The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently announced billions of dollars in new health care reform funding to help Medicaid beneficiaries remain in their homes and other community settings. Thirteen States – including some challenging the health care reform law in federal court – will  receive a combined total of about $45 million for demonstration grants this year with $621 million committed through 2016. These states include Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and West Virginia. DHHS also proposed new rules allowing states to "tap into a potential $3.7 billion fund to promote community-based care to disabled Medicare beneficiaries."  This "Money follows the Person (MFP) Demonstration Program" was to expire this year, but was extended for five years through the health care reform law.  These thirteen states will join 29 other states and the District of Columbia, which are already participants in the program.

About Sam Fish

Sam Fish has over 40 years of legal experience in federal and state human services laws and programs, having joined PCG in 1995 after serving as Chief Counsel, Region I, for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for more than 25 years. At PCG, Sam provides legal advice and counsel and has served on many projects that required legal research and interpretation and implementation of many federal and state laws.

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