HHS announces grants to help seniors, people with disabilities and caregivers navigate long term care options

Modern Healthcare: As part of the new health law, HHS is distributing $68 million in grants "to help people navigate their health and long-term-care options. The grants will be going to states, territories, tribal and community-based organizations to help seniors, individuals with disabilities and caregivers make more-informed decisions about their health and long-term care. In particular, the funds will be used to help families understand their Medicare and Medicaid benefits, navigate options for long-term care and 'assist those transitioning from nursing or rehabilitation facilities back home to put the supports in place to make that transition successful,' according to HHS" (Lubell, 9/27).

The Hill Healthcare Watch: "The grants focus on four areas: Medicare outreach: 50 states and territories and 125 tribal organizations funded to provide outreach and assistance to Medicare beneficiaries on their benefits, including coverage for preventive services ($40 million). Additionally, $5 million goes to the National Center for Benefits Outreach and Enrollment for technical assistance; Counseling grants: 20 states funded to strengthen programs of the Aging and Disability Resource Centers for community-based health and long-term care services ($10 million); Transition grants: 24 state Medicaid agencies helped to transition individuals from nursing homes to community-based care ($10 million); Home-care grants: 16 states funded to coordinate and continue to encourage evidence-based care transition models that help older persons or persons with disabilities remain in their own homes after a hospital, rehabilitation or skilled-nursing-facility stay ($3 million)" (Pecquet, 9/27).

CQ Healthbeat: "The awards will be administered by HHS's Administration on Aging and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. … Most states will receive funds for outreach and assistance efforts to council Medicare recipients on their benefits, including preventive services" (9/27).

Quad City Times/The Associated Press: "Iowa is in line for $1.4 million in grants to help seniors, the disabled and caregivers to better understand health and long-term care options. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the grants on Monday" (9/28).

The Baltimore Sun Blog: "Maryland is slated to get $1.7 million of the $68 million in federal funding, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Monday" (Brewington, 9/27).

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This article was reprinted from khn.org with permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent news service, is a program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonpartisan health care policy research organization unaffiliated with Kaiser Permanente.