Reports

This report is the second of two prepared as part of a project to better understand the size and characteristics of the long-term care population in all settings.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Contents  

In 2004, Congress requested that HHS conduct a study on the shortage of direct support professionals (DSPs) supporting persons with intellectual disabilities and other developmental disabilities (ID/DD), including an examination of the root causes associated with high vacancy and turnover rates, and an examination of the impact this shortage may be having on services for people with ID/DD.

This report provides a technical assessment of the utility of data from the Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, specifically the form 5500 data, to examine the receipt of employer provided health care when merged with data from the Census Bureau's Longitudinal Employer Household Dynamics data program.

Chapter I - Program Evaluation at the Department of Health and Human ServicesThis Performance Improvement 2006 report presents to Congress a comprehensive summary of evaluation projects completed by the Department, The Office of the Secretary, and agencies comprising the Department, engage in extensive evaluation activities;

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation January 2006 PDF Version

The purpose of this project was to develop, pilot, and disseminate a set of instruments for national surveys to measure the use of assistive technology and the environments in which they are used. The project focused on older adults living in the community.

Vicki A. Freedman, Ph.D. Polisher Research Institute Emily M. Agree, Ph.D.Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Lisa Landsberg, M.Ed.Polisher Research Institute December 2005 PDF Version (124 PDF pages)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Development of an Assistive Technology and Environmental Assessment Instrument for National Surveys: Final Report Part I. Recommended Modules and Instrument Development Process

The Federal Medical Assistance Percentages and Enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentages are calculated pursuant to the Social Security Act (the Act). These percentages will be effective from October 1 through September 30 of the indicated year.

Federal Financial Participation in State Assistance Expenditures, FY 2007 Federal Register: November 30, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 229)][Notices][Page 71856-71857]From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov][DOCID:fr30no05-76] DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICESOffice of the Secretary

This paper describes the work that will be undertaken to measure financial and non-financial benefits, and identify to whom the benefits accrue. [1 PDF page]

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Evaluation Design of the Business Case of Health Information Technology in Long-Term Care: Project Summary Booz Allen Hamilton November 2005 PDF Version

This paper describes the work that will examine how Health Information Exchange (HIE) is occurring between health delivery systems and unaffiliated post-acute and long-term care settings and factors that promote or hinder the exchange. [1 PDF page]

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Information Exchange in Post-Acute and Long-Term Care: Project Summary University of Colorado November 2005 PDF Version

This paper examines the combined effects of drug plan risk the first year of Medicare part D implementation of the combination of reinsurance, risk-adjustment and risk-corridors

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), in close collaboration with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), contracted with NORC to conduct an assessment of information technology use in ambulatory care health centers whose funding is administered by HRSA's Bureau of Primary Healthcare (BPHC).

Prepared by: NORC at the University of Chicago Dan Gaylin, M.P.A. Sidra Goldman Alana Ketchel Adil Moiduddin, M.P.P. October 2005 This report is available on the Internet at:http://aspe.hhs.gov/sp/chc

Prepared by: Judith Wooldridge Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. Genevieve Kenney The Urban Institute Christopher Trenholm Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. with Lisa Dubay The Urban Institute Ian Hill The Urban Institute Myoung Kim Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. Lorenzo Moreno Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.

This literature review first summarizes the current knowledge of physician practice in nursing homes and identifies gaps in the knowledge base. It then presents the physician practice models applied in nursing homes, including integrated and managed care delivery models, and describes the characteristics of physicians who practice in nursing homes.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Contents Methodology Pass-through and Disregard Results Distributing All FTRO Child Support Collections to Former Welfare Families Effects on Administrative Costs Conclusion

Prepared by: Laura Wheaton and Elaine Sorensen With Victoria Russell and Jeff Versteeg The Urban Institute Prepared for: Department of Health and Human Services

This paper examines by state variation in drug prices and drug spending. Variation in prices are found to be minimal but variation in spending (and utilization) are more substantial. Further work will explore the underlying reasons for the spending variation and whether patterns persist when analyzed for areas other than states.

About this Research Brief This ASPE Research Brief explores the potential of newly available administrative data to answer important questions regarding employer-provided health benefits.

A discussion of the various government surveys that produce estimates of the number of people without health insurance.

ASPE ISSUE BRIEF Understanding Estimates of the Uninsured: Putting the Differences in Context U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesOffice of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation

Contents Introduction Key Research Questions Methods Key Findings Key Study Design and Measurement Issues Alternative Research Designs

Prepared by: Garrett Moran, Rafael Semansky, Elizabeth Quinn, Rebecca Noftsinger, and Teresa Koenig Westat Executive Summary (in PDF Format)

According to the Census Bureau's 2005 Current Population Survey (CPS), 45.8 million individuals in 2004 or 15.7% of the civilian non-institutionalized population were uninsured. Those that lack insurance represent a diverse group. Understanding the uninsured population is important for policy makers looking to design solutions to the problem.

ASPE ISSUE BRIEF Overview of the Uninsured in the United States: An analysis of the 2005 Current Population Survey U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesOffice of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

This study adds to understanding by updating information on trends in use of disability equipment and exploring how disability and other characteristics differ for equipment users and nonusers. Data are from the 1984-1999 rounds of the National Long Term Care Survey, which has been a key source of earlier information on trends in equipment use.

The purpose of this study is to better understand the relationship between disability declines and Medicare costs and what Medicare spending patterns may suggest about the relationship between disability and health.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

As part of the Medicare Part D pharmacy benefit scheduled for implementation in 2006 by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA), beneficiaries will have a choice of private plans administering the benefit.? Although plans are required to provide access to needed drugs, the law does not require plans to provide equal coverage for all drugs.?

This paper describes the work NORC did to supplement the Federal Employee Health Benefits data (FEHBP) used to develop drug risk adjustment factors for over 65 individuals with a full drug supplement to Medicare. This data needed to be supplemented because the FEHBP data did not adequately represent, low-income, disabled, or non east Coast populations.

Presented by: National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at The University of Chicago Submitted to: Steve Sheingold Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)

This policy brief is one of six commissioned by HHS/ASPE on Medicaid eligibility policies for long-term care benefits. This brief summarizes the estate recovery mandate, discusses variations in mechanisms employed by states to implement the mandate, and presents a state-by-state analysis of collections from 2002 through 2004. [13 PDF pages]

Thomson/MEDSTAT

States increasingly are focusing on the TANF goals relating to promoting and supporting healthy marriage. To understand how state policies may affect marriage, it is useful to first examine the extent to which existing public assistance programs provide benefits to both married-parent and single-parent families.