Assisted living cheers CMS guidance to continue HCBS flexibilities adopted during pandemic
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Aug 04, 2023
Updated guidance released Wednesday by the federal government will extend state home- and community-based waivers that had been implemented during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The move has care,...
Caregiver pay in the balance as advocacy groups size up proposed spending requirements
By
Lois A. Bowers
Jul 17, 2023
As assisted living provider advocacy groups try to influence federal home- and community-based services-related policy, their comments are joined by thousands of others, some in agreement with industry...
Provider group seeks 2-year moratorium on HCBS settings rule enforcement
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Jul 13, 2023
A new white paper from LeadingAge recommends a two-year enforcement moratorium on the federal government’s home- and community-based services settings final rule, saying that it is flawed policy.
Proposed federal quality measures could exacerbate providers’ financial woes, groups warn
By
Lois A. Bowers
Jul 07, 2023
Quality measures that are part of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have the potential to burden assisted living providers financially and administratively, industry advocates...
CMS’ spending requirement in HCBS rule ‘not the right approach,’ senior living advocates say
By
Lois A. Bowers
Jul 06, 2023
A proposal that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says is meant to “support and stabilize the direct care workforce” in home- and community-based settings, if it becomes final, ultimately...
Dollars spent on HCBS go further than those spent on nursing homes, study finds
By
Lois A. Bowers
Jun 29, 2023
Older adults are not “drawn out of the woodwork” to try to qualify for Medicaid benefits when a state expands home- and community-based services, according to the findings of a new study.
HCBS settings final rule ‘not a good fit’ for assisted living, provider group says
By
Lois A. Bowers
Jun 23, 2023
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services home- and community-based services settings final rule is written so broadly that its requirements “run in opposition to person centered planning” for older...
Senior living providers navigate PHE unwinding, state-level guidelines
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
May 15, 2023
The May 11 expiration of the federal public health emergency declaration will bring changes to federal healthcare programs, with various regulatory flexibilities expiring immediately or within a short...
Providers need funding to improve Medicaid HCBS access, quality, advocates say
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
May 01, 2023
Senior living advocates are applauding steps announced by the federal government to ensure equitable access to home- and community-based services provided via the Medicaid program, but they say that funding...
Better wages, working conditions key to attracting more workers to HCBS settings
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Apr 21, 2023
The size of the home- and community-based services workforce has not kept pace with expanding numbers of Medicaid program participants, according to a new study whose authors contend that better pay and...