Trends in Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports Programs

The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) published a new issue brief that identifies six major trends in the refinement of Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) and underlying LTSS delivery systems nationally:

  • Increasing Medicare and Medicaid alignment for dually eligible individuals;
  • Broadening enrollment to serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities;
  • Leveraging housing resources and other social services to keep people in the community;
  • Focusing on workforce development and expanding scope of practice;
  • Advancing value-based purchasing with LTSS providers; and
  • Providing ongoing, comprehensive stakeholder engagement.

On the same topic, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips also led a webinar on MLTSS reform.

CMS Office of Minority Health Releases Stratified Medicare Data

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health  released Medicare Part C and D data stratified by race and ethnicity. This data will be useful for targeting quality improvement activities and resources, monitoring health and drug plan performance, and advancing the development of culturally and linguistically appropriate quality improvement interventions and strategies.

Value-Based Payment Model for Kids Health

United Hospital Fund and the Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy released a report proposing a new payment model that recognizes the impact of social determinants of health both in childhood development and adult health and social productivity. The report suggests a combination of payment models when implementing value-based payment for children in Medicaid: a particular combination of capitation, care coordination payments and performance incentive bonuses, with a different model for the small percentage of children with very complex medical conditions.

New Resources on Value-Based Insurance Design and Funding of Community Health Workers Through Medicaid

Families USA recently created two resources about Value Based-Insurance Design (VBID). The “What is VBID” slideshow provides an overview of VBID and how it can be used to promote value for patients. The “Advocates’ Guide to Implementing Value-Based Insurance Design” explains federal and state policy options for expanding VBID in the private sector. Families USA also released a brief that explains how state Medicaid programs can fund Community Health Workers (CHW) to improve health, decrease costs and reduce disparities. The brief explains the potential impact CHWs can have on people’s health, discusses questions regarding sustainable funding through Medicaid and presents case studies on CHW programs in Massachusetts, Minnesota and New Mexico, detailing how they fund, train and certify CHWs.