NEWS ALERT: HHS Releases New Medicaid Tools

HHS Releases Two New Reports on Using Medicaid to Cover Services for People in Permanent Supportive Housing

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) today released two new reports: a Primer on Using Medicaid for People Experiencing Chronic Homelessness and Tenants of Permanent Supportive Housing, and a companion document, Medicaid and Permanent Supportive Housing for Chronically Homeless Individuals: Emerging Practices from the Field.

The reports serve as tools for States and communities working to expand services and supports for people in permanent supportive housing.  While the report focuses on services for people experiencing chronic homelessness, the options highlighted in the Primer can be used by States to increase the role of Medicaid in providing supportive services to any individual who requires supportive services to achieve housing stability and improved health and well-being.

The Affordable Care Act creates unprecedented opportunities for health and behavioral health coverage for people experiencing homelessness. Through both the expansion of Medicaid coverage and new opportunities for care coordination such as through the new Health Home option, all States have the opportunity to increase Medicaid's role to serve individuals experiencing homelessness. Some States and communities have already led the way in designing innovative Medicaid programs to serve individuals experiencing homelessness and formerly homeless individuals through permanent supportive housing, a proven and cost-effective intervention for ending homelessness, improving health, and lowering public costs.


As the Medicaid program evolves to meet the needs of its beneficiaries, new policy and clarifications of existing policy will be made subsequent to the publication of this Primer. These will be disseminated through State Medicaid Directors' Letters and through other guidance which will be available on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid website at cms.hhs.gov.  Stay tuned for fact sheets and briefs from USICH and its partners that will help States, community health centers, supportive housing provider organizations, and organizations serving Veterans understand the options outlined in these documents.



The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) today released two new reports: a Primer on Using Medicaid for People Experiencing Chronic Homelessness and Tenants of Permanent Supportive Housing; and a companion document, Medicaid and Permanent Supportive Housing for Chronically Homeless Individuals: Emerging Practices from the Field.

The reports serve as tools for States and communities working to expand services and supports for people in permanent supportive housing.  While the report focuses on services for people experiencing chronic homelessness, the options highlighted in the Primer can be used by States to increase the role of Medicaid in providing supportive services to any individual who requires supportive services to achieve housing stability and improved health and well-being.

The Affordable Care Act creates unprecedented opportunities for health and behavioral health coverage for people experiencing homelessness. Through both the expansion of Medicaid coverage and new opportunities for care coordination such as through the new Health Home option, all States have the opportunity to increase Medicaid's role to serve individuals experiencing homelessness. Some States and communities have already led the way in designing innovative Medicaid programs to serve individuals experiencing homelessness and formerly homeless individuals through permanent supportive housing, a proven and cost-effective intervention for ending homelessness, improving health, and lowering public costs.


As the Medicaid program evolves to meet the needs of its beneficiaries, new policy and clarifications of existing policy will be made subsequent to the publication of this Primer. These will be disseminated through State Medicaid Directors' Letters and through other guidance which will be available on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid website at cms.hhs.gov.  Stay tuned for fact sheets and briefs from USICH and its partners that will help States, community health centers, supportive housing provider organizations, and organizations serving Veterans understand the options outlined in these documents.


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