This week, our In Focus section highlights a recent pair of reports prepared for Arizona for Better Medicaid. HMA colleagues examined the impact of managed long-term services and supports (MLTSS) in state Medicaid programs. The first report, Growth in MLTSS and Impacts on Community-Based Care, examines the historical increase in the adoption of LTSS by state Medicaid programs and how that has contributed to a shift in long-term care from institutions to the community. The second report, Managed LTSS Improves Quality of Care, describes the evidence on the impact of managed LTSS in state Medicaid programs on the quality of care.
Long-Term Services and Supports
State Efforts to Integrate Care Across Medicaid FFS LTSS and Medicare Advantage D-SNPs
This week, our In Focus section reviews a new paper from Health Management Associates,State Efforts to Integrate Care Across Medicaid Fee-for-Service Long-Term Services and Supports and Medicare Advantage Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans by Sarah Barth, Rachel Deadmon and Julie Faulhaber. Funded by UnitedHealthcare, this paper outlines approaches taken by Medicaid programs seeking to coordinate Medicare and Medicaid services for dually eligible individuals without first implementing standalone Medicaid managed long-term services and supports (MLTSS) programs.
Long-Term Care and Care Facilities Post-COVID-19 Pandemic
While disrupting all aspects of life around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has had an enormous impact on the long-term care delivery system in this country with long-term care facilities being disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Nursing homes and senior living communities were in the difficult position of needing to keep patients safe while continuing to provide care and mitigate the risks of infection for both patients and staff.
Nursing Home Report Highlights Benefits of Single Resident Rooms
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted nursing home safety and infection control as critical public health issues. A new report authored by HMA colleagues found compelling evidence that single rooms in nursing homes have numerous benefits for both public health and residents’ experience. The authors conclude that transitioning from multi-resident rooms to single rooms should be a component of person-centered nursing home reform. The report calls on stakeholders to come to the table to discuss options and strategies for long-term care redesign and transformation.
HMA Announces Cancellation of 2020 Annual Conference
Health Management Associates has made the decision to cancel its October 2020 conference on Trends in Publicly Sponsored Healthcare, given continuing developments concerning COVID-19 and out of an abundance of caution for the safety of attendees, speakers, and staff. Full refunds will be made to registered attendees and sponsors.
Early Bird Registration Expires July 29 for HMA Conference, October 26-27 in Chicago
Be sure to register soon for HMA’s conference on What’s Next for Medicaid, Medicare, and Publicly Sponsored Healthcare: How Payers, Providers, and States Are Navigating a Future of Opportunity and Uncertainty, October 26-27, at the Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park. The Early Bird registration rate of $1595 per person expires on July 29. After that, the rate is $1795.
HMA Conference on Trends in Publicly Sponsored Healthcare
HMA Conference 2020
What’s Next for Medicaid, Medicare, and Publicly Sponsored Healthcare:
How Payers, Providers, and States Are Navigating a Future of Opportunity and Uncertainty
Pre-Conference Workshop: October 25
Conference: October 26-27
Location: Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park
Highlights from Kaiser/HMA 50-State Medicaid Director Survey
This week, our In Focus section reviews highlights and shares key takeaways from the 19th annual Medicaid Budget Survey conducted by The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) and Health Management Associates (HMA). Survey results were released on October 18, 2019, in two new reports: A View from the States: Key Medicaid Policy Changes: Results from a 50-State Medicaid Budget Survey for State Fiscal Years 2019 and 2020 and Medicaid Enrollment & Spending Growth: FY 2019 & 2020. The report was prepared by Kathleen Gifford and Aimee Lashbrook from HMA; Eileen Ellis and Mike Nardone; and by Elizabeth Hinton, Robin Rudowitz, Maria Diaz, and Marina Tian from the Kaiser Family Foundation. The survey was conducted in collaboration with the National Association of Medicaid Directors.
Highlights from this Week’s HMA Conference on The Next Wave of Medicaid Growth and Opportunity
This week, our In Focus section provides a recap of the fourth annual HMA Conference, The Next Wave of Medicaid Growth and Opportunity: How Payers, Providers, and States are Positioning Themselves for Success, held this Monday, September 9, and Tuesday, September 10, in Chicago, Illinois. Nearly 500 leading executives representing managed care organizations, providers, state and federal government, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders in the health care field gathered to address the challenges and opportunities for organizations serving Medicaid and other vulnerable populations. Conference participants heard from keynote speakers, engaged in panel discussions, and connected during informal networking opportunities. Below is a summary of highlights from this year’s conference.
CMS Medicare Fee-For-Service FY2020 Proposed Rules: Hospital Outpatient Department and End-Stage Renal Disease
This week, our In Focus section reviews the new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Fee-For-Service FY 2020 proposed rules. On July 29, 2019, CMS issued the Calendar Year (CY) 2020 proposed rules for the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), the hospital outpatient department (HOPD) and ambulatory surgical center (ASC) prospective payment systems (PPS), and the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) PPS. These proposed regulations include payment rate and policy changes for the upcoming calendar year. The comment deadline for all three of these proposed rules is September 27, 2019.