Ongoing impacts of the pandemic on Medicaid HCBS programs: Findings from a 50-state survey

Almost all states responded to the workforce crisis by increasing home and community-based services (HCBS) provider payment rates. While some of these increases may have been supported through temporary American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding or public health emergency (PHE) authorities, more than half of states plan to continue rate increases even after temporary funding and authorities expire. States also increased self-directed and family caregiving opportunities for HCBS beneficiaries throughout the pandemic. Over half of states (30) reported an increase in the number of enrollees self-directing Medicaid HCBS since the onset of the pandemic. Read the issue brief.