scholarly journals Connecticut’s Veterans-Directed Care Program Outcomes Compared to HCBS Waiver Participants: HCBS CAHPS Results

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 361-362
Author(s):  
Kathy Kellett ◽  
Martha Porter ◽  
Dorothy Wakefield ◽  
Julie Robison

Abstract Connecticut (CT) Veterans Directed Home and Community Based Services Program (VDC) is an innovative Veterans Administration (VA) services option providing veterans at risk of institutionalization with person-centered consumer-directed long-term services and supports at home. Funded by an Administration for Community Living grant, the CT Department of Aging and Disability Services partnered with the VA, the five CT Area Agencies on Aging, and UConn Health Center on Aging (UConn). UConn researchers conducted the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems in Home and Community Based Services (HCBS CAHPS) survey with VDC participants (n=36) from October 2019 through March 2020. The standardized, validated HCBS CAHPS survey, which Connecticut administers to individuals in most CT Medicaid HCBS programs, is a universal, cross-disability tool to assess/improve the quality of HCBS programs. Analyses compared VDC participants’ program experiences to survey results from individuals in the Connecticut Home Care Program (CHCP) (for older adults) (n=629), Personal Care Assistance (PCA) (n=282), and Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) (n=327) waiver programs. Notably, more VDC participants (91%) knew who their support broker was, compared to CHCP, ABI, and PCA (82%, 79%, and 72%, respectively) who knew their case manager; 91% of VDC participants gave their support broker the highest rating, compared to 66% to 74% of participants in other programs who rated their case manager. This study provides strong evidence that the CT VDC program is positively impacting veterans and that the AAAs and support brokers are effectively helping them receive the HCBS they need in a consumer-directed way.

2020 ◽  
pp. 073346482092451
Author(s):  
Esther M. Friedman ◽  
Regina A. Shih ◽  
Sangeeta C. Ahluwalia ◽  
Virginia I. Kotzias ◽  
Jessica L. Phillips ◽  
...  

Older adults in need of assistance often prefer to remain at home rather than receive care in an institution. To meet these preferences, Medicaid invited states to apply for the Balancing Incentive Program (BIP), a program intended to “rebalance” Medicaid-financed long-term services and supports to Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS). However, only about half of eligible states applied. We interviewed Medicaid administrators to explore why some states applied for BIP whereas others did not. Supportive state leadership and the presence of other programs supporting community-based care were positively related to BIP application. Opposing policy priorities and programs competing for similar resources were negatively related to BIP application. Because states most likely to apply already had policy goals and programs supporting HCBS, BIP may inadvertently widen disparities across states, pushing those on the margins ahead and leaving the ones that are worst off in HCBS support to fall even further behind.


2015 ◽  
pp. 150527102958001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Wysocki ◽  
Mary Butler ◽  
Robert L. Kane ◽  
Rosalie A. Kane ◽  
Tetyana Shippee ◽  
...  

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 168-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carli Friedman ◽  
Mary C. Rizzolo

Transportation is the most frequently reported problem for people with disabilities. While some people with disabilities have difficulty with limited or no public transportation systems, others have trouble with inaccessible infrastructures and systems. In addition, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often have trouble with many of the skills that navigating transportation requires. Although accessible transportation is crucial for independent living, Medicaid only requires states cover nonemergency medical transportation and does not require transportation related to other aspects necessary for community living such as accessing work, errands, or recreational activities. The purpose of this article is to examine Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) 1915(c) waivers, the largest provider of long-term services and supports for people with IDD, to see how transportation is provided for people with IDD. Our examination of 99 waivers for FY 2013 revealed 58 waivers provided transportation-specific services and 71 waivers provided transportation within another service. The majority of waivers provided transportation for people with IDD through these two means; however, this transportation was often limited to very specific purposes. From our findings, it appears transportation services for people with IDD in waivers need to be expanded to support community access and integration.


2020 ◽  
pp. 073346482094136
Author(s):  
Sangeeta C. Ahluwalia ◽  
Esther Friedman ◽  
Daniel Siconolfi ◽  
Debra Saliba ◽  
Jessica Phillips ◽  
...  

Background: Health information technology (HIT) use in home- and community-based services (HCBS) has been hindered by inadequate resources and incentives to support modernization. We sought to understand the ways the Medicaid Balancing Incentive Program (BIP) facilitated increased use of HIT to increase access to HCBS. Method: Qualitative analysis of interviews with 30 Medicaid administrators, service agency providers, and consumer advocates. Results: Although stakeholders perceived several benefits to greater HIT use, they highlighted critical challenges to effective adoption within the long-term services and supports (LTSS) system, including lack of extant expertise/knowledge about HIT, the limited reach of HIT among rural and disabled beneficiaries, burdensome procurement processes, and the ongoing resources required to maintain up-to-date HIT solutions. Conclusion: The structural reforms required by BIP gave states an opportunity to modernize their HCBS systems through use of HIT. However, barriers to HIT adoption persist, underscoring the need for continued support as part of future rebalancing efforts.


