The Provider Alliance

05/09/2026

A great day of community and collaboration! Our thanks to all who made it possible and participated!

12/31/2025

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦✨ MYODP Announcement ✨👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Join PA Family Network Sibling Advisors for Part 1 of a 2-part workshop that builds on the Waiver Basics Workshops and takes a deeper dive into how waivers can support your loved one 💙

📅 Date: January 5, 2026
⏰ Time: 6:30 PM

🔍 What you’ll learn:
🧩 A closer look at the services available under waivers—including limits, requirements, and options
📚 How to research waivers, use available resources, and better understand your rights and responsibilities
📝 An overview of waiver document Appendices, Due Process, Fair Hearing, and more

🖥️ Register here:
👉 https://zoom.us/meeting/register/lyxqju25R_OOuEGDUOlsZw #/registration

📣 Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your knowledge and confidence in navigating waiver supports!

Join PA Family Network Sibling Advisors in part 1 of this 2-part workshop which will expand in more detail what was presented in the Waiver Basics Workshops and how waivers can support your loved one. - Learn more about the various services defined under waivers and some of their limits, requirement...

12/30/2025

ICYMI 🎄✨

The holiday season can bring joy — and extra stress — for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and the Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who support them. ANCOR’s latest article shares thoughtful, person-centered strategies to help keep celebrations calm, comfortable, and meaningful 💙

From sensory-friendly activities 🎨🎶 and maintaining familiar routines 🕰️, to prioritizing emotional well-being and self-care for DSPs and family caregivers 💪, the piece offers practical ways to reduce overwhelm while still embracing the spirit of the season. It also highlights ANCOR’s Warmth & Wellness Holiday Support Kit — a helpful resource to support comfort, connection, and calm for everyone involved 🎁

👉 Read more: https://www.ancor.org/connections/supporting-people-with-i-dd-during-the-holidays-providing-joy-comfort-and-calm-for-dsps/

With some thoughtful planning and gentle pacing, the holidays can be a time of connection, comfort, and celebration for everyone—a meaningful part of life for all, including those with I/DD.

12/26/2025

📣 WEBINAR ALERT 📣

🚀 Trends, Transitions & Transformations: Strategic Insights for Navigating the 2026 I/DD Services Landscape

🗓️ January 27–29, 2026
⏰ 1:00–2:30 PM ET (daily)
💻 Virtual | FREE

Join ANCOR for a powerful multi-day webinar series exploring what’s ahead for the I/DD services field in 2026 and beyond. This series will dive into emerging trends, policy shifts, workforce challenges, and strategic approaches providers need to stay resilient and future-ready.

👥 Who should attend?

✔️ I/DD providers
✔️ Executive leaders & managers
✔️ Advocates & policy professionals

✨ Why attend?

Gain practical insights and forward-looking strategies to help your organization adapt, innovate, and thrive in a rapidly changing I/DD landscape.

🔗 Register & learn more:

👉 https://www.ancor.org/webinar/trends-transitions-transformations-strategic-insights-for-navigating-the-2026-i-dd-services-landscape/

Join ANCOR subject matter experts for a free series offering strategies and insights into the I/DD services changes that lie ahead of us.

12/23/2025

👶💼 ICYMI: PA Budget Boosts Pay for Child Care & Direct Care Workers 💙

Pennsylvania’s newly passed state budget includes new funding to support the caregiving workforce, providing:
✨ $25M for child care recruitment & retention to help address staffing shortages and improve compensation, a milestone that advocates celebrated after years of lobbying.
✨ $21M for direct care workers — those who assist older adults and people with disabilities — though this only affects a small portion of caregivers paid through a specific state waiver, leaving many still without improved wages.

Despite the funding increases, long-standing workforce challenges persist due to low pay and high turnover, especially in home care settings where recruitment and retention remain critical issues. Providers and advocates say more sustained investment is needed to ensure stable care for families and vulnerable Pennsylvanians.

