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The Administration for Community Living with the support from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the National Association of Medicaid Directors has developed a resource for state Medicaid programs that details the benefits of leveraging Medicaid administrative claiming for No Wrong Door (NWD) System functions. The resource includes how state and community-based partners can obtain federal reimbursement for activities performed in support of Medicaid. Organizations like area agencies on aging, aging and disability resource centers, centers for independent living, etc. can benefit from this type of federal reimbursement.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released an informational bulletin that provides information on the timing and expectations for all states to achieve compliance with all federal renewal requirements. All states are required to complete a compliance assessment, demonstrate compliance with federal Medicaid and CHIP renewal requirements described at 42 C.F.R. §§ 435.916 and 457.343 and submit a plan outlining steps and milestones for addressing identified areas of non-compliance to CMS by December 31, 2024. CMS also released a compliance template, which states should use to submit the compliance plan and a slide deck to serve as an additional resource on renewal compliance guidance.

The aging population is increasing, which means that more Medicare beneficiaries, especially those 75 and older, have considerable morbidity, diminished quality of life, and a high degree of caregiver burden. The increase of medically complex Medicare beneficiaries has created a need for developing core measures for tracking and improving the quality of care this population receives. This article discusses how to leverage Medicare Advantage to support diverse older patients, a different framework to improve quality in Medicare, and the development of a care set of measures for age-friendly care.

ADvancing States released today a new report on the current state of enabling technology in LTSS programs. The report offers recommendations for state action as well as identifies supports that our Federal partners can offer to states as they explore ways to help older adults and people with physical disabilities live as independently as possible. Finally the report highlight some best practices across the country in both Medicaid and aging programs.

The VA's Caregiver Support Program (CSP) has selected "Caregiving and Wellbeing Coaching" as its Resource of the Month for July 2024. This resource focuses on empowering caregivers by prioritizing their health and well-being. Caregivers work with a trained CSP team member to develop a plan to improve their physical, emotional, and mental health, guided by the VA's Whole Health approach. This coaching is available at no cost to caregivers enrolled in CSP’s Program of General Caregiver Support Services and Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. It offers personalized coaching, planning, and support to help caregivers improve their overall well-being.

The KFF released a report reviewing Medicaid and CHIP eligibility, enrollment, and renewal policies throughout the unwinding of continuous enrollment. The report highlights state actions to improve automated renewal rates, streamline the renewal process, and steps being taken to improve coverage for children. The report focuses on polices for children, pregnant individuals, parents, and other non-elderly adults whose eligibility is based on Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) financial eligibility rules. States report that the biggest challenges faced during unwinding are unclear federal guidance, workforce issues, and the volume of work. Read the report to learn more.

Justice in Aging has released an issue brief intended to equip state oral health, aging, and disability advocates with education and advocacy tips on how to leverage Medicaid waivers to expand access to oral health and address disparities in access to dental treatment. The issue brief begins with an explanation of Medicaid waivers, including what they do and who they impact. This is followed by state-specific examples illustrating how Medicaid waivers can both expand the scope of coverage available and address barriers to care.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a strategic framework for a national plan on aging, aiming to advance healthy aging and age-friendly communities. The report involves input from federal agencies and various stakeholders including older adults, family caregivers, and the aging services network. The national plan on aging will advance best practices for service delivery, support development and strengthening of partnerships within and across sectors, identify solutions for removing barriers to health and independence for older adults, and more. Key aspects include service delivery, health care access, affordable housing, and economic security.

The Administration for Community Living has released the 2023 Profile of Older Americans, which provides statistics on the U.S. older adult population using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the National Center for Health Statistics, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Profile illustrates the shifting demographics of Americans 65 and older. It includes key topic areas such as future population growth, marital status, living arrangements, income, employment, and health.

On March 28, the Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) issued a “scam alert” regarding criminals who are impersonating SSA OIG agents and requesting that their targets meet them in person to hand off cash. SSA OIG reports that this recent method of handing cash directly to a phony agent is a dangerous twist on a known scam tactic that pressures individuals to pay in a specific way by using cash or gift cards. SSA OIG and official government agencies do not conduct business in this manner. SSA OIG reminds individuals that if they think they have been scammed to notify financial institutions to safeguard their accounts and file a police report...