Older Americans Month 2012
Message from Administration for Community Living Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee:
It is an honor to join President Obama in proclaiming May 2012 as Older Americans Month. This recognition, which has been celebrated nationally since 1963, gives us an opportunity to honor and acknowledge older Americans for the contributions they make to our Nation. This year's theme for Older Americans Month, "Never Too Old to Play" recognizes that older Americans are active and engaged in their communities, giving younger generations the benefit of their wisdom and experience. I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of the Administration on Aging’s national aging services network which is working tirelessly to provide services and supports to older adults that enable them to remain healthy and independent. During Older Americans Month we should all find ways to enrich the lives of the older adults who touch our lives and make a difference in our county.
To read the President’s proclamation, visit
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/05/01/presidential-proclamation-older-americans-month-2012
Administration for Community Living (ACL)
On April 16, 2012, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the consolidation of the Administration on Aging, the Office on Disability and the Administration on Developmental Disabilities; to create the Administration for Community Living (ACL).
The focus of this new agency will be enhanced policy and program support for both cross-cutting initiatives and efforts focused on the unique needs of individual groups such as children with developmental disabilities, adults with physical disabilities, and seniors. The goal of this new agency is to work on increasing access to community supports and achieving full community participation for people with disabilities and seniors.
For more information, please visit
http://hhs.gov/acl
AMTA Participates in SAMHSA Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day 2012
AMTA is a regular participant in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day; being held this year on May 9, 2012. (http://www.samhsa.gov/children/) Each year, it is the communities' creativity and innovation that capture the essence of Awareness Day.
In 2011, more than 1,100 communities held events for Awareness Day. Events included community events, youth rallies, social media campaigns, and art, dance, and music related activities for children and youth. Every Awareness Day event aimed to raise awareness about the importance of children's mental health. For 2012, they are focusing on "Heroes of Hope", highlighting children birth to 18 yrs., who have demonstrated resilience in dealing with trauma in their lives.
SAMHSA would like to include suggested music activities related to incorporate into the Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day experience. {If you were to do an event that involved music, what would it look like?} While we are not permitted to use the word "therapy" there are several ways to characterize our goals and intentions. (ex. enhancing lives, building resilience, enables parents to engage with their children, etc.) The events can be for small or large groups within the community.
If you are inspired to host your own Awareness Day 2012 activity, fill out and submit your pledge form (http://www.samhsa.gov/children/Pledge_insert_2012_508.pdf )to share your plans with SAMHSA and the Caring for Every Child's Mental Health Campaign team.
Please let us know if you host an event in your area. We would love to hear about it!! Details or a copy of your pledge form can be emailed to AMTA Government Relations Associate, Rebecca Smith at smithr@musictherapy.org We would love to hear about it!!
Institute of Education Sciences (IES) - Announces New Series of Funding Opportunities Webinars
The Institute of Education Sciences will host a series of funding opportunities webinars in April – August, 2012. These webinars will focus on a wide range of topics for applicants to the FY 2013 grant
programs, including the application process, grant writing, and overviews of specific funding opportunities. Full descriptions of the webinars are available and registration is now open. For further
information and to register, click here <http://ies.ed.gov/funding/webinars/index.asp> .
Affordable Care Act (ACA) 2012 Progress Report
Last month the White House released the 2012 ACA Progress Report. While the report gives an overview of the many accomplishments of the ACA to date, it also outlines the many steps that various states have taken to establish Affordable Health Insurance Exchanges by 2014. Exchanges are State-based one-stop marketplaces where consumers will be able choose private health insurance plans that fit their health needs.
To download a copy, visit:
Department of Labor - Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Allied Health Competency Model
"The mission of the Employment and Training Administration is to contribute to the more efficient functioning of the U.S. labor market by providing high quality job training, employment, labor market information, and income maintenance services primarily through state and local workforce development systems." (http://www.doleta.gov/etainfo/mission.cfm)
The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has worked with technical and subject matter experts from education, business, and industry to develop a comprehensive competency model for the Allied Health industry sector. The model identifies the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for workers to perform successfully in the field of Allied Health.
AMTA Government Relations Director, Judy Simpson, participated as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for ETA's Industry Competency Initiative for Allied Health. AMTA also served as a Validator and Industry Champion in the Model development process. Ongoing collaboration with the Health Professions Network (HPN) was instrumental in AMTA's participation in this project.