👉 Read more:

Funding for child care, home services for older adults, and disability support will increase under Pennsylvania’s latest budget, but still falls short.

12/22/2025

🚨 ICYMI: Medicare Drug Pricing Pilots Are Coming 💊📉

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced two new Medicare pilot programs designed to lower prescription drug costs for beneficiaries by linking U.S. prices to what other countries pay 🌍💵.

🔹 GLOBE Model (starting Oct. 2026) will apply to select Medicare Part B drugs
🔹 GUARD Model (starting Jan. 2027) will focus on certain Medicare Part D outpatient drugs

Both pilots will run through 2031 and aim to reduce co-pays, coinsurance, and overall out-of-pocket costs for seniors and people with disabilities 👵🧑‍🦽❤️

👉 Read more:

The U.S. government on Friday announced pilot programs to start in 2026 and 2027 that are aimed at reducing out-of-pocket drug costs under the Medicare healthcare program for older and disabled Americans to prices on par with economically comparable countries.

12/22/2025

🗳️ TPA Weekly Poll Question! We Value Your Input! 🗳️

On December 16, Spotlight reported “Caregivers in Pennsylvania are celebrating a rare pay boost, but long-term funding issues linger” on pay increases resulting from the recently enacted PA budget that benefit childcare workers, early childhood education, and direct care workers in the Community Health Choices waiver. Despite the increases, workforce issues are expected to linger without further government assistance. Workforce development and increasing DSP wages competes with implementation of new technologies (remote supports, assistive tech, AI) to enhance efficiency and service delivery.

Poll Question: What is your most immediate priority for investment in 2026, workforce or technology?

👉 Click to respond! 🗳️✅

12/19/2025

🔔 ICYMI!

🚀🤖 AI is rapidly transforming home-based care — but is it true innovation or the next big bubble?

Providers across the sector are leaning into AI to boost efficiency, streamline documentation, and enhance care delivery. At the same time, many leaders are proceeding carefully, weighing big opportunities against risks like compliance challenges, workforce readiness, and uncertain ROI. ⚖️💡

The industry is navigating a delicate balance between innovation and over-hype, all while trying to deliver smarter, more person-centered care. 🏡❤️✨

👉 Read more:
🔗

As the AI industry has boomed, so too have concerns of an “AI bubble” – in which investment rushes into companies wielding the technology without

12/18/2025

🚨 Big changes coming for ABLE accounts in the new year! 🚨

Starting in 2026, new federal updates will significantly expand ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) accounts, making them accessible to many more people with disabilities. The changes raise the age of eligibility and enhance savings opportunities — allowing individuals and families to plan more effectively for the future without jeopardizing critical benefits like SSI and Medicaid.

These updates mark an important step toward greater financial independence and inclusion for people with disabilities. 💙♿

🔗 Read more:

Access to accounts that allow individuals with disabilities to save without losing government benefits will expand dramatically and people with the accounts will be able to save more than ever before.

12/17/2025

🎉 Exciting News! 🎉

Our member Achieva has received a $1 million grant from Highmark to expand critical supports for children with complex medical needs and thAchieva has received a $1 million grant from Highmark to expand critical supports for children with complex medical needs and th families 💙

This transformational funding will help:
🏡 Support children transitioning from pediatric care facilities to their homes
🤝 Expand home- and community-based services in Allegheny & Westmoreland counties
🩺 Enhance case management, clinical oversight, and care coordination
🔧 Fund home modifications and access to life-sustaining equipment

This initiative is part of Achieva’s Beyond Boundaries Campaign, focused on creating sustainable, community-based solutions that empower individuals and families to thrive 🌟

Thank you to Highmark for investing in inclusive care and stronger communities 🙌

🔗 Read more: https://www.achieva.info/blog/1-million-grant-from-highmark

New initiative will keep families together by serving children with complex medical needs at home instead of pediatric medical care facilities