CMS issued guidance May 13 outlining how states can use funding from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for Medicaid programs.
Three things to know:
1. The guidance concerns funds that can be used to improve Medicaid beneficiaries' access to home and community-based services, or HCBS, outside of nursing homes and other facilities.
2. From April 2021 through March 31, 2022, the American Rescue Plan provides states with a temporary 10-percentage-point increase in federal funding for eligible HCBS services. View a full list of eligible services here.
3. "The additional federal funding made available under the American Rescue Plan allows states to tailor HCBS enhancements based on the needs and priorities of its residents, while protecting and strengthening the HCBS workforce, safeguarding financial stability for HCBS providers, and accelerating long-term services and supports reform and innovation," CMS said.