In The News
Kaiser Health News Long Term Care Ombudsmen Face Challenges to Independence (1-27-2013) NSCLC Directing Attorney Eric Carlson says that ombudsman programs outside of state governments are less subject to political pressure
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NSCLC Helps
Corazon, 72, came close to losing her adult day health care benefits because of a problem with managed care related to needed heart surgery…. Read More.
Issues
Adult Day Health Care Affordable Care Act Assisted Living Chained CPI Clark v Astrue Court Access Dual Eligibles Health Care Reform Home and Community-based Services IHSS Language Access LGBT long term care Medi-Cal Medicaid Medicare Medicare Part D Nursing Homes Olmstead Pickle Amendment Preemption Same Sex Marriage Social Security SSI Supreme Court
Health Network Alert - New Hampshire Balancing Incentive Program Application Proposes Standardized Assessments, Workforce Development, and Social Marketing (PDF) 03-15-2012
As recently announced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), New Hampshire is the first state to receive federal approval under the Balancing Incentive Payments Program (BIPP) to shift state Medicaid spending towards community-based care.
Health Network Alert - CMS Approves $26.5 Million to New Hampshire to Increase Access to Community-Based Care (PDF) 03-09-2012New Hampshire is the first state to receive federal approval under the Balancing Incentive Payments Program (BIPP) to shift state Medicaid spending towards community-based care.
Health Network Alert - CMS Rejects Cost-Sharing Proposals from State Medicaid Agencies (PDF) 03-02-2012CMS has rejected requests by both California and Florida to require additional cost sharing from Medicaid beneficiaries. The rejections are good news for Medicaid beneficiaries, who too frequently are being targeted by states to bear an unfair proportion of states’ efforts to address budget shortfalls.
Health Network Alert - Supreme Court Refuses to Close Courthouse Doors on the Poor (PDF) 02-22-2012On February 22, the Supreme Court rejected an attempt to eliminate a critical legal tool for protecting the rights of low-income individuals. Douglas v Independent Living Center is a significant victory for court access for low-income individuals who rely on Medicaid coverage to obtain prescription medications, hospital care, and other medical services.
Health Network Alert - Aging Groups Argue That Most Provisions Affecting Seniors Should Not Be Tied to Supreme Court’s Ruling on Individual Mandate (PDF) 01-30-2012Six national aging groups filed a friend of the court brief with the Supreme Court last Friday saying that there are extensive provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) that are of “vital importance to the health and well-being of people 65 and older” and that Congress did not intend for any of them to be contingent on whether or not the minimum coverage provision (also called the individual mandate) was constitutional.
Health Network Alert - CMS Memoranda on Balance Billing Protections for Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries (PDF) 01-20-2012CMS recently released an informational bulleting to state Medicaid agencies addressing the prohibition on balance billing of QMBs for Medicare-covered services when charges are not fully paid by Medicare and Medicaid.
Health Network Alert - Dual Eligibles Receiving Medicaid HCBS Services Now Have Zero Par D Copayments Under ACA (PDF) 01-06-2012Effective January 1, 2012, full-benefit dual eligibles receiving Medicaid home and community based services (HCBS) have no Medicare Part D copayments.
