Money Follows the Person (MFP) is one program that appropriates federal grants to states to design programs to transition Medicaid beneficiaries from institutional care to home and community-based services. Beginning as a demonstration program, there are many impediments and uncertainties surrounding implementation. This overview provides a description of impediments as an opportunity for solutions that anticipate implementation issues and touches upon program start up, capacity, and access.

Budgeting is a crucial aspect in the deliverance of Older Americans Act (OAA) services. This brief provides information geared at State directors to help them better understand various funding sources and requirements. This summary explains the Inter-State Funding Formula on which the Administration of Aging (AoA) distributes OAA funds as well as the Intra-State Funding Formula (IFF) on which states distribute OAA funds.

Governors’ State of the State addresses reveal policy and programmatic trends. This document tracks those comments made in such addresses that indicate wider policy initiatives that impact older adults and people with disabilities. A state-by-state analysis of 43 State addresses and budgets helps to illuminate overall trends in aging and disability policies, such as Medicaid changes and the restructuring of state departments and programs affecting long-term services and supports (LTSS).

This chart shows the projected fiscal impact for FY2013 on Older Americans Act programs (such as HCBS Supportive Services, Home-Delivered Nutrition, Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, and Preventive Health Services) after the passage of the Budget Control Act (BCA) of 2011. The chart displays calculated estimates of fiscal impact from both the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). Both the CBO and the CBPP estimates show cuts to all programs.

This analysis of the President’s $3.73 trillion proposed budget for FY12 includes an outline of each funding recommendation for discretionary, appropriated programs. Included in the analysis is a comparison of HR1, the GOP-backed budget resolution that reduces spending via broad cuts, with the President’s proposed budget; a good indicator of what sorts of budgetary windows may be necessary for bipartisan support and how the budget may affect the fiscal health of aging and disabilities programs.

Bowles and Simpson, the co-chairs of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform drafted their recommendations to achieve fiscal sustainability. This analysis provides an overview of the commission’s formation, its structure and recommendations, and its potential impact on the aging and disability networks. The report’s legislative recommendations have implications for Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS), and more.

The debate surrounding the deficit reduction and the debt ceiling for FY 2012 has many implications for aging and disability policies, especially Older Americans Act (OAA) services. This brief outlines the current negotiations and proposals put forth to reach a long-term, bipartisan budget reduction agreement, including the McConnell Plan; the McConnell-Reid Plan; the Gang of Six; the Coburn Plan; and the Senate Budget Resolution. The Congressional Appropriations process is also discussed.

Review a comprehensive list of existing performance measures on long-term services and supports (LTSS) systems in the US. It can serve as a valuable pool of resources regarding LTSS performance standards available from federal and state initiatives, as well as valuable projects undergone in private sector and academia. The list also covers measurement tools targeting specific beneficiary groups and programs, including dual eligibles and adults with disabilities.

The Older Americans Act of 1965 created the National Aging Network with many states adopting Area Agencies on Aging at the local level. This brief is a summary of two surveys regarding states’ monitoring practices of their Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and states’ spending rules for their AAAs. All states with Area Agencies on Aging which were surveyed reported that they conduct some monitoring, and most differed in their rules concerning excess funds.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has provided funding and technical assistance to states to develop state plans' to coordinate care for dual eligibles, persons eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. This chart shows the status of those states selected for the Dual Demonstration grants, the model chosen, and target implementation. It also includes links to each state's plan.