|
Policy Update
Reminder! Utilizing the ABE Partner Portal is the preferred method for submitting documentation!
In the Provider Notice Issued 04/29/2021 (illinois.gov), Long Term Care (LTC) providers were notified that the Department of Human Services (DHS) would be utilizing the Central Scanning Unit (CSU) Datacap for LTC providers as an option to upload documents to the resident’s case record via fax if they were unable to utilize the Application for Benefits Eligibility (ABE) Partner Portal. However, if the LTC provider is not able to utilize the ABE Partner Portal, documents should be faxed to the DHS CSU-LTC at (217) 557-4965.
If the LTC provider is unable to utilize the ABE Partner Portal or the DHS CSU-LTC fax number, the documentation should be addressed and sent to the DHS CSU-LTC address provided below.
Effective December 1, 2023, the address for the DHS CSU-LTC will be:
Illinois Department of Human Services
Central Scanning Unit - LTC
PO Box 34020
Chicago, IL 60634-0019
Healthy Illinois 2028
The Illinois Department of Public Health and the State Board of Health held a series of public hearings at the end of November to present and seek public comment on the State Health Assessment (SHA) and the State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP). The two documents are significant components of “Healthy Illinois 2028,” the statewide 5-year plan to improve the social and structural determinants of health, the public health system infrastructure, and provide for improvements in specific health priorities that would benefit all Illinoisans.
The health priorities selected for Healthy Illinois 2028 are: (1) chronic disease; (2) COVID-19 and emerging diseases; (3) maternal and infant health; (4) mental health and substance use disorder; and (5) racism as a public health crisis. “Each of these priorities for health improvement will be approached utilizing implementation strategies that address the crosscutting issues necessary for each priority to succeed.” These crosscutting issues include: • access to health care and wraparound services; • physical and built environment; • public health system infrastructure; • racial equity; and • social and structural determinants. The plan will address inequities by forming an appointed advisory committee on racism in health care and building a more diverse health care workforce. There is no mention of the provision of healthcare for the growing migrant population in Illinois.
Here are the SHA and SHIP.
This Month HHS Released Its National Plan Update Marking Year of Progress on Alzheimer’s Disease, Related Dementias
After years of investment in dementia research by NIH, in 2023, the FDA for the first time granted traditional approval to a drug to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), an historic step in the fight against this devastating disease. Following the FDA announcement in July, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) opened a free, online registry where clinicians across the country can provide data on clinical diagnosis and adverse events for patients in the early stages of AD. The registry allows patients to receive the treatment through Medicare while also contributing to our collective knowledge about who is more or less likely to benefit from these drugs. In October, CMS also removed the previous limit of one PET beta-amyloid scan per lifetime. To learn more, click here. To read the National Plan, click here.
IDPH Creates New Surveillance Dashboard
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) recently announced the launch of a new Infectious Respiratory Disease Surveillance Dashboard that will be updated each Friday and provide the latest data on hospital visits, seasonal trends, lab test positivity and demographic data.
CDC Issues Health Advisory!
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to alert healthcare providers to low vaccination rates against influenza, COVID-19, and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). Low vaccination rates, coupled with ongoing increases in national and international respiratory disease activity caused by multiple pathogens, including influenza viruses, SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), and RSV, could lead to more severe disease and increased healthcare capacity strain in the coming weeks. To learn more, click here.
CMS Funding for Worker Registry
CMS this month issued an Informational Bulletin to remind states and stakeholders that the use of worker management platforms, often called registries, is an important strategy for ensuring that individuals receiving Medicaid-covered home and community-based services (HCBS) have awareness of and access to qualified workers who deliver services. Importantly, the use of these registries does not require CMCS approval. This Informational Bulletin is part of a series of steps CMCS is taking to maximize beneficiary access to Medicaid services they need, recognizing the critical role direct support workers have in delivering HCBS. To learn more, click here.
CMS Last month Released the Latest Enrollment Figures for Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
On November 30, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the latest enrollment figures for Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP. As of August 2023, over 66.3 million people are enrolled in Medicare; nearly 34 million are enrolled in fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare, and more than 32.3 million have a Medicare Advantage plan. Over 89.9 million enrollees have Medicaid and CHIP. More than 83 million individuals have Medicaid, and over 6.9 million have coverage through CHIP. Over 12 million individuals are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and are counted in the enrollment figures for both programs. Click here for more information.
Illinois is Top State for Medicaid Renewals
According to a release from the Department of Healthcare & Family Services, Illinois has the highest Medicaid renewal rate in the United States after Medicaid eligibility verifications resumed earlier this year. Verifications were paused during the COVID-19 pandemic when the federal government required continuous Medicaid coverage.
In the Spring, HFS embarked on a multi-platform outreach campaign called “Ready to Renew,” aimed at educating Medicaid recipients about their upcoming renewal requirements. Prior to redeterminations resuming earlier this year, Illinoisans had not been asked to renew their Medicaid coverage since March 2020. HFS has updated and rebranded the toolkit, which is now called “Are You Covered.”
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Medicaid Enrollment and Unwinding Tracker Illinois and Maine have the highest renewal rates among all states, at 90%.
Customers can call 1-800-843-6154 for help with their renewal. For more information, visit Medicaid.illinois.gov.
| 
