Home Health & Hospice Week

A few new Medicaid initiatives could benefit home care providers. A new program required by the Affordable Care Act is giving funding to 15 states to "develop creative ways to provide more efficient and less confusing health care delivery for so-called 'dual-eligible' beneficiaries," CMS says in a release.

States will receive "up to $1 million to design strategies for implementing person-centered models that fully coordinate primary, acute, behavioral and long-term supports and services for dual eligible individuals," CMS continues. "After federal review of the proposals, CMS will work with states to implement the plans that hold the most promise."

CMS also issued proposed regulations April 14 that will make "it easier for states to provide home and community based services in the Medi caid program," the agency claims. The proposal would allow states to target multiple groups in a single home-and-community based (HCBS) waiver demonstration. "Under current rules, states must serve one target group per waiver," CMS points out.

The change should help states comply with Olmstead requirements to move beneficiaries into home and community settings when reasonable, CMS says. The proposed regulation was in the April 15 Federal Register and CMS will take comments on it for 60 days.