. We have a system for child protective services, but we are not even close with adult protective services," she said. Greenlee supports the Elder Justice Act, and states that if the Act were to be funded, it would enable the Department of Health and Human Services to oversee federal resources to state APS programs.
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Webinar: Helping Consumers Understand Premium Tax Credits, Avoid Re-payment Obligations, and Select Plans
As health insurance marketplaces open in every state, consumers are seeking to understand their eligibility for tax credits and cost-sharing reductions and how to use them as they shop among qualified health plans. Manatt Health Solutions, with support from the State Health Reform Assistance Network (State Network), has prepared a series of slide presentations to help states and their "assisters" address some of the issues most confounding consumers.
Webinar #1: Advanced Premium Tax Credit Reconciliation
When: October 29, 2013 1:30 p.m. ET
Webinar #2: Plan Selection Assistance When: November 22, 2013 3:00 p.m. ET Register
Click here for more information on the webinar series.
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| ADAP Advocacy Association |
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Webinar: Impact of the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid Expansion & Insurance Exchanges on HIV/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis Services
The AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) Advocacy Association, in partnership with the Community Access National Network (CANN) Great Lakes ADA Center, and HealthHIV is hosting an educational webinar. The webinar, themed "Impact of the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid Expansion & Insurance Exchanges on HIV/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis Services," will be open to all HIV/AIDS and Virtal Hepatitis stakeholders nationwide.
Webinar Title: Impact of the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid Expansion & Insurance Exchanges on HIV/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis Services
When: November 6, 2013 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. ET
Click here to register for the webinar.
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| Aging Network Volunteer Collaborative |
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Got an Hour? Give it Back Campaign
The Aging Network Volunteer Collaborative is excited to announce the launch of the "Got an Hour? Give it Back" Campaign to encourage community members to volunteer within the aging network.
The Campaign's website GiveitBacktoSeniors.org includes a search tool for individuals to find local volunteer opportunities with seniors in their neighborhoods. The search tool works in connection with the website VolunteerMatch.org. To assist with the launch of the campaign, all local programs are encouraged to post their volunteer opportunities on VolunteerMatch.org. This will help ensure that interested volunteers can find a variety of conveniently-located opportunities that can be one-time special events.
The ANVC is hosting a webinar on October 30th to learn more about the Campaign and receive a tutorial on posting your volunteer opportunities to the VolunteerMatch.org website.
Title: Got An Hour? Informational Webinar
When: October 30, 2013 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET
For any questions, please contact Rachel Feldman at rfeldman@nasuad.org. |
| American Society on Aging |
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Registration for ASA's Aging in America 60th Anniversary Conference Open
The Aging in America Conference will take place in San Diego on March 11-15, 2014. Attendees who register for the 2014 Aging in America Conference before November 15, 2013 will be entered to win a roundtrip ticket for Southwest Airlines. Learn from the experts and gain new insights from this community of 3,000 engaged professionals at the largest multidisciplinary conference on aging in the nation.
Click here for more information and to register.
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Center for Health Care Strategies
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Strategies to Reduce Costs and Improve Care for High-Utilizing Medicaid Patients: Reflections on Pioneering Program
Across the country, Medicaid stakeholders are exploring new ways to address the needs of the program's highest-utilizing patients. Super-utilizers make up only five percent of the Medicaid universe, yet these patients with complex needs account for more than 50 percent of overall program spending. This new Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) brief offers important insights for states, health plans, and providers looking to improve care delivery for Medicaid's sickest, costliest patients.
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New Story Collection Tool from Families USA
Families USA recently launched "My Coverage Story," a national project designed to collect and share stories from individuals who have enrolled in health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. If you or someone you know is enrolling in new health coverage, please share the story at www.mycoveragestory.org.
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Organizational Change to Improve Health Literacy - Workshop Summary
In early 2012, members of the IOM Roundtable on Health Literacy published a discussion paper that focused on the attributes of a health literate health care organization or system. The paper detailed 10 attributes of a health literate health care organization, along with references and suggestions on how to achieve those attributes.
