Hcbs Strategies Inc

What Hcbs Strategies Inc does

HCBS Strategies Inc is a privately held, Maryland-based government consulting firm founded in 2003 by Steven Lutzky, a former CMS Director of the Division for Advocacy and Special Issues. The firm specializes in home and community-based services (HCBS) program design, evaluation, and operations support, serving state Medicaid agencies, State Units on Aging, Area Agencies on Aging, and state disability services organizations across 16 U.S. states. Service lines include Program Evaluation and Strategic Planning, HCBS Program Operations Development, 1915(c) Waiver Consulting, ADRC/No Wrong Door network development, person-centered Assessment and Support Planning Processes (notably the MnCHOICES tool for Minnesota), Case Management Redesign, Medicaid Administrative Claiming (MAC) infrastructure, Resource Allocation/Eligibility Determination systems, Caregiver Support Infrastructure, and Rules and Regulation Development. The firm also operates Enhancing interRAI, a multi-state collaborative supporting implementation of interRAI assessment instruments, which transitioned to exclusive operation under HCBS Strategies in 2023.

Underlying technical assets are primarily domain methodologies and assessment frameworks rather than software products: the HCBS Business Process Analysis Approach, person-centered assessment and support planning architectures (developed originally for MnCHOICES and replicated across Alaska, Illinois, Maryland, and Oregon), acuity-based resource allocation and case-mix algorithms, and standardized MAC activity codes and time-study processes for NWD sustainability. The firm proposed the original MAC guidance to CMS in 2003 and authored foundational NWD/ADRC guidance published on ACL's website, giving it origin-of-policy credibility in federal HCBS regulation.

HCBS Strategies generates revenue exclusively through professional services engagements — government consulting contracts, federal grant application support, and third-party evaluation work (including eight ADPI grants from ACL with a near 100% funding success rate for supported applicants). Pricing is quote-based and project-specific with no public benchmarks. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales via state RFPs, contract negotiations, and established relationships; the firm does not use channel partners or resellers. Headcount is approximately 7-8 staff, including senior principals, associates, and an advisor, all with backgrounds in HCBS systems, Medicaid policy, or assessment science. The firm is founder-led, privately held, and has no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or M&A activity.

Name

Hcbs Strategies Inc

Legal name

HCBS Strategies, Inc.

Website

https://hcbs.info

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HCBS Strategies is a Maryland-based government consulting firm that helps state Medicaid agencies and aging/disability services departments design, evaluate, and operate home and community-based services programs across 16 U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medicaid HCBS Consulting Services

NAICS

Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611), Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Management Services (8741), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Home & Community-Based Services (HCBS) Coordination & Case Management (HSABAIAM)

Keywords

• HCBS consulting services
• Medicaid waiver consulting
• Long-term services supports
• Aging disability programs
• Government healthcare consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Consulting Contracts: HCBS Strategies generates revenue through consulting contracts with state government agencies including Medicaid agencies, State Units on Aging, and other governmental entities. Projects include program evaluation, strategic planning, systems development, and technical assistance. Contract types include federal grant-funded work, state-funded initiatives, and third-party evaluation services.
2. Federal Grant Support Services: Revenue generated from supporting federal grant applications and serving as third-party evaluator on federal grants, including Alzheimer's Disease Program Initiative (ADPI) grants from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

HCBS Strategies is a consulting firm that supports state agencies and government entities in designing, evaluating, and operating home and community-based services (HCBS) programs for older adults and people with disabilities. Services span program evaluation, strategic planning, HCBS program operations development, ADRC/No Wrong Door network design, person-centered assessment and support planning, case management redesign, Medicaid Administrative Claiming infrastructure, resource allocation, caregiver support, and rules and regulation development. The firm also operates the Enhancing interRAI multi-state collaborative and supports federal grant applications, including ADPI grants.

