Final Medicaid Access Rule released, White House says
By
Lois A. Bowers
Apr 22, 2024
A federal rule requiring providers to allocate at least 80% of home- and community-based payments to direct care worker pay has been finalized, President Biden said in a fact sheet posted Monday on the...
Medicaid Access Rule shortcomings could decrease access to care, industry advocates say
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Apr 23, 2024
No guarantee exists that a final rule that the federal government promoted as increasing transparency in Medicaid payments and improving wages for direct care workers will accomplish either goal, senior...
CMS changes quality measure set for home- and community-based services
By
Lois A. Bowers
Apr 15, 2024
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced changes to the quality measure set for home- and community-based services and described reporting requirements for Money Follows the Person grant...
Bill would end federal mandate for states to recoup Medicaid costs for HCBS, care
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Apr 16, 2024
A proposed bill would end a mandate that states try to recoup costs for long-term care provided to Medicaid beneficiaries, including by seizing homes from disproportionately poor and minority families,...
Federal final rule drops bring cries of ‘flawed,’ ‘aggressive,’ ‘dramatic’ from senior living...
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Apr 25, 2024
Late April brought a shower of regulatory changes as the federal government dropped four major final rules this week that the senior living and care industry is calling “flawed,” “aggressive” and...
Lawmakers pump brakes on proposed HCBS funding boost
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Apr 17, 2024
Senior living providers in Wisconsin are asking lawmakers to act on a proposal to take advantage of a “once-in-a-lifetime” funding opportunity for its Medicaid home- and community-based services programs.
Report says ‘aspirational vision’ for assisted living unattainable without additional resources
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
May 24, 2024
A post-pandemic analysis of New Jersey’s long-term care industry, including assisted living, created an “aspirational vision” of what the industry could be, but the state’s failure to provide resources...
Policy initiatives underway to lessen direct care workforce shortages
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Apr 29, 2024
Direct care workforce shortages strain the healthcare system overall and affect access, quality and costs. Although no single answer to the issue exists, several policy initiatives and solutions underway...