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Releases White Paper on Arts and Human Development
The National Endowment for the Arts is leading a new task force of 13 federal agencies and departments to encourage more and better research on how the arts help people reach their full potential at all stages of life. The new task force will look for ways to facilitate discussion, showcase, and share recent research on the arts and human development. A white paper titled "The Arts and Human Development: Framing a National Research Agenda for the Arts, Lifelong Learning, and Individual Well-Being," has been developed to examine the relationship between the arts and positive health and educational outcomes at various segments of the lifespan -- from early childhood, to youth and adolescence, to older adult populations. AMTA was invited to participate in the introductory webinar and will be contributing to the collection process as it moves forward.
Institute of Medicine (IOM) - Allied Health Workforce Workshop Summary Released
Earlier this year, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) held a two-day meeting titled, “Workshop on the Allied Health Workforce and Professions.” The workshop was intended to examine the current allied health care workforce and consider how that workforce contributes to solutions for improving access to health care services, particularly for underserved, rural, and other populations.
Content included a discussion on the definition of the allied health workforce and improving workforce strategies geared towards increasing access to allied health services. Attention was focused on raising awareness for policy makers, state and local governments, and allied health care providers to improve regulations related to allied health care delivery.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Awards Affordable Insurance Exchange Grants to States
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded nearly $220 million in Affordable Insurance Exchange grants to 13 states to help them create Exchanges, giving these states more flexibility and resources to implement the Affordable Care Act. More than half of states now creating marketplaces to help millions of families and small businesses buy insurance. The health care reform law gives states the freedom to design Affordable Insurance Exchanges - one-stop marketplaces where consumers can choose a private health insurance plan that fits their health needs and have the same kinds of insurance choices as members of Congress.
The Department also released several Frequently Asked Questions providing answers to key questions states need to know as they work to set up these new marketplaces. Critical among these are that states that run Exchanges have more options than originally proposed when it comes to determining eligibility for tax credits and Medicaid. And states have more time toapply for "Level One" Exchange grants.
In the new Exchanges, insurers will provide new information such as an easy-to-understand summary of benefits and costs to consumers. The level of detail will sharpen competition between carriers which will drive costs down.
Of the 13 states awarded grants, 12 are receiving Level One grants, which provide one year of funding to states that have already made progress using their Exchange planning grant. Forty-nine states and the District of Columbia have already received planning grants, and 45 states have consulted with consumer advocates and insurance companies. Thirteen states have passed legislation to create an Exchange.
States have many opportunities to apply for funding. To accommodate state legislative sessions and to give states more time to apply, HHS also announced a six-month extension for Level One establishment grant applications. Applications now will be accepted until June 29, 2012 (the original deadline was December 30, 2011).
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)/Part C/Regulations Released
The U.S. Department of Education has announced the release of the final regulations for the early intervention program under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The final Part C regulations incorporate provisions in the 2004 amendments to Part C of the IDEA. Additionally, the final regulations provide States with flexibility in some areas, while ensuring State accountability to improve results and providing needed services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. The regulations focus on measuring and improving outcomes for the approximately 350,000 children served by the Part C program with the goal of ensuring that such children are ready for preschool and kindergarten.
Final regulations have been delivered to the Office of the Federal Register but have not yet been scheduled for publication. The official version of this document is the document that will be published in the Federal Register in the next couple of weeks. The pre-publication Part C final regulations are posted at:
www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/news.html
Advocacy Month in Music Therapy
Details on 2012 #MTAdvocacy Day on the way!
News from AARP
Weathering the Storm: The Impact of the Great Recession on Long-Term Services and Supports
http://msg4svc.net/clfrt/309915/54/2086/506/0/S/0/0/ubcn.html
This report from AARP documents how the recession continues to affect state programs for older individuals and adults with physical disabilities. Demand for publicly funded services has grown, and resources-including staff-are stretched thin, according to this new 50-state study. Specifically, 31 states cut aging and disability services programs (non-Medicaid) in FY 2010, and 28 states were expecting to cut these programs in FY 2011.
In addition, this study provides a very early snapshot of the likelihood of states pursuing some of the long-term services and supports provisions within the Affordable Care Act.
News from the Administration on Aging
There are many important changes under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) that improve access and services for people with Medicare. Many of these changes will take place in 2011 and some even began as early as January 1. Below is a list of some of the changes beneficiaries will experience this year:
1. Access to a new Physician Compare Website
A new CMS Healthcare Provider Directory is now available through the Physician Compare Website. This consumer-friendly site is designed to help beneficiaries and their families locate and compare health professionals in communities across the country. You can find the following information on the site:
-- contact and address information for physicians' offices;
-- physicians' medical specialties
-- where they completed their degree as well as residency or other
clinical training;
-- his or her gender
-- which languages a physician speaks; and
-- whether or not a physician participates in the Medicare program.
