GWU - Center for Health Services, Research and Policy
Federal Income Maintenance and Health Care Programs for Disabled Persons Who Are Working or Want to Work
www.gwhealthpolicy.org/downloads/ssd-ssdi.html
A Summary Description of the Federal Income Maintenance and Health Care Programs for Disabled Persons Who Are Working or Want to Work. State Case Studies, Analysis, and Policy Papers on State Medicaid Buy-In Programs and Related State Work Incentive Initiatives for People With Disabilities, Spring 2002.

CMS - Independence Plus: Programs for Family or Individual Directed Community Services
www.cms.hhs.gov/independenceplus/
HHS' new "Independence Plus" waiver templates will give states tools to create programs that will allow people with disabilities and their families to decide how best to plan, obtain and sustain community-based services, placing control into the hands of the people using the services.

The electronic templates will provide guidance to states on how to develop these programs within existing federal requirements using a streamlined application process, which will ultimately result in faster federal approval of state proposals. Similar programs have been shown to promote cost-effective and flexible solutions for care while meeting the individual needs of people receiving services.

"Having the opportunity to make choices about our health care and where we live is something that may sound simple, but far too often, people with disabilities don't have that opportunity," said Secretary Thompson. "We are committed to working with the states to develop innovative programs that will trust families to make the decisions about the services they need to help keep their loved ones at home."

The waiver templates recognize the essential role of the family or individual in planning for and purchasing health care services while, in many cases, delaying placing the individual in an institution or other high-cost out-of-home facility. The templates fulfill just one of the commitments that HHS made to promote community integration in the report "Delivering on the Promise," which Secretary Thompson delivered to the President on behalf of nine federal agencies in March of this year.

HEALTH LAW - Medicaid Block Grants Revisited
www.healthlaw.org/pubs/200302.blockgrants.html
On January 31st, HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson outlined the Administration s plans to convert Medicaid and SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program) into a block grant. Preliminary analysis of the block grant proposal.

WAIVERS: The Katie Beckett Waivers and The 1115 Waivers
http://www.familyvoices.org/Information/ma-kbw.htm
The Katie Beckett Waiver, enables severely disabled children and adults to be cared for at home and be eligible for Medicaid based on the individual’s income and assets alone. Without the waiver, the income of legally liable relatives is counted when the individual is cared for at home.

CMS - Home and Community Based Services Waivers and Demonstration Authority
www.cms.gov/medicaid/1915c/default.asp
Under the Medicaid program, the Secretary of Health and Human Services is authorized to grant waivers to allow a state to offer home and community-based services and supports to individuals who, in the absence of such services, would require institutional care as long as costs (in the aggregate) under the waiver do not exceed the cost of providing institutional care to the target population. [Section 1915(c) of the Social Security Act]

SSA - Medicaid Buy-in State Map
www.ssa.gov/work/ResourcesToolkit/Health/states.html
Listing of states who currently implement program and status of other states efforts to create a Medicaid Buy-in for working people who are disabled.

CMS - Medicaid Infrastructure Grants - Medicaid Buy-In
www.cms.gov/twwiia/grantuse.asp
Twenty-five (25) States were awarded Medicaid Infrastructure Grants during this first grant cycle. All 25 of these States plan to use a portion of their grant award in the study, implementation, or improvement of a Medicaid Buy-in program. In addition, 19 of the States will use a portion of their grant award to study or improve Medicaid services designed to support the competitive employment of persons with disabilities.