When the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) unveiled its $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program (RHT Program) in 2025, the agency described it as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to re-imagine how rural America delivers and sustains care. The program’s goal is simple in theory: make rural America healthy again by empowering communities to improve…
Transitional care management such as leaving the hospital, moving into long-term care, returning home, or entering hospice are some of the riskiest moments for Medicaid services, their members, and their families. Not only are these transitions highly emotional, but there are many handoffs as clinicians, social workers, occupational therapists and family members buzz in and…
Millions quietly care for loved ones, not realizing they’re carrying the system too. The alarm on Maria’s phone buzzed long before the sun came up. She lay still for a moment, listening for sounds down the hall—a thud, a door creaking open—signs that her father might already be awake and wandering. Relief washed over her…
Self-directed care (sometimes called consumer-directed or participant-directed care) is increasingly being used by Medicaid programs, and provider networks to give care recipients and their families more control. But shifting control to individuals also shifts complexity onto private caregivers and program administrators. Without the right infrastructure, self-directed models can falter, leading to noncompliance, increased healthcare costs,…
Are Area Agencies on Aging Meeting the Challenge of Supporting Caregivers? For Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and community-based programs supporting older adults, one truth is clear; family caregivers are the foundation of aging in place efforts. Yet too often, they’re overextended, underserved, and at risk of burnout. In a recent webinar hosted by Trualta…