American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)

Mathematica recently released a report investigating the connection between strong city data foundations and successful ARPA investments. It spotlights cities that received What Works Cities Certification, which has recognized 57 U.S. cities for robust data practices that make resident lives better. Established as a benchmark for well-managed, data-driven local government, the What Works Cities (WWC) Certification provides insights into how such practices may influence the effectiveness of ARPA investments....

ADvancing States and the ARPA HCBS TA Collective are pleased to announce the release of an issue brief examining states’ efforts to understand the impact of their home and community-based (HCBS) projects implemented with unprecedented new Federal investment under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). With such a massive investment in our nation’s largest HCBS delivery systems, it is critically important to distill learnings about which types of the states’ investments resulted in desired outcomes and which did not. Armed with such information, our state and national leaders will be better informed to establish policies when making future investments related to Medicaid HCBS.

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

This brief shares data on state policy choices about Medicaid HCBS, including target populations, functional eligibility criteria, financial eligibility criteria, waiver waiting lists, benefit packages, out-of-pocket costs, use of capitated managed care, self-direction opportunities, covered provider types, electronic visit verification systems, and provider reimbursement rates.

The brief from the KKF shares state-level data on HCBS spending and the number of people receiving Medicaid in FY 2020. The data were collected in KFF’s 19th survey of state officials administering Medicaid HCBS programs in all 50 states and DC.

This NRP article discusses the delay many states are experiencing in regard to accessing funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law in March 2021. The increased funding could be used by states to boost wages, move people off waiting lists for disability services, train more workers, and expand covered services for older adults and people with disabilities, however the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services must provide approval before states can fully access their funds.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services proposes to reinvest ARPA Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) enhanced funding to implement a statewide grant program with HCBS providers, advocates and stakeholders. These grants will address the workforce crisis, support businesses and programs transition to a model that supports individual with intellectual, developmental, and other significant disabilities find and retain work in competitive integrated employment and other innovative solutions.

COVID-19 is a long-lasting and complex disaster situation involving a public health emergency and an economic crisis, with particularly acute impacts for older adults, people with disabilities, and others with certain health conditions. States are responding with changes in policies and procedures to ensure individuals have access to public benefit programs (e.g. Medicare Savings Programs, LIS/Extra Help, SNAP, and LIHEAP). ADvancing States has a new brief highlighting where states are with benefit access and enrollment since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results in the brief comes from the 2021 ADvancing States Membership Survey: COVID-19 Benefits Access and Enrollment, a follow-up to the 2020 survey.

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) included a 10% FMAP increase to Medicaid-funded HCBS. CMS requires states to submit semi-annual spending plan updates outlining changes to previously approved activities using ARPA HCBS funding. ADvancing States released an analysis of states’ initial spending plan submissions in September 2021, grouping activities into tables focusing on ten areas.

This issue brief presents early findings from the most recent KFF 50-state survey of Medicaid HCBS programs, focusing on state policies adopted in response to the pandemic, the pandemic’s impact on Medicaid HCBS enrollees and providers, and states’ early plans for the new American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) 10 percentage point temporary increase in federal Medicaid matching funds for HCBS.