Texas vs Kennedy: Defend Community Living Coalition Briefing
DCIC Community Briefing on Texas v. Kennedy and Community Integration coalition briefing; National Councile on Independent Living – October 8 coalition briefing – awaiting briefing materials web site upload.
Texas vs Kennedy – Final Court Judgment
State of Texas et al., Plaintiffs, v. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., In His Official Capacity as Secretary of Health and Human Services, et al. Order and Final Judgment document; Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) – September 23.
Self-Directed Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS): National Inventory
Self-Directed LTSS State Enrollment, Policy, and Operations inventory report; American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)– September 29.
Medicaid Home-and-Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiting Lists – Update
A Look at Waiting Lists for Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Services from 2016 to 2026 article; Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) – October 5.
Preventing Medicaid Home-and-Community-Based Services (HCBS) Fraud – CMS
CMCS Medicaid and CHIP All State Calls – September 15, 2026 slides; CMS– September 15.
Medicaid – Legislatively Extend Money Follows the Person and Spousal Impoverishment Protections
Medicaid – Legislatively Extend Money Follows the Person and Spousal Impoverishment Protections letter to Congress; AAHD and the Lakeshore Foundation have joined the Disability and Aging Collaborative (DAC) and Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities (CCD) writing Congress encouraging legislative extension of the Medicaid Money Follows the Person program and spousal impoverishment protections – October 8.
Medicaid Reconciliation Law (HR 1): Work and Community Engagement Requirements: CMS Interim Final Rules – ADA, CMS Medical Frailty, Complicated Reality
Bridging the “Disabled People Can’t/Can Work” Divide: A Perspective on the Medical Frailty Exemption under Medicaid Work Requirements blog; Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) on work complexity determinations including ADA vs CMS medical frailty – October 6.
Medicaid Reconciliation Law (HR 1): Work and Community Engagement Requirements: CMS Interim Final Rules – Estimated Impact on Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose
The Estimated Impact of Medicaid Work Requirements on Overdose Deaths and Costs program presentation slides to the Coalition for Whole Health ; Boston University Syndemics Lab RESPOND – October 6.
Medicaid and Medicare Fraud: House Committee on Energy and Commerce Report, Part 2
Our October 6 news included the link to the House Energy and Commerce Committee majority staff report of September 29. Available here is the October 5 Georgetown University Center for Children and Families blog analysis of the report: House Committee Report on Fraud Against Medicare and Medicaid: Oversight Done Wrong.
Medicaid and Medicare Fraud: House Committee on Energy and Commerce Republicans Introduce 14 Legislative Bills
E&C Republicans Introduce Critical Fraud-Fighting Package to Protect Vulnerable Americans and Safeguard Taxpayer Dollars press release; Committee on Energy and Commerce Republicans – September 29.
Medicaid Reconciliation Law (HR 1): Impact and Severity of Impact by State
Which States Will Be Affected by Key Medicaid Provisions in the 2025 Reconciliation Law? article; Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) – October 7.
Doctors, Not AI Legislation (HR 10210)
Doctors, Not AI Legislation (HR 10210) support letter; AAHD and the Lakeshore Foundation have joined 45 organizations, largely national mental health organizations, led by Inseparable, supporting Doctors, Not AI Legislation (HR 10210). The legislation would require and support independent clinical judgment and health plan review transparency. An identical letter by Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) members, including AAHD, has also been sent.
Data Intermediaries and Approaches To Strengthen Public Health Data Exchanged – CDC RFI
Federal Register: Data Intermediaries and Approaches To Strengthen Public Health Data Exchange Request for Information; September 21 Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Request for Information (RFI) with a November 20 deadline.
Medicare Prescription Medication Plans – Open Enrollment Patient Guides
Medicare Prescription Medication Plans – Open Enrollment Patient Guides; AAHD and the Lakeshore Foundation have joined many patient advocacy organizations through the Medicare Access for Patients Rx (MAPRx) sharing two Medicare prescription medication plan open enrollment guides – October 7. The two Medicare plans are – Medicare Part D, and, the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan (MPPP). Open enrollment is October 15-December 7.
Medicare and ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment Basics for Advocates
Open Enrollment for 2027 Coverage through Medicare & the Marketplace — Basics for Advocates – Justice in Aging Fact Sheet; Justice in Aging guide – October 8.
ACA Enrollment Assistance
Healthcare on the Ballot newsletter article; AAHD – National Disability Navigator Resource Collaborative (NDNRC) – October 9.
Medicare – Medical Nutrition Therapy Legislation (S. 3934 and HR 6199)
Medicare – Medical Nutrition Therapy Legislation (S. 3934 and HR 6199) issue brief; AAHD and the Lakeshore Foundation have joined well over 100 organizations, led by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, in renewing the push for legislation (S. 3934 and HR 6199) to authorize Medicare financing of medical nutrition therapy.
The State of America’s Direct Support Workforce Crisis
The State of America’s Direct Support Workforce Crisis 2026 report; American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) shared by Self-Direction in the News – October 2.
State Community Health Worker (CHW) Policies Tracker
State Community Health Worker Policies state tracker; National Academy for State Health Policy tracker – April 2, updated September 21.
Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers (CCBHC) – CMS Medicaid Payment Guidance
State Medicaid Director Letter 26-004; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services State Medicaid Director Letter (CMS SMD) #26-004 – October 6.
Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers (CCBHC) Transformation: A Year in Review
CCBHC-T A Year in Review; National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and National Council for Mental Wellbeing (NCMW) – overview shared October 2.
GAO – HHS AHRQ Impoundment Not Permitted by Law
B337872, Department of Health and Human Services—Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality—Application of Impoundment Control Act to the Availability of Funds for Grants decision; U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) October 7 decision with report on AHRQ grants impoundment – not permitted by law. Last week, we included the September 29 letter to Congress on the $810 million impoundment that included $28 from AHRQ.