Proposed CMS Rule on Market Stabilization
On February 15, 2017, CMS released a proposed rule on market stabilization in the individual market nationally. The State Network hosted a webinar for state insurance departments and state-based marketplaces to review the topics addressed in the rule, and identify policy implications for states. This slide deck highlights the points of the webinar and includes all of the specific questions on which CMS requested feedback.
Medicaid at a Crossroads: What’s at Stake for the Nation’s Largest Health Insurer
Because Medicaid is the single largest payer in every state, governors are using Medicaid to drive multi-payer reforms, including adoption of value-based payment methodologies and advancement of population health models. Proposals being considered by Congress and the new administration to repeal the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) Medicaid expansion and implement limits on federal Medicaid funding through block grants and per capita caps could have a significant impact on these advances. This issue brief, developed by Manatt Health, considers how much states have accomplished to drive value in and through their Medicaid programs over the last 50 years, and most especially over the last five years, and what states stand to lose in terms of progress and innovation in their Medicaid programs and health care delivery systems if federal support for Medicaid is reduced.
Data Points to Consider When Assessing Proposals to Cap Federal Medicaid Funding: A Toolkit for States
Key leaders in Congress and high-ranking members of the Trump Administration are proposing major changes to Medicaid financing through the adoption of a block grant or per capita caps. To assist states in assessing the potential implications of proposals to cap federal Medicaid funding, the State Network team at Manatt Health has developed a toolkit providing state-by-state data on Medicaid enrollment and expenditure trends—factors that are central to establishing the amount each state would be allocated under various capped funding proposals.
Leveraging CHIP to Protect Low-Income Children from Lead
Despite improvements that have been made over the past several decades, lead poisoning remains a serious hazard for many children in the U.S., presenting significant risks to their health and learning. More than 4 million families with children live in homes with high levels of lead, and approximately half a million under the age of five require treatment. The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) can provide critical financial support to states as they seek to implement cost-effective lead abatement activities to protect children.
Understanding and Evaluating Block Grants and Other Capped Funding Proposals
Recent proposals for the incoming Congress and presidential administration to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have also included calls for an overhaul of the current Medicaid program financing structure. Such a change, aimed at reducing federal Medicaid spending, would have significant implications for state Medicaid programs. A new webinar examined these proposals and the potential impact that they could have on states.
Overview of Alternative Medicaid Expansion Waivers
Section 1115 waivers allow states to waive certain Medicaid statutory requirements in order to advance state policy priorities and test innovations in their Medicaid programs, provided that they are budget neutral and “further the goals of the Medicaid program.” Since 2014, seven states have used 1115 waivers to implement alternative Medicaid expansions, and these waivers are likely to be leveraged by states in the next four years to advance changes to Medicaid. This issue brief, developed by Manatt Health, provides an overview of the features of these alternative Medicaid expansion waivers.
Shared Measurement and Joint Accountability Across Health Care and Non-Health Care Sectors: State Opportunities to Address Population Health Goals
Health care leaders are well-positioned to use cross-sector approaches to drive improvements in population health in collaboration with state leaders. Through the use of joint measurement and accountability tools, policymakers can help to improve health outcomes to an extent not possible through isolated, medical-centric efforts. This issue brief, developed by Dana Hargunani, MD, MPH, outlines how state agencies can use shared measurement and joint accountability across sectors as tools for improving population health outcomes.
The Buying Value Measure Selection Tool: Strategies for Selecting Measures and Developing Aligned Measure Sets
The “Buying Value Measure Selection Tool” was developed to assist state agencies, private purchasers and other stakeholders in creating aligned measure sets, and was first released in 2014. A recent webinar explained this tool and recent updates for state officials and other stakeholders involved in developing and maintaining aligned quality measure sets for health care entities and programs including for health plans, accountable care organizations, and patient-centered medical homes.
Capping Federal Medicaid Funding: Key Financing Issues for States
Proposals for the incoming Congress and presidential administration to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have also included a call for a fundamental overhaul of the Medicaid program by imposing caps on federal funding to states. Such capped funding would replace the central feature of Medicaid’s financing structure, the federal government’s legal obligation to share all allowable state Medicaid costs. While the design of various proposals to cap federal Medicaid funding may differ in several ways, they all aim to allow the federal government to achieve budget certainty and reduce federal Medicaid spending.
Repealing Medicaid Expansion: Implications for States
Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has had a positive impact for states, both in terms of the number of people covered and the budget savings and revenue gains that they have realized as a result. A series of recent reports demonstrates the economic impact in states that have expanded Medicaid. A new webinar examined potential repeal of Medicaid expansion under the ACA, and what this would likely mean for states.