Digital Commons Network^™

Dementia In Maine: Characteristics, Care, And Cost Across Settings [Chartbook], Julie T. Fralich Mba, Stuart Bratesman Mpp, Louise Olsen, Catherine Mcguire Bs, Tina Gressani, Karen Mauney, Catherine Gunn, Romaine Turyn

Disability & Aging

This report provides a baseline picture of the current use of services by people with and without dementia in Maine.

Measurement, Monitoring, And Evaluation Of State Demonstrations To Integrate Care For Dual Eligible Individuals: Massachusetts Evaluation Design Plan., Julie T. Fralich Mba, Maureen Booth Mrp, Ma, Edith G. Walsh Phd, Angela M. Greene Ms, Mba, Melissa Morley Phd, Wayne Anderson Phd

Disability & Aging

CMS contracted with RTI International to monitor the implementation of all State demonstrations under the Financial Alignment Initiative, and to evaluate their impact on beneficiary experience, quality, utilization, and cost. The evaluation includes an aggregate evaluation and State-specific evaluations. This report describes the State-specific Evaluation Plan for the Massachusetts demonstration as of December 16, 2013. The evaluation activities may be revised if modifications are made to either the Massachusetts demonstration or to the activities described in the Aggregate Evaluation Plan (Walsh et al., 2013). Although this document will not be revised to address all changes that may occur, the annual …

Public Pensions And Debt In The State Of Maine, Ryan Knaus

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

Maine has taken important steps in recent years to reduce indebtedness and adequately fund their Public Employee Pension System (MainePERS), and is well-positioned relative to other U.S. states. The challenge for the State is to continue financing MainePERS and existing UALs with the same commitment, diligence and prudence.

Variables To Predict Risk Of Hospital Readmission, Julie I. Carroll

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

As the healthcare industry transitions toward accountable care and payment reform, creative approaches to healthcare is imperative. Poorly coordinated care and shorter hospital stays have resulted in higher rates of readmissions. This has large implications for hospitals and health systems.

Challenges And Opportunities For Improving Mental Health Services In Rural Long-Term Care, Jean A. Talbot Phd, Andrew F. Coburn Phd

Long Term Services and Supports

Despite high levels of need, individuals in long-term care often fail to receive appropriate mental health services, especially in rural areas. In this report (and accompanying Research & Policy Brief), we consider challenges and opportunities for improving mental health treatment delivered to long-term care recipients in rural settings. As background, we note the prevalence of mental health problems in long-term care populations, describe deficiencies in the mental health care afforded to long-term care recipients, and identify barriers that hinder the remediation of these deficiencies in rural settings. We also outline a rationale for enhancing mental health services in long-term …

The Role Of Organizational Change In Health System And Payment Reform, Barbara Shaw Jd, Andrew F. Coburn Phd, Kimberley S. Fox Mpa, E. Rogers

Population Health & Health Policy

The Maine Health Access Foundation (MeHAF) has awarded grants to 14 Maine health organizations to date to mitigate the increasing cost of health care in Maine through innovative delivery system and payment reform strategies that preserve access, improve quality, and offer better value. As part of the evaluation of this initiative, the University of Southern Maine Muskie School of Public Service (Muskie School) is producing a series of issue briefs that capture common themes and challenges across grantees in achieving payment reform and health system delivery change to assess lessons learned. This is the first issue brief which describes our …

Managing Social Security Disability & Other Public Benefits: Development Of A Guide For Consumers And Providers, Stephanie L. Derochers

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

One in five Americans has a disability, making it the largest minority group in the U.S. (Soffer, McDonald, & Blanck, 2010). In 2011, 13.4 million working-aged adults received a disability cash benefit from the Social Security Administration (Kregel, 2012).

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is the federal agency responsible for managing, executing and overseeing retirement, survivor, old-age and disability benefits. There are over 1,500 Social Security offices and over 65,000 employees nationwide (SSA, 2013). SSA manages at least five disability benefit programs: Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Disabled Widow(er) Benefit (DWB), Childhood Disability Benefit (CDB), though …

Global Budgets, Payment Reform And Single Payer: Understanding Vemont's Health Reform, Trish Riley

Population Health & Health Policy

The Muskie School of Public Service hosted two health policy colloquia this April to promote informed discussion throughout the state regarding MaineCare coverage options under the ACA and the implications of Vermont’s move toward a single-payer system.The series, sponsored by the Muskie School Board of Visitors, offers community conversations in which experts from various disciplines and perspectives inform and engage the broader public to explore and debate critical policy issues. On April 22, community and sector leaders joined for Global Budgets, Payment Reform, and Single Payer: Understanding Vermont's Health Reform. Participants discussed Vermont's recent movie toward single payer health …

Opportunities For Munjoy Hill, Anne-Michelle Arless

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

Keeping the elderly in their own homes is challenging. A volunteer lead group of Munjoy Hill residents have united to form "circle of friends" to connect those within the community in need with those in the community who can offer a helping hand.

Providing Long Term Services & Supports To People With Impaired Decision-Making Capacity: Results Of Data Analysis And Interviews Examining Needs And Characteristics Of Persons With Impaired Decision-Making Capacity In Maine, Eileen Griffin Jd, Louise Olsen, Julie T. Fralich Mba

Disability & Aging

This document:

• Reviews the prevalence of impaired decision-making capacity among adults and older adults receiving publicly funded home care services and supports in Maine, the characteristics of this population group, and the caregivers caring for persons with impaired decision-making capacity.
• Reports on interviews with providers describing their ideas for helping people with impaired decisionmaking capacity live in the community longer.
• Reviews the legal status of persons receiving long term services and supports in Maine, including the presence of a guardian or a Power of Attorney, among those with impaired decision-making capacity across settings.
• Reports on interviews with providers, describing kinds …

Federal Health Care Reform: An Overview, Andrew F. Coburn Phd

Population Health & Health Policy

This policy brief discusses three of the main components of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as "Obamacare". These components are helath insurance coverage, delivery system improvement, and cost containment. The policy brief highlights some of the provision of the law that have already been implemented and those where importnat implementation decisions will have to be made. The brief is authored by Dr. Andrew Coburn, PhD, Professor of Public Health and Director of the Population Health and Health Policy program at the USM Muskie School, and was presented at the Maine Policy Leaders Academy Health Care …

Managing A High-Performance Medicaid Program, Eileen Griffin Jd, Trish Riley, Vikki Wachino, Robin Rudowitz

Disability & Aging

Today, the Medicaid program is evolving more rapidly than at any other time in its fifty-year history. States and the federal government are working to maximize the value and efficiency of Medicaid by reforming payment to reward value over volume, integrating effective care coordination across payers, and streamlining key processes like eligibility determinations across coverage programs. Underpinning a state’s ability to implement these reforms is its capacity to manage its Medicaid program effectively and efficiently.

This paper discusses key responsibilities that the federal government and states hold for managing the Medicaid program and identifies the key issues and challenges states …