Medicaid Legislative News In Brief

[Guest guest]

February 7, 2011 |

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Health Care ReformThe Kaiser Family Foundation's Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured held a public briefing today on opportunities for long-term services and supports in the Affordable Care Act and released new materials examining the latest data findings regarding Medicaid's long-term services and supports for seniors and people with disabilities. They include updates on the Medicaid Home and Community-Based Service (HCBS) Programs and the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program. The reports indicate that while state HCBS expenditures continue to grow, so do long waiting lists. Lack of affordable and accessible housing, an inadequate supply of direct support professionals and state budget crises continue to impede implementation of MFP and similar programs.

The briefing also featured remarks by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act, a voluntary consumer-funded long-term care insurance program created by the law. In her remarks, the Secretary responded to concerns about the solvency of the CLASS program. In recent months, several groups examining ways to reduce the deficit, including the President's Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, raised concerns about the program's long-term solvency and recommended alterations or repeal. The Secretary focused on provisions in the law requiring HHS to ensure program solvency and provide flexibility within the program to do so. She discussed the importance of increasing awareness for the program and strategies the Department is examining to resolve solvency concerns. The resources discussed above, as well as the podcast and video of the briefing can be found here.

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