Author(s):  
Sarah E.P. Munce ◽  
Kristen B. Pitzul ◽  
Sara J.T. Guilcher ◽  
Tarik Bereket ◽  
Mae Kwan ◽  
...  

AbstractBackground:The current study involves a national survey of healthcare providers who offer services for individuals with a variety of neurological conditions. It aims to describe the provision of health and community-based services as well as the admission criteria, waitlist practices, and referral sources of these services.Methods:An online survey was directed at administrators/managers from publicly funded hospital programs, long-term care homes, and community-based healthcare provider agencies that were believed to be providing information and/or services to patients with a variety of neurological conditions.Results:Approximately 60% (n=254) of respondents reported providing services in either urban/suburban areas or rural/remote areas only, whereas the remaining 40% (n=172) provided services regardless of patient location. A small proportion of respondents reported providing services for individuals with dystonia (28%), Tourette syndrome (17%), and Rett syndrome (13%). There was also a paucity of diverse healthcare professionals across all institutions, but particularly mental healthcare professionals in hospitals. Lastly, the majority of respondents reported numerous exclusion criteria with regard to service provision, including prevalent comorbid conditions.Conclusions:If the few services provided for these neurological patient populations exclude common comorbidities, it is likely that there will be no other place for these individuals to seek care.


2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 244-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carli Friedman

Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) 1915(c) waivers are one of the largest providers of long-term services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). HCBS waivers also play a prominent role in providing day habilitation services for people with IDD. The purpose of this study was to examine how HCBS waivers allocate day habilitation services for people with IDD. HCBS waivers providing day habilitation services for people with IDD were analyzed to determine service utilization and projected expenditures. In fiscal year 2014, HCBS waivers projected US$5.62 billion of funding for day habilitation services; however, there was wide variance across services in terms of projected total spending, spending per participant, and reimbursement rates.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 503-508.e1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Siconolfi ◽  
Regina A. Shih ◽  
Esther M. Friedman ◽  
Virginia I. Kotzias ◽  
Sangeeta C. Ahluwalia ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (5) ◽  
pp. 281-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carli Friedman

Abstract Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) 1915(c) waivers are the largest source of funding for the long term services and supports of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). National-level analyses of HCBS IDD waivers are crucial because of the large variance across states, the recent CMS rule and regulation changes (CMS 2249-F/2296-F), and the ever changing economic and political landscape. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine state waiver priorities for people with IDD. In FY 2015, 111 waivers projected spending $25.6 billion for approximately 630,000 people with IDD. The services with the most funding were residential habilitation, supports to live in one's own home, and day habilitation. However, our analysis revealed large discrepancies across states and services.


1997 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 1329-1357 ◽  
Author(s):  
William G. Weissert ◽  
Timothy Lesnick ◽  
Melissa Musliner ◽  
Kathleen A. Foley

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S500-S500
Author(s):  
Victoria S Davila ◽  
Lauren Pietzak ◽  
Danielle Rossi ◽  
Karen Phipps ◽  
Margaret Danilovich

Abstract Despite the known effectiveness, physical activity (PA) is not currently offered to older adult clients receiving Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS). To optimize PA implementation within Medicaid HCBS, understanding client preferences for PA programming is needed. Thus, the objective of this exploratory qualitative study was to identify the PA preferences of HCBS clients including mode, duration, implementation strategy, and frequency, as well as barriers and motivators to PA. We recruited participants from the Illinois’ Department on Aging Community Care Program. We conducted semi-structured interviews in participants’ homes which were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using Dedoose (version 7.0.23). We derived semi-structured interview questions from the Health Belief, Social Cognitive, and Health Action Process Approach framework. We used a structured coding approach using conventional content analysis to derive codes from the text, then applied these codes to each interview and examined the frequency to determine themes. The most frequently referenced theme was barriers to PA, primarily co-morbidities. The primary motivator was social support by a peer or instructor. The preferred PA program components were walking 2-3 days per week with duration varying from 20 minutes to 2 hours. Clients also preferred individualized PA instruction versus a passive strategy such as pamphlets or videotapes. Our findings show that individual-level factors most significantly influence PA participation and should be addressed among Medicaid HCBS clients. We recommend Medicaid HCBS consider a personalized approach of PA implementation with their clients.


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