To examine what is known about implementation of the attributes of a health literate health care organization, the Roundtable on Health Literacy held a workshop on April 11, 2013. Workshop participants discussed topics ranging from implementation approaches to the creation of a network of health literacy implementers who can share information about health literacy innovations and problem solving. This document summarizes the workshop.
Click here to read the report online.
Click here for more information on the report.
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National Center on Senior Transportation
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Webinar Series on Senior Transportation
The National Center on Senior Transportation (NCST) is offering a series of webinars which will provide participants with ideas and practical suggestions on how to secure local match dollars for federal grants. The four webinars entitled, Don't Gamble on Senior Transportation Funding: Winning Local Match for Federal Grants, will offer expert presenters, resources, and brief practical homework assignments designed to impact participants' agencies directly. Throughout the webinars, participants will develop a working document that can be used as a planning tool for future local match funding solutions. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to discussions solutions with fellow participants through an online course forum.
The webinar dates are October 30, November 13, and November 25, and each one will take place at 2:00 p.m. ET.
Click here for more information on the webinars.
Click here to register for individual webinars.
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| National Council on Aging |
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Webinar: Keeping Pace with the Affordable Care Act
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) and IlluminAge are hosting a webinar on October 29, 2013 that will serve as a refresher on what is happening with the Affordable Care Act, and how it is impacting the aging and disability networks. Discover the latest on the Medicaid expansion, care coordination for individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, and how the Health Insurance Marketplace works.
Webinar Title: Keeping Pace with the Affordable Care Act: What You and Your Clients Need to Know
When: October 29, 2013 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. ET
Click here to register for the webinar.
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New Fact Sheet on SNAP Benefit Reduction
The 2009 Recovery Act's temporary boost to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits is scheduled to end on November 1, 2013. Check out NCOA's new fact sheet which explains what this may look like for different households and how to offset the reductions with various income deductions. Also check out their SNAP guide to learn how to increase benefits for seniors using the medical expense deduction. |
| National Senior Citizens Law Center |
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NSCLC Webinar on the Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act brings new opportunities and challenges for seniors, including the expansion of Medicaid in many states and enrollment in health insurance plans through marketplaces or exchanges beginning on January 1, 2014. This presentation will provide a summary of these changes and their impact on seniors. The presentation may be most relevant to people in states that are choosing to expand access to Medicaid, but all may participate.
This webinar will cover:
- What is expansion Medicaid and who is eligible
- What are the healthcare exchanges and who is eligible
- How are seniors impacted (or not impacted) by these programs, including a discussion of the transition from these programs when an individual turns 65 or obtains Medicare
- Other changes under the ACA impacting Medicare
Webinar Title: The Affordable Care Act: What it Means for Seniors
When: November 6, 2013 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. ET
Click here to register for the webinar. |
| Patient Advocate Foundation |
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Managed Care Terminology
The Patient Advocate Foundation has published a Glossary of Managed Care Definitions which provides a valuable resource for understanding managed care terminology The full glossary can be found here. |
| Robert Wood Johnson Foundation |
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The Dartmouth Atlas of Medicare Prescription Drug Use
A new report from the Dartmouth Atlas Project shows that the use of both effective and risky drug therapies by Medicare patients varies widely across U.S. regions, offering further evidence that location is a key determinant in the quality and cost of the medical care that patients receive.
Click here to read the press release.
Click here to read the report. |
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Storytelling Contest for LGBT Older Adults
With the goal of collecting stories of LGBT older adults who have spent their lives building their own families and communities, Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) is holding a storytelling contest from October 10 to November 6, 2013.
The contest states: What does "community" mean to you? How do you stay connected to the people who matter most to you? By answering these questions, SAGE aims to draw on the unique life experiences of LGBT elders in order to diversify the public narratives on aging, long-term care and LGBT rights.
Visit SAGE Story, an online story booth for digital submissions, and share your story! Submission deadline is November 6, 2013 5 p.m. ET.
Click here for more information about this initiative.
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October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month
Held each October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is a national campaign that raises awareness about disability employment issues and celebrates the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities. The theme for 2013 is "Because We Are EQUAL to the Task."
Click here to learn more about the campaign.
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