Week of October 21, 2025

Medicaid Home-and-Community-Based Services (HCBS): Self-Direction for Older Adults

Self-Direction in HCBS for Older Adults report; Council on Quality and Leadership – October 9.

Medicaid Home-and-Community-Based Services (HCBS): Who Chooses Consumer-Directed Personal Care? – New York

Who chooses consumer-directed personal care? Characterizing users and switchers under New York Medicaid – PMC article ; Health Affairs Scholar (posted on NIH Pub Med Central) – September 1.

Improving Medicaid for Enrollees with Disabilities – Three Suggestions for States

Three Opportunities for States to Improve Health Care for Medicaid Members with Disabilities – CHCS Blog; Center for Health Care Strategies blog – presumptive eligibility; disability competent care; administrative integration – October 15.

ACA: Diminishing Insurance Choices in Affordable Care Act Marketplaces – County-Based Analysis

Diminishing Insurance Choices In The Affordable Care Act Marketplaces: A County-Based Analysis | Health Affairs article ; Health Affairs – October 15.

ACA Marketplaces at a Crossroads: Who’s Covered and What’s At Stake

October 15, 2025 HMA Weekly Roundup: Trends in Health Policy white paper;  Health Management Associates  – October 15.

“Special Needs” Phrase – CCD Ed Task Force – Dept of Ed Should Discontinue Use

CCD Education Task Force Letter on the use of “Special Needs” to U.S. Department of Education;  Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities (CCD) – October 9.

Creating Shared Vision and Governance for Public Health Data Modernization – Vermont

Creating Shared Vision and Governance for Data Modernization in Vermont blog; Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) – October 8.

SSA Considering Eliminating Age Factor in SSDI and SSI Disability Determination

Social Security plans to make it harder to get disability benefits article; Washington Post on Social Security Administration disability determination factors – October 5.

Addiction as Disability: SSDI and SUD

Addiction as disability: disparities in accessing SSDI benefits for substance use disorders: Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions: Vol 0, No 0]; Mathematica CSDP shared Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions article – October 10 shared September 19 article.

Leveraging Community Health Workers To Address Rural Health Care Needs

Leveraging Community Health Workers to Address Rural Health Care Needs tip sheet; Center for Health Care Strategies – October 14.

Leveraging BH Peers To Address Behavioral Health Care Workforce Shortages in Rural Areas

Leveraging Peers and Lay Counselors to Address Behavioral Health Care Workforce Shortages in Rural Areas – Center for Health Care Strategies tip sheet; Center for Health Care Strategies – October 3.

Leveraging Community Paramedicine To Address Rural Health Needs

Leveraging Community Paramedicine to Address Rural Health Needs tip sheet; Center for Health Care Strategies tip sheet – October 14.

Targeting Rural Health Care Workforce Investments: Medicaid Primary Care Provider Distribution

Targeting Rural Health Care Workforce Investments by Tracking the Local Distribution of Medicaid Primary Care Providers blog; Milbank Memorial Fund – October 14.

The Nurse Practitioner Will See You Now – Investing in Primary Care

Investing in Primary Care: The Nurse Practitioner Will See You Now report; Milbank Memorial Fund report – October 7.

Medicare Home Health Guides

Home Health Care – Center for Medicare Advocacy materials; Center for Medicare Advocacy – October 17.

Medicare Open Enrollment – FAQs

Medicare Open Enrollment FAQs; Advancing States shared Kaiser Family Foundation FAQs – October 17.

Medicare Performance – Varied Beneficiary Experiences by State

State Scorecard on Medicare Beneficiary Experiences; Commonwealth Fund – October 16.

Medicare Advantage Provider Directories – Errors Mislead

Medicare Advantage open enrollment provider directory mired in errors article; Washington Post – October 16.

Site Neutral Commercial Payment for Outpatient Health Care Services

Model Legislation to Establish Site-Neutral Commercial Payment for Select Outpatient Health Care Services – NASHP blog; National Academy for State Health Policy – October 7.