Product overview

HCBS Strategies is a small consulting firm offering a portfolio of professional services focused on home and community-based services (HCBS) program development and improvement. The core offerings include Program Evaluation and Strategic Planning, HCBS Program Operations Development, and the Enhancing interRAI initiative. These are supported by specialized sub-services covering Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC) and No Wrong Door (NWD) Networks, Assessment and Support Planning Processes (including the MnCHOICES tool), Case Management Redesign, Medicaid Administrative Claiming (MAC), Resource Allocation and Eligibility Determination Development, Caregiver Support Infrastructure, and Rules and Regulation Development. The firm also provides 1915(c) waiver consulting and grant application support for federal programs including Alzheimer's Disease Program Initiative (ADPI) grants. Together, these services help state agencies strengthen systems that serve older adults and people with disabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Program Evaluation and Strategic Planning Helps states understand strengths and challenges in their HCBS delivery system through policy review, program performance evaluation, and analysis of program data. HCBS Strategies staff have reviewed HCBS program operations in more than two-thirds of U.S. states.
• HCBS Program Operations Development Partners with state staff to strengthen workflows, data standards, staff roles, and tools that help HCBS programs run efficiently. Includes rules and regulation development, assessment and support planning, caregiver support infrastructure, case management, ADRC/NWD networks, Medicaid administrative claiming, and resource allocation.
• Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC) and No Wrong Door (NWD) Networks Assists states in designing and operationalizing ADRCs and NWD networks that help people access supports through one coordinated front door. Includes strategic planning, ROI analyses, stakeholder engagement, business process development, and evaluation.
• Assessment and Support Planning Processes Builds person-centered processes for identifying needs, goals, and preferences and incorporating this information in support plans. HCBS Strategies developed content for the MnCHOICES comprehensive assessment tool and led assessment reform efforts in Alaska, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, and Oregon.
• Case Management Redesign Works with states and local agencies to bring greater consistency, clarity, and accountability to staff assisting individuals in selecting and managing supports. Includes reviewing regulations, reimbursement approaches, automation support, training, and assessment tools.
• Medicaid Administrative Claiming (MAC) Enhancement National leaders in expanding the role of Medicaid Administrative Claiming for ADRCs and DDRCs. Helps states develop infrastructure for MAC and has been operating MAC infrastructure for Nebraska since 2020. HCBS Strategies staff proposed original MAC for ADRC and NWD activities to CMS in 2003 and drafted original guidance tools on ACL's website for sustaining NWD networks.
• Resource Allocation and Eligibility Determination Development Helps states establish data-driven algorithms and person-centered processes to develop budgets supporting equity and efficiency. Includes designing acuity-based resource allocation systems (case mix) and evaluating eligibility criteria for 1915(c) waivers.
• Caregiver Support Infrastructure Works with states to develop robust systems supporting family caregivers using evidence-based approaches such as TCARE, BRI Care Consultation, REACH, and SAVVY Caregiver programs.
• Rules and Regulation Development Collaborates with state officials to streamline rules and regulations, creating clear frameworks that guide program development. Includes experience reviewing, analyzing, and writing regulations for HCBS waivers.
• Enhancing interRAI Multi-state collaborative effort to build infrastructure that helps states implement interRAI instruments across the US. Provides cross-state collaboration, onboarding support, operations guidance, training, data analysis, and technical assistance to participating states.
• 1915(c) Waiver Consulting Medicaid waiver support including 1915(c) waiver consulting to help states design and implement waiver programs for home and community-based services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Near 100% funding rate for federal grant applicants supported
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• interRAIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHCBS Strategies collaborates with interRAI, an international nonprofit organization that develops and validates scientifically sound assessment systems. HCBS Strategies operates Enhancing interRAI, a multi-state collaborative effort to build infrastructure supporting interRAI instrument implementation in U.S. HCBS programs. An interRAI Fellow from HCBS Strategies participates in the international research society devoted to building and testing HCBS tools.
• ADvancing StatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerADvancing States acted as the incubator for the Enhancing interRAI initiative (originally called ADvancing interRAI) before it became sustainable and transitioned to operate exclusively through HCBS Strategies.
• Administration for Community Living (ACL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHCBS Strategies works extensively with ACL on federal grant programs including Alzheimer's Disease Program Initiative (ADPI) grants, Aging and Disability Resource Center initiatives, and No Wrong Door programs. The company has served as third-party evaluator on eight ADPI grants from ACL.
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHCBS Strategies staff proposed original Medicaid Administrative Claiming guidance to CMS in 2003 and has worked with CMS on Money Follows the Person, 1915(c) waivers, and other HCBS policy initiatives.
• Alaska Mental Health Trust (AMHT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHCBS Strategies has had a contract with AMHT since 2015 funding much of the work with Alaska Senior and Disabilities Services, including developing recommendations for the Alaska Dementia Collaborative, the Department of Public Assistance, and webinars for the broader stakeholder community.
• Mission Analytics GroupminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHCBS Strategies partnered with Mission Analytics Group and Barbara Gage of the Post-Acute Care Center for Research (PACCR) in a contracted team to redesign Oregon's assessment tool for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Center for Information Management (CIM)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHCBS Strategies collaborated with CIM to assist Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services in developing IT supporting No Wrong Door system implementation as part of the State's Balancing Incentives Program effort.
• Texas A&M Transportation InstituteminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHCBS Strategies collaborated with Texas A&M Transportation Institute to develop a comprehensive evaluation of HCBS transportation in Texas for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Lewin Group: Quintiles/IQVIA-owned healthcare policy and human services consulting firm providing Medicaid, HCBS, and long-term care advisory to federal and state agencies. Directly comparable as both firms compete for the same state Medicaid HCBS consulting engagements; HCBS Strategies' founder previously served as a senior manager there.
• Health Management Associates (HMA): Healthcare consulting firm specializing in Medicaid policy, HCBS, behavioral health, and long-term services and supports for state agencies. Direct competitor for state Medicaid HCBS waiver and program operations work.
• Mission Analytics Group: Specialized analytics and consulting firm focused on Medicaid HCBS assessments, interRAI implementations, and case-mix/resource allocation. Directly comparable in HCBS assessment redesign work and an existing implementation partner on Oregon IDD.
• Manatt Health: Healthcare consulting and legal advisory practice working extensively with state Medicaid agencies, including on HCBS, 1115 and 1915(c) waivers, and managed long-term services and supports. Competes for the same state-level HCBS reform mandates.

