Week of December 16, 2025

Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS): Strengthening the HCBS Grievance Process

Strengthening the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Grievance Process – National Health Law Program issue brief; National Health Law Program – December 1.

Medicaid Reconciliation Law (HR 1): Work and Community Engagement Requirements: Considerations in Implementing Community Engagement (3)

02_December-meeting slides on stakeholder interviews_Considerations for Implementing Community Engagement Requirements – Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) – December 11. December 9 AAHD news included two CMS community engagement guidance documents.

Medicaid Reconciliation Law (HR 1): Work and Community Engagement Requirements: CMS Community Engagement Guidance (4)

CMS Guidance on Work Requirements summary; Powered by Box – Modern Medicaid Alliance summary of December 8 CMS guidance. December 9 AAHD news included two CMS guidance documents. MMA December 9 summary.

Medicaid Reconciliation Law (HR 1): Work and Community Engagement Requirements: Community Engagement Key Steps and Opportunities for States and Plans (5)

HMA Weekly Roundup summary and analysis; Health Management Associates – (go past their CMS Medicare ACCESS analysis) – December 10.

Medicaid Reconciliation Law (HR 1): Work and Community Engagement Requirements – Medical Frailty Definitions Used in Alternative Benefit Plans

Checking All the Boxes: A Survey of Medical Frailty Definitions in Alternative Benefit Plans and Section 1115 Work Requirements Demonstrations – National Health Law Program issure brief; National Health Law Program – December 3.

Medicaid Reconciliation Law (HR 1): Work and Community Engagement Requirements – Deciding Who Qualifies as Medically Frail Is Tricky

Medicaid Work Rules Exempt the ‘Medically Frail.’ Deciding Who Qualifies Is Tricky. – KFF Health News article; Kaiser Family Foundation – December 1.

Medicaid Managed Care Organizations: Ensuring Accountability – State and Federal Tools

State and Federal Tools for Ensuring Accountability of Medicaid Managed Care Organizations Interview Findings December 3 meeting slides on stakeholder interviews; Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) – December 11.

ACA Essential Health Benefits vs “Junk” Health Insurance Plans

December 5, 2025 | National Disability Navigator Resource Collaborative news analysis; AAHD – NDNRC – December 5.

Medicare Competitive Bidding DMEPOS Final Rules: ITEM Coalition Concerns

ITEM Coalition Expresses Serious Concerns with CMS Final Rule Expanding Medicare Competitive Bidding to Ostomy, Urological Supplies and Orthotic Braces press statement; Independence Through Enhancement of Medicare and Medicaid (ITEM) Coalition concerns with CMS final rules expanding competitive bidding to ostomy-urological supplies-orthotics. (AAHD and the Lakeshore Foundation are; and Supplies). December 5.

Medicare Advantage Payment: A Policymaker’s Guide

A Policymakers’ Guide to Medicare Advantage Payment (December 2025); Powered by Box – Georgetown University Center on Health Insurance Reforms guide – December 11.

Medicare Prior Authorization Streamlining and Transparency – S. 1816/HR 3514

Medicare Advantage Prior Authorization Streamlining and Transparency (S. 1816/HR 3514) – (4) ; AAHD and the Lakeshore Foundation have joined four legislative efforts this year – December 9 fourth legislative posting.

Medicare CMS ACCESS (Chronic Care) Model

ACCESS (Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions) Model ; CMS – December 1 and 4 announcements and presentation.

Medicare CMS ACCESS (Chronic Care Model) (2)

HMA Weekly Roundup summary and analysis; Health Management Associates – December 10.

HHS Limitations on Public Participation in HHS Rule Making (S. J. Res 82)

HHS Limitations on Public Participation in HHS Rule Making (S.J. Res 82); AAHD and the Lakeshore Foundation have joined 67 organizations, led by Families USA, expressing support to the U.S. Senate leadership endorsing S.J. Res 82, by Senators King (ME) and Wyden (OR), opposing HHS announced limitations on public participation in HHS rule making. The December 1.

Making Health Care Affordable Again: Senate HELP Committee Hearing

Making Health Care Affordable Senate Committee Hearing; Senate Committe on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) – December 3.

Community Care Hubs – Engagement, Participation, Governance

Resource Guide: Guide to Effective Community Care Hub Committees and Committe Charters; ACL funded, Aging and Disability Business Institute developed and shared guide – December 2 shared.

Cross-System Complex Case Conferencing

Cross-system complex case conferencing issue brief; Camden Coalition issue brief – December 2.

Aging in Place: Impact of the Community Including Persons with Disabilities – Senate Hearing

Aging in Place: The Impact of Community during the Holidays Senate hearing; Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing including former ACL Alison Barkoff and National Alliance for Caregiving – December 3.

Sustaining Mental Health Program Support

Sustainment Support Planning Infographic – Center for Mental Health Implementation Support (CMHIS) infographic; SAMHSA Center for Mental Health Implementation Support (CMHIS) – November 18.

Making Disability a Quality Priority (NCQA)

Quality Matters podcast recording; National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA) – December 10.

City-Focused Guide to Health Data

Measuring What Matters: A City-Focused Guide to Health Data and Changemaking; City Health Dashboard – November 18.

Sickle Cell Disease in Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

Sickle Cell Disease in Social Security Disability Evaluations report; National Academy of Medicine for the Social Security Administration – December 9.