E-alert

Integrated Care Updates- April 2021

April 2021 Newsletter:

- Request for Public Comments: Proposed Increase in Medicare Hospice Payment Rates Would Also Increase Medicaid Rates

- COVID-19 and Dually Eligible Individuals

- Upcoming CMS Webinars

- April 2021 Enrollment in Medicare-Medicaid Plans

- April 2021 Enrollment in PACE Plans

Integrated Care Updates- March 2021

March 2021 Newsletter:

- New ICRC Resources on Ombudsman Programs

- Glossary of Terms Related to Integrated Care for Dually Eligible Individuals

- Working with Medicare: Medicare 101 and 201 Webinars

- MACPAC and MedPAC March Reports to Congress: Issues Related to Integrated Care

- HPMS Memo on State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs and AIDS Drug Assistance Programs

- Upcoming Webinar: Strategies for Health Plans to Support Access to COVID-19 Vaccines for Vulnerable Populations

Opportunities to Boost COVID-19 Vaccination Rates

On Thursday, July 1, 2021 from 3:00-4:30 pm ET, please join the Administration on Community Living (ACL) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for a webinar on Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy Among Direct Service Workers.

 

Integrated Care Updates- May 2021

Here is our May 2021 Newsletter:

  • FAQ on Coordinating Medicaid Benefits with Medicare Advantage Supplemental Benefits

  • State and Health Plan Resources to Promote COVID-19 Vaccination Access

  • American Rescue Plan Act Will Provide Additional Support for Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Services

  • Opportunities to Support Enrollment in the Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help

  • May 2021 Enrollment in Medicare-Medicaid Plans

  • May 2021 Enrollment in PACE Organizations

     

     

Opportunities to Support Enrollment in the Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help

The Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help are important programs designed to help low-income Americans afford Medicare coverage. Many people who are eligible for these programs are not yet enrolled. Each May, the Social Security Administration (SSA) sends letters to 2 million low-income Medicare beneficiaries, informing them about the Medicare Savings Programs and how they can help with Medicare costs. These include the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB), Specified Low-income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB), and Qualifying Individual (QI) programs.

CMS Releases Updated State Phased-Down Billing Guide

On March 11, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the updated State Phased-Down (SPD) Billing Guide. The Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (Medicare Modernization Act or MMA) established the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit. As a result, Medicare became the primary payer for most prescription drugs for full-benefit dually eligible individuals.