Elder Law News

2006 CMS New Freedom Initiative Conference In Baltimore Maryland

On April 10, Dr. Mark McClellen, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) was joined by Josefina G. Carbonell, Assistant Secretary for Aging in presenting the keynote address at the Sixth Annual New Freedom Initiative Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. McClellen and Assistant Secretary Carbonell talked about their coordinated approach to implementing the new federal policy direction in long-term care that is embedded in the President’s New Freedom Initiative and designed to empower consumers and honor their desire for community living.

Dr. McClellen discussed the major changes to Medicaid long-term care that were included in the recently enacted Deficit Reduction Act. He gave special highlight to the Money Follows the Person Program, which provides almost $ 2 billion in new funding for home and community-based services. Assistant Secretary Carbonell talked about the new Choices for Independence Program that is the centerpiece of the Administration’s proposal for the Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. The Assistant Secretary noted how Choices builds on the unique mission of the Act, and is designed to strengthen the role of the Act and the Aging Services Network in the future of long- term care.

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	Did You Know?
	Estimated that 820,000 elders became victims of elder abuse in 1994 The National Aging Resource Center on Elder Abuse (now the National Center on Elder Abuse) estimated that in 2004 there were 820,000 elders became victims of elder abuse. 106 percent increase in the number of reported cases between 1986 and 1994, from 117,000 to 241,000.