The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is expected to drive nearly $8 billion in savings for Medicare by the end of 2012 according to recently released analysis done by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).  The ACA is projected to more than double the life of the Medicare Trust Fund, extending its life from [...]

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The annual report released by the Social Security Board of Trustees examining the financial health of the Social Security Trust Funds outlines a stable long-range outlook.  The combined assets of the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) Trust Funds will be exhausted in 2037, the same as projected last year and the report [...]

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A new grant solicitation issued last week by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the availability of $2.25 billion in grants to states to expand the Money Follows the Person Rebalancing (MFP) Demonstration program.  The program provides opportunities for Americans with disabilities to receive more help to live independently and remain in [...]

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According to a new poll by the National Council on Aging (NCOA), most seniors are confused and unaware to important aspects of health reform, or the Affordable Care Act, including its impact on their own Medicare coverage, the growth of Medicare, and the budget deficit.  The survey asked adults 65 and older a series of [...]

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Rates are rising by 1.7% for nursing home payment rates according to a recent announcement by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that will increase Medicare payments to nursing homes by an estimated $542 million during fiscal 2011. 

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Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a number of changes to Medicare home health payments for 2011 that reflect implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  The proposed changes represent a 4.75 percent decrease in Medicare payments to home health agencies (HHAs) for calendar year 2011 which is approximately a [...]

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According to a new report by Deloitte’s Center for Health Solution, state governments’ obligation to their Long-Term Care (LTC) Medicaid enrollees may have the potential to debilitate government effectiveness and create severe fiscal distress.  The report, "Medicaid Long-term Care: The Ticking Time Bomb," cites state budgetary pressures, the fact that Medicaid is the nation’s primary [...]

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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Disability recently announced the award of over $6 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, to establish a Center of Excellence in Research on Disability Services, Care Coordination and Integration.  The contract was awarded to Mathematica Policy Research for a two-year period [...]

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Last week, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius, Assistant Secretary for the Administration on Aging Kathy Greenlee and Maryiln Tavenner from Centers For Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) hosted a web chat to discuss the benefits of the new health reform law as it relates to America’s seniors.  The 30 minute [...]

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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that the Communities Putting Prevention to Work  Chronic Disease Self-management Program, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, will be distributing $27 million in grants to almost 40 states.  The funds will allow states to provide self-management programs to older adults with [...]

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Late Sunday night, the U.S. House of Representatives passed both the Senate health reform bill (H.R. 3590) and Reconciliation Act of 2010 (H.R. 4872) that included provisions for the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act.  The provisions in the bill would provide insurance solutions for a variety of Americans currently uninsured and would [...]

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The National Senior Citizens Law Center published a report in December entitled, “To be or not to be Homebound: The Limits of States’ Discretion in Medicaid’s Coverage for Home Health Services” that examines Medicaid’s coverage for home health services.  The report looks at the home health benefit which has the unique status in the Medicaid [...]

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