Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Program: 2012 Report to Congress

WHY WE DID THIS STUDY

Effective January 1, 2011, Title VIII of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (hereinafter referred to as the CLASS Act) established the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) program. The CLASS Act requires OIG to submit an annual report to the Secretary and Congress on the overall progress of the CLASS program and the existence of waste, fraud, and abuse in the program. Each report must include findings in four areas: providing cash benefits; determining eligibility; providing quality assurance and protecting against waste, fraud, and abuse; and recouping unpaid and accrued benefits.

HOW WE DID THIS STUDY

On October 14, 2011, the Secretary informed Congress that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had not identified a CLASS program benefit plan that was both actuarially sound for the next 75 years and consistent with the requirements of the CLASS Act. Following this announcement, HHS suspended program implementation activities. OIG held a conference call with officials from the Administration for Community Living (ACL) in October 2012 to discuss the current status of the CLASS program and any actions taken following program suspension.

WHAT WE FOUND

Prior to program suspension, the CLASS Office within the Administration on Aging was responsible for developing, overseeing, and implementing the CLASS program. Following program suspension, the CLASS Office focused its efforts on organizing and storing key office documents and helping staff transition to other jobs. The CLASS Office was officially abolished on April 18, 2012, with the publication of the Federal Register notice that incorporated the Administration on Aging into the newly created ACL. No CLASS program activities took place after this time. Because program activities remained suspended in 2012, OIG has no findings specific to the areas specified in its reporting requirement. ACL has no plans to resume program activity.

We consider this memorandum report to meet OIG's 2012 CLASS Act reporting requirement. OIG will determine the most appropriate way to meet this requirement in future years on the basis of the CLASS program's status.

This report does not contain recommendations.