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Medicare Open Enrollment Begins

Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period, the time when Medicare beneficiaries can compare coverage options and choose health and drug plans, began on October 15, 2023, and ends on December 7, 2023. Medicare Advantage and Part D plan costs and covered benefits can change from year to year, so people with Medicare should look at their coverage choices and decide on the options that best meet their health needs for coverage starting January 1, 2024. To help people with Medicare compare health and prescription drug plans during Open Enrollment, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the 2024 Star Ratings for Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) plans and Medicare Part D plans....

Short URL: http://www.advancingstates.org/node/74998

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Advocating for Rights and Better Care in Nursing Homes: Tips for Residents and Families

National Consumer Voice's (NCV) new fact sheet, “Advocating for Rights and Better Care in Nursing Homes,” provides tips for residents and families to advocate for change in their nursing facilities and advocacy strategies for impacting long-term care policy. This fact sheet offers practical steps for residents to address concerns within their nursing facilities, including having discussions with nursing home staff, participating in care plan meetings, utilizing the facility's grievance process, engaging with resident or family councils, and more. Additionally, the resource outlines advocacy strategies to impact long-term care policy, such as sharing personal stories, contacting elected officials, reaching out to the media, and participating

Short URL: http://www.advancingstates.org/node/74973

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Tips for States on Incorporating D-SNPs into Medicaid Quality Improvement Activities

The Integrated Care Resource Center (ICRC) recently released a resource titled, “Tips for States on Incorporating D-SNPs into Medicaid Quality Improvement Activities”. This tip sheet describes the Medicare resources available to states to monitor Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) performance, explains how states can leverage those resources for Medicaid managed care quality oversight and improvement, and provides tips for states on incorporating D-SNPs into Medicaid quality improvement activities. D-SNPs are a type of Medicare Advantage plan that enrolls individuals who are entitled to both Medicare and medical assistance from a state plan under Medicaid. States cover some Medicare costs, depending on the state and the individual’s..

Short URL: http://www.advancingstates.org/node/74971

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Tip Sheet: Responding to the CMS Access Rule

The proposed Access Rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) is a transformational shift that would change requirements in place since 2014. WellSky has recently released a tip sheet providing a framework to plan for the Access Rule and its implications. By starting to plan early, funding may still be available from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Waiver programs can also learn much from the history of VBP in healthcare, which is briefly described in this tip sheet. This resource will help attendees understand: 1. What is the Access Rule 2. How the Access Rule may lead to value-based payment (VBP) 3. What value-based strategies should you consider

Short URL: http://www.advancingstates.org/node/74889

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Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting (CMS 3442-P)

On September 1, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule to establish staffing requirements, including national minimum nurse staffing standards, for nursing facilities. Nursing facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid would be required to: provide residents with a minimum of 0.55 hours of care from a registered nurse (RN) per resident per day (hours per resident day or HPRD) and 2.45 hours of care from a nurse aide (NA) per resident per day; have a registered nurse onsite 24 hours per day, seven days per week to provide direct resident care; and complete facility assessments on staffing needs. CMS proposes that implementation of the final requirements will occur in three phases over a three-year...

Short URL: http://www.advancingstates.org/node/74861

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20+ Million Households Enroll in ACP

This week the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced more than 20 million households have enrolled in the agency’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). With the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), the FCC is now helping households across the country connect to the internet and save on their monthly bill. In order to reach today’s enrollment milestone, the FCC heavily engaged local, state and federal organizations to serve as ACP outreach and awareness-raising partners. The FCC has committed over $72 million in grants at the state and local level, with 228 ACP Outreach Grants issued to trusted state, local, and Tribal governments and community partners. If you or someone you know is seeking affordable internet connectivity

Short URL: http://www.advancingstates.org/node/74824

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Anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act: Update on CMS Implementation

The CMS fact sheet notes the one-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 and describes provisions in the law affecting Medicare and Marketplace plans, including a summary of milestones CMS has met. A list of public education tools to help people with Medicare and those who assist them in understanding the changes under the IRA are included.

Short URL: http://www.advancingstates.org/node/74809

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CMS Issues Several Fiscal Year 2024 Final Rule Payment Policies

CMS recently issued several final rules on payment rates and policies fiscal year for (FY) 2024. 1. FY 2024 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System (LTCH PPS) Final Rule — CMS-1785-F and CMS-1788-F Fact Sheet 2. Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System Final Rule - CMS-1779-F 3. Fiscal Year 2024 Hospice Payment Rate Update Final Rule (CMS-1787-F) 4. Fiscal Year 2024 Medicare Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Prospective Payment System and Quality Reporting Final Rule 5. Fiscal Year 2024 Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System Final Rule (CMS-1781-F)

Short URL: http://www.advancingstates.org/node/74806

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State Fact Sheets: Impacts of the IRA and ACA on Lowering Health Care Costs

The ASPE recently issued fact sheets for each state and the District of Columbia highlighting health care cost savings as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Savings from Medicare Part D out-of-pocket costs, insulin, vaccines, and Marketplace premiums, and the latest enrollment data for Medicare, Medicaid and Marketplace are featured.

Short URL: http://www.advancingstates.org/node/74790

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9.4 Million Adults Ages 50 and Older Faced Food Insecurity in 2021

AARP recently released a fact sheet describing the prevalence of food insecurity among adults aged 50 and older in 2021. The fact sheet reveals that over 9 million Americans in this age group (approximately eight percent) experienced limited or uncertain access to nutritious food. Moreover, this fact sheet highlights the impact of food insecurity on the health of older adults, showing a higher prevalence of health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, asthma, and depression among food-insecure individuals. The report also explores important variations in food insecurity based on factors such as age, race, ethnicity, income, and educational attainment.

Short URL: http://www.advancingstates.org/node/74787

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