11 states ready to go live with Medicaid HCBS final rule as deadline approaches, CMS says
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Feb 22, 2023
Eleven states are planning to go live under the regulations of the home- and community-based settings final rule on March 18, according to Melissa Harris, deputy director for the CMS Disabled and Elderly...
Medicaid HCBS study shows ‘we still know very little’ about COVID in senior living
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Jan 17, 2023
A new study reporting higher mortality rates among Medicaid home- and community-based services recipients — including assisted living residents — during the pandemic compared with people not receiving...
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...
HCBS providers face more serious challenges ahead than institutional providers: report
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Sep 21, 2022
Expanding the availability and quality of long-term services and supports will continue to be a focus for policymakers as individual preferences and state requirements shift from institutional settings...
Assisted living needs to be part of enhanced Medicaid HCBS program, industry advocates say
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Jan 30, 2023
A proposal calling for permanent enhanced federal funding to states to expand the Medicaid home- and community-based services program needs to go a step further to emphasize the benefits of assisted living,...
Providers concerned about meeting direct care worker wage increase requirements
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Sep 22, 2022
A planned $15 hourly minimum wage requirement for home- and community-based service workers set to take effect Oct. 1 in Florida has some senior living providers concerned about how they will cover the...
Senior living providers must show their value to combat ‘new normal’ of negative scrutiny: speaker
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
May 02, 2024
As senior living providers adapt to the “new normal” of negative lay media attention and calls for federal oversight, they must step into the role of educator and share with lawmakers and others how...
Current federal efforts targeting care economy ‘miss the mark,’ industry advocates say
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Apr 10, 2024
As a kickoff to Caregivers Month, President Biden spoke Tuesday about the “care economy” at Washington, DC’s Union Station, celebrating the contributions of care workers across the country. Senior...
Worker shortages, waiting list inaccuracies complicate HCBS programs
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Nov 30, 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on fundamental, long-term challenges for state Medicaid home- and community-based services programs, but it also provided opportunities for change, according to a...
Bill would ban COVID-19 vaccine mandates despite older adults remaining at highest risk for serious outcomes
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Nov 02, 2023
A study underscoring the need to continue to protect older adults from COVID-19 comes as one state appears close to banning COVID-19 vaccine mandates by private employers, including senior living communities.