MLTSS Institute

The MLTSS institute is a collaboration between ADvancing States members and national Medicaid health plans intended to drive improvements in key MLTSS policy issues, facilitate sharing and learning among states, and provide direct and intensive technical assistance to states and health plans.

All three focus areas of the Institute include the common themes of: 1) building state agency capacity; 2) fostering innovation at the state level; and 3) providing a feedback loop to the federal policy dialogue.

ADvancing States Release Updated Report on the Value of MLTSS

ADvancing States is pleased to announce the release of an update to its 2017 issue brief, Demonstrating the Value of Medicaid MLTSS Programs written in partnership with the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS). Since publication of the original paper in 2017, new research and data has emerged that supports the value proposition that was posited based on survey data from MLTSS state leaders.

States continue to identify the following issues as important outcomes to pursue when implementing an MLTSS program and to measure when demonstrating its value:

• Rebalancing Medicaid LTSS spending from institutional care to home and community based services;
• Improving member experience, quality of life, and health outcomes;
• Reducing waiting lists for waiver services and increasing access; and
• Increasing budget predictability and managing costs.

Research and evaluation data from a variety of sources, including state-funded studies as well  CMS-funded evaluations of national MLTSS program and the capitated Financial Alignment Initiatives, were used to supplement state self-reported outcomes to paint a more definitive picture of the value states are getting from their MLTSS programs.

ADvancing States hopes that this report will provide additional evidence of the value of MLTSS programs, stimulate thoughtful policy development and program design, and promote high performing state systems that provide care for older adults and persons with disabilities.

ADvancing States and CHCS Release Brief on Using Data to Further Dual Eligible Integration

ADvancing States is pleased to announce the release of a new issue brief, De-Mystifying Data: How Medicare Data Can Support Medicaid Agencies, developed in partnership with the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS). This issue brief is the latest publication 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 is the third of three to be published in 2019-2020 focused on aspects of delivering effective care to individuals eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid (dually eligible individuals). 

Only about 2/3 of states have undertaken any activity to better integrate care for dually eligible individuals as they face a number of barriers to implementing integrated care programs. This issue brief provides a primer on the ways that Medicare data can help states better deliver care to dually eligible individuals; it also details information about data sources and other resources available to help obtain and analyze Medicare data.  

ADvancing States hopes that this issue brief will provide concise information to state agencies on the types and uses of data that can help to bring the Medicare and Medicaid programs together for dually eligible beneficiaries in a thoughtful way.

State Consulting

As part of the MLTSS Institute, ADvancing States can provide intensive, state-specific consulting on a wide range of MLTSS issues.  These may include:

• Presentations to state leadership, legislators and providers on national MLTSS trends and implications for state agencies on implementation and oversight.
• Serving as a national subject matter expert in meetings with key advisory boards and taskforces in the community to chart short- and long-term planning objectives. 
• Reviewing and providing feedback on quality strategies/measures.
• Writing or editing state’s managed care authority documents (SPAs or waivers), MLTSS RFPs or MCO contracts.
• Developing and/or reviewing MCO readiness review tools and recommendations for addressing MLTSS program elements, including participation on readiness reviews if requested. 

MLTSS Institute Advisory Board Members: