HHS/OCR FINALIZES RULE ON PROTECTIONS AGAINST DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION It has been a busy week for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)! HHS through the OCR finalized a rule that prohibits the discrimination based on disability, in turn strengthening […] Read More »

HHS AND CMS STRENGTHENING HCBS SERVICES The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have issued three final rules: minimum staffing standards for nursing homes, ensuring access to Medicaid services as an access rule that will strengthen home and community-based services (HCBS), and improving access to […] Read More »

NEW FACTSHEET ON SPECIAL ENROLLMENT PERIODS! The NDNRC has just released its latest factsheet on specific information on the availability of special enrollment periods, which are qualifying events that allow individuals to enroll in Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace coverage outside of the open enrollment period, for people with disabilities and unique circumstances that they […] Read More »

43.6 MILLION ENROLLEES QUALIFY FOR RENEWED COVERAGE As of April 11, states have reported renewal outcomes for more than half of those enrolled in Medicaid/CHIP, according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) with 30.4 million renewals still remaining. 21% of those who completed the renewal process were disenrolled and 43.6 million enrollees were […] Read More »

HHS TAKING ADDITIONAL ACTION IN COVERAGE DURING MEDICAID RENEWALS The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be taking additional action in aiding people to remain covered during the current Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Guidance and resources include tools for states on federal renewal requirements, completion of signatures for enrollees, […] Read More »

THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT TURNS 14! March 23, 2024, marks the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act! Despite multiple efforts to repeal and replace the ACA, it continues today, offering millions of Americans affordable, accessible, and continuous healthcare coverage. This past Open Enrollment saw record numbers of ACA marketplace enrollments, with 21.3 million signing […] Read More »

OVER 37 MILLION HAVE THEIR COVERAGE RENEWED As of March 4, over 17.7 million Medicaid enrollees have lost coverage, according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) with 41.3 million renewals still remaining. 19% of those who completed the renewal process were disenrolled and 37 million enrollees were able to qualify for renewed coverage. […] Read More »