Health Care Reform — Summaries and implications for PAS


As a result of the health care reform agenda, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) into law on March 23, 2010 and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 on March 30th. These laws, to take effect over the next four years, includes a large number of health-related implications for PAS users.

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) (P.L 111-148)

Full text of Act:
http://democrats.senate.gov/pdfs/reform/patient-protection-affordable-care-act-as-passed.pdf



Summaries



Overall

Summary of the new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act by the Kaiser Family Foundation

This summary and description of changes made to the law by subsequent legislation looks at provisions to expand coverage, control health care costs, and improve the health care delivery system.

For more information:
http://www.kff.org/healthreform/upload/finalhcr.pdf

Timeline for Health Care Reform Implementation from the Commonwealth Fund

The Commonwealth Fund has produced a graphical and text based timeline to indicate when elements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act will take effect. Although some major elements of the bill will begin in 2010, others will be implemented over the following four years, with the most substantial changes such as the expansion of Medicaid & insurance exchanges taking effect in 2014.

For more information:
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/Publications/Other/2010/Timeline-for-Health-Care-Reform-Implementation.aspx

What's in this Comprehensive Health Reform Legislation? An Issue Brief from ANCOR.

This issue brief from ANCOR outlines important facets of the health care reform bill including employer responsibilities, individual mandates, and huge Medicaid changes and is intended to provide a quick explanation of the most significant provisions

For more information:
http://www.ancor.org/sites/default/files/ANCOR%20HCR%20Explanation%20Issue%20Brief%20March%2020%202010.pdf

Health Reform for Americans with Disabilities - Fact Sheet

The Affordable Care Act Gives Americans with Disabilities Greater Control Over Their Own Health Care:

  • Greater Choices for Americans with Disabilities
  • Lowering Costs by Rewarding Quality and Cutting Waste
  • Assuring Accessible, Quality, Affordable Health Care for People with Disabilities

For more information:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/health_reform_for_americans_with_disabilities.pdf

Health Reform and Americans with Disabilities - Video

Get answers to your questions about how the Affordable Care Act will give Americans with disabilities greater choices and more control over their health care.

View video:
http://www.youtube.com/user/USHealthReform#p/p/E13B55ACDF862D29/0/ccKQNklpCWg

What the Affordable Care Act Means for Americans with Disabilities

By Henry Claypool, Director of Office on Disability.

As the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and 11th Anniversary of the Olmstead v. LC decision approach, it is exciting to reflect on how the Affordable Care Act advances the principles of equality, barrier removal, and community integration embodied in these landmark events.

Historically, people with disabilities have been severely disadvantaged in accessing private health insurance, subject to discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, benefit limits and exclusions, and at risk of losing coverage on short notice.

For more information:
http://www.healthreform.gov/forums/blog/disabilities.html

Health Reform Blog

Follow the Health Reform blog from HealthReform.gov

To view blog, please visist:
http://www.healthreform.gov/forums/blog/blog.html

The Impact Of Health Care Reform On People With Disabilities

The United Spinal Association and the National Spinal Cord Injury Association have issued a guide on healthcare and insurance reforms that explains how they improve the lives of people with disabilities. The Impact of Health Care Reform on People with Disabilities has information about insurance market reforms; mandatory health plan coverage provisions; home- and community-based services; Medicare outpatient therapy caps and Medicaid eligibility requirements; and the new standards that ensure medical equipment in doctors' offices and other medical facilities are accessible.

For more information:
http://www.unitedspinal.org/2010/06/08/the-impact-of-health-care-reform-on-people-with-disabilities

Bruce Chernof discusses who needs long-term care and who pays for it - Video

Bruce Chernof from the Alliance for Health Reform discusses who needs long-term care and who pays for it. The second video covers how the new health law promotes long-term care.

Bruce Chernof discusses how the new health law promotes long-term care - Video

Bruce Chernof from the Alliance for Health Reform discusses how the new health law promotes long-term care.



Long term care

Long-Term Services and HCBS Medicaid Improvements Included in New Law

In addition to the health-related provisions included in the health care reform bill changes to long term supports and services and makes improvements to HCBS Medicaid have been added.

This issue brief from ANCOR provides more information regarding PPACA's new long-term supports and services program and Medicaid improvements to long-term services.

For more information:
http://www.ancor.org/sites/default/files/HCR Issue Brief No 4-2010.pdf

Summary of the Long Term Services and Supports Provisions in the Health Reform Law

This summary from AUCD, provides detailed information on provisions in the law that impact Home and Community-Based Services in Medicaid, the Community Living Assistance, Services and Supports (CLASS) Act, and the new State Balancing Incentives Payment Program.

For more information:
http://www.aucd.org/docs/policy/health_care/Section%20by%20Section%20summary%20of%20LTSS%20in%20HCR%20law%205-5-10.pdf

Long Term Services and Supports and Chronic Care Coordination: Policy Advances Enacted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

This report by Diane Justice focuses on policy changes related to the continuum of care for older people specifically long term services and supports (LTSS) and chronic care coordination. For this analysis, the Act's major provisions in these areas are organized into five categories:

  1. national insurance for long term services and supports
  2. Medicaid options and incentives to expand LTSS
  3. other LTSS provisions
  4. chronic care coordination
  5. nursing home reforms.