CMS will continue to expand and improve Physician Compare with more information about quality of care and patient experience that can help consumers learn more about the care provided by Medicare-participating physicians. To learn more about the Physician Compare Website, please visit: www.medicare.gov/find-a-doctor.
2. Improvements to Medicare Preventive Benefits
Annual Wellness Visit: Beginning January 1, 2011, people with Medicare have access to a new "Annual Wellness Visit" where they can receive a comprehensive health risk assessment and develop a personalized prevention plan.
Improved cost-sharing for Medicare preventive services: Also, as of January 1, the ACA also eliminates cost-sharing for Medicare-covered preventive services that are recommended (rated A or B) by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The services which now have no cost-sharing (if a doctor accepts assignment under Medicare, meaning he or she accepts what Medicare pays for a service as payment in full) include:
-- abdominal aortic aneurysm screening
-- bone mass measurement
-- breast cancer screening/mammograms
-- cardiovascular screening tests (although you generally will have to pay
20% of the Medicare-approved amount for the doctor's visit)
-- certain types of colorectal cancer screenings (i.e., flexible
sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy)
-- diabetes screening tests (although you generally will have to pay 20%
of the Medicare-approved amount for the doctor's visit)
-- flu shots
-- Hepatitis B shots
-- HIV screening tests (although you generally will have to pay 20% of the
Medicare-approved amount for the doctor's visit)
-- medical nutrition therapy services (for those with diabetes or kidney
disease, or who have had a kidney transplant in the last 36 months and
whose doctor refers them for these services)
-- Pap tests and pelvic exams
-- physical exams...both the 'Welcome to Medicare' visit and the annual
'wellness visit'
-- pneumococcal shot
-- prostate cancer screening
-- smoking cessation counseling
Smoking cessation counseling: More people are now eligible for the smoking cessation counseling benefit under Medicare. Now all beneficiaries who smoke can take advantage of as many as eight smoking cessation counseling sessions.
To learn more about Medicare-covered preventive benefits, go to:
http://www.medicare.gov/navigation/manage-your-health/preventive-services/preventive-service-overview.aspx
3. Improvements to the Medicare Advantage Program
Medicare Advantage disenrollment period: People enrolled in private Medicare Advantage plans now have a 45-day window (from January 1 to February 14 of each year) in which they may return to Original Medicare (Parts A and B) and also enroll in a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan if they wish.
Special Needs Plans: The new law also extends the Medicare Advantage Special Needs Program for an additional three years. Special Needs Plans (SNPs) are allowed to target enrollment to people with one or more types of special needs including 1) individuals living in an institution 2) individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid; and/or 3) individuals with severe or disabling chronic conditions.
4. Improvements to Medicare Part D
Savings in the Coverage Gap: Beginning in 2011, people with Medicare will benefit from reduced cost-sharing for prescriptions they purchase while in the coverage gap (also known as the "doughnut hole") -- a 50 percent savings on covered brand-name prescriptions and seven percent discount on generic drugs. Medicare will continue to reduce beneficiary cost-sharing and phase out the Part D coverage gap until 2020. For more information (including what will count toward a person's True Out-of-Pocket, or TrOOP costs), visit http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11493.pdf.
Changes to the Annual Enrollment Period: In addition, thanks to the ACA, the annual open enrollment period in which people with Medicare may compare and enroll in Medicare Part D plans has been rescheduled and extended . Starting this year, the Annual Enrollment Period will begin October 15th and continue until December 7th.
5. Improvements to the Low-Income Subsidy
Reassignment: Through changes to the Medicare Advantage program, the ACA makes it easier for those receiving the Extra Help/Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) to stay in the same plan from one year to the next. The law improves the determination formula for plans to remain a $0 premium benchmark LIS plan (plans that offer basic Medicare Part D coverage with rates low enough to allow Medicare to cover 100% of a beneficiary's premium). This will reduce the number of people reassigned to new prescription drug plans each year and increase the number of LIS benchmark plan options available to beneficiaries. In addition, those who must still be automatically reassigned to a new plan will now receive more detailed information from CMS regarding their new plan so that they can make a more informed and timely decision about their new plan.
There are many additional resources discussing the impact of ACA for Medicare beneficiaries. For more information about these changes, please visit: http://www.healthcare.gov/center/reports/affordablecareact.html.
For a printer friendly version, please visit:
http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/Press_Room/News/2011/docs/Medicare_1_01_11.pdf
HPSO - Risk Advisor Newsletter
The HPSO Risk Advisor is published as an added benefit for the insurance customers of Healthcare Providers Service Organization. The Risk Advisor shares articles of interest, answers to frequently asked questions and actual case studies.
Please click here for more information.