Broad incumbents

• Abt Associates: Major research and consulting firm with federal/state HCBS, aging, and disability services practices, including CMS and ACL contract vehicles. Competes for large federal HCBS evaluations and state program assessments.
• Mathematica: Large nonpartisan research and consulting firm running Medicaid, HCBS, and aging-services evaluations for CMS, ACL, and states (including MFP evaluations). Overlaps directly with HCBS Strategies on federal third-party evaluation work but with much broader capability and scale.
• Deloitte (Government & Public Services - Health): Large professional services firm with a state health and human services practice serving Medicaid agencies on HCBS, LTSS, and managed care procurement. Competes for large-scale state HCBS transformation work HCBS Strategies cannot resource alone.
• NORC at the University of Chicago: Independent research institution with large health care and aging practice serving federal agencies on HCBS, Medicaid LTSS, and disability research. Competes for federal evaluation work that overlaps HCBS Strategies' grant-funded engagements.

Emerging players

• Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS): Nonprofit policy center working with state Medicaid agencies on HCBS, LTSS, and complex care populations. Adjacent competitor/policy partner on state Medicaid HCBS improvement initiatives.

Others

• ADvancing States: National association of state aging and disability agencies; formerly NASUAD. Acts as an incubator/convener for HCBS initiatives and incubated the Enhancing interRAI program before it transitioned exclusively to HCBS Strategies, making it both a partner and ecosystem anchor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hcbs-strategies-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hcbs Strategies Inc