For more information:
http://nashp.org/sites/default/files/LongTermServ%20Final.pdf

Public Policy and Aging Report: Bringing CLASS to Long-Term Care Through the Affordable Care Act

From the SCAN Foundation. The Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act - a largely overlooked component of the 2010 Affordable Care Act - allows working Americans to take personal responsibility for planning ahead so they can age with dignity and independence. It also has the potential to transform long-term care from a welfare-based to an insurance-based system.

This featured Public Policy & Aging Report, contains seven articles that recount the origins of the CLASS Act, analyze the legislation's key provisions, and explores potential hurdles of implementation.

For more information:
http://www.thescanfoundation.org/sites/default/files/PPAR Themed Issue_0.pdf



Medicaid

Expansion of Medicaid Coverage to New Eligible's

This ANCOR Issue Brief addresses Medicaid coverage changes regarding the expansions to newly eligible individuals, financing, and impact on states. This brief does not address changes in Medicaid long-term supports, which is addressed in the Long term care section above.

For more information:
http://www.ancor.org/sites/default/files/HCR_Medicaid_Issue_Brief_March_29_2010_0.pdf

Other Medicaid-Related and CMS Provisions of Interest to Providers

This Issue Brief by ANCOR provides information on highlighted statutory provisions regarding Medicaid-related and other issues of importance to providers.

For more information:
http://www.ancor.org/sites/default/files/HCR_Other_Medicaid_Issue_Brief_April2_2010.pdf



Other

Health Care Reform and Family Caregivers

President Obama made history when he signed health care reform legislation into law on March 23, 2010. The new law, which will expand health insurance coverage to nearly every citizen, is packed with provisions that will impact all Americans. A new policy brief from the Family Care Alliance looks at how many of the provisions are especially good for family caregivers.

More information available at:
http://caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=2397

Health Care Act Provisions of Interest to the Families of Youth with Disabilities

Although details have yet to be worked out, the recently passed health care reform bill will affect people with disabilities and their families. Two provisions include prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage to children based on pre-existing conditions and allowing parents to keep adult children on their insurance plans until age 26 are both part of the recently passed Health Care Reform Act.

A new report from the PACER Center looks into areas of the bill of interest to families of children and youth with disabilities.

More information available at:
http://www.pacer.org/tatra

Health Care Reform and Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries

This Alert from the Center for Medicare Advocacy, Inc. focuses on provisions affecting low-income Medicare beneficiaries, including several provisions in the Medicaid portions of the law. It does not address many new long-term care options available to State Medicaid programs, nor does it address the new federal benefit to pay for long-term care, the Community Living Assistance Services and Support (CLASS) provisions.

More information is available at:
http://www.medicareadvocacy.org/InfoByTopic/Reform/10_04.22.ReformAndLowIncomeBenes.htm

Changes To Medicare Advantage Plans And Prescription Drug Plans Under Health Care Reform

This Alert from the Center for Medicare Advocacy, Inc. addresses changes affecting Medicare Advantage plans under Medicare Part C and prescription drug plans under Medicare Part D.

More information is available at:
http://www.medicareadvocacy.org/InfoByTopic/Reform/10_04.08.MAandPDChanges.htm

Summary of Prevention and Wellness Provisions in the New Health Reform Law

This summary provides detailed information on the prevention and wellness provisions in the new health reform law, with particular focus on those that impact AUCD network programs.

More information is available at:
http://www.aucd.org/docs/policy/health_care/Section%20by%20Section%20Summary%20of%20Prevention%20and%20Wellness%20Provisions.pdf

Summary of Workforce Provisions in the New Health Reform Law

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act provides improved access to and the delivery of health care services for all individuals, particularly low income, underserved, uninsured, minority, health disparity, and rural populations by increasing the supply of qualified health care workforce.

More information is available at:
http://www.aucd.org/docs/policy/health_care/Section%20by%20Section%20Summary%20of%20Health%20Care%20Workforce.pdf

Health Reform Provisions for Nursing Homes

This Alert from the Center for Medicare Advocacy focuses on provisions affecting nursing homes. The provisions are divided between the Patient Protection and Affordability Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (HCERA).

More information is available at:
http://www.medicareadvocacy.org/InfoByTopic/Reform/10_06.17.SNFProvisions.htm

Workforce Development and Training Opportunities for Direct-Care Workers

This fact sheet from PHI describes ways in which the 2010 health reform law may have a positive impact on the direct-care workforce. It describes several new workforce commissions, federal training grants, and workforce-development programs that will be created as a result of health reform.

More information is available at:
http://phinational.org/clearinghouse/l_art_det.jsp?res_id=302010



Implications

Long term care: Options in an era of health reform

The goal of this paper is to frame the main issues of long-term care reform and to lay out the principal reform options available to policymakers. While long-term care is unlikely to be at the center of the upcoming debate on health care reform, much can and should be done to improve the system in the near term. The paper begins with a brief background section that sets the stage for a discussion of financing, service delivery, and quality assurance. In most cases, the options presented are not mutually exclusive in principle, but limited resources will require choices among them.

More information available at:
http://www.pascenter.org/publications/publication_home.php?id=970