The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed state policymakers to make their Medicaid programs more flexible, analysts from Manatt Health, with funding from The SCAN Foundation, reveal in a recently published resource guide. That flexibility has expanded remote care options, stabilized the long-term services and supports workforce by waiving certain training requirements, extended home-based care to more people, and other tactics, according to the guide.
Designed as a tool to help state officials and other stakeholders, the guide suggests that moving forward, policymakers need to engage care recipients, caregivers, providers and organizations “to determine the direction of broader LTSS system reform,” such as expanded remote service delivery and increased supports for the direct care workforce.
The guide also calls for a “centralized and defined process for federal support and approval of post-pandemic policymaking, and state-to-state learning opportunities when possible.” Manatt Health provides legislative and regulatory advocacy services to the New York State Coalition of Managed Long-Term Care and PACE Plans.
