By CQ Staff
August 9, 2010 -- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has sent a letter to state Medicaid directors telling them they can ease barriers to providing care to the frail and disabled outside of nursing homes.
The letter says that effective Oct. 1, under the health care overhaul law, states can allow access under certain circumstances to "home- and community-based services" before Medicaid recipients need institutional care.
Previously, states had to certify a Medicaid recipient need an institutional level of care to qualify for the same set of services outside a nursing home.
The Aug. 6 letter from Medicaid Center Director Cindy Mann says the changes allow states to target home- and community-based services (HCBS) to certain groups of people, to increase those services and to improve their quality. The services include providing home health aides, adult day care and respite care services to give usual caregivers a break in order to keep them from burning out.