Development of Statewide Health Equity Data Standards in Massachusetts
On Thursday, March 23, State Health and Value Strategies hosted a webinar that reviewed the recent adoption of statewide health equity data standards for the collection of self-reported patient demographic information by provider organizations, Medicaid and commercial insurers in Massachusetts. During the webinar, experts from MassHealth (Massachusetts Medicaid) and Bailit Health reviewed the adopted standards as well as a complementary framework for introducing accountability for advancing health equity into value-based contracting. Panelists also described how Massachusetts engaged a wide array of stakeholders in the development process and the plan for dissemination and adoption.
Transformational Community Engagement: Working With Community to Advance Health Equity
On Tuesday, February 28, State Health and Value Strategies hosted a webinar that explored how states can implement community engagement strategies that amplify community voices, engage program enrollees, and translate engagement into more effective and equitable health initiatives. Community engagement is a critical component in advancing health equity as it enables trust and respect, improves barriers to health, and allows for efficacy by ensuring programs utilize experiences from the communities they impact. State reactors also highlighted recent Medicaid community engagement efforts.
New CMS Guidance on Medicaid Continuous Coverage Unwinding Provisions in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023
On Wednesday, February 8, State Health and Value Strategies hosted a webinar during which experts from Manatt Health reviewed CMS’ recently released State Health Official (SHO) letter related to “unwinding” the Medicaid continuous coverage guarantee, based on provisions included in section 5131 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (CAA). The webinar reviewed the additional detail and operational expectations of states during the unwinding of Medicaid continuous coverage as laid out in the SHO letter, and discussed key considerations for state policymakers.
Exploring the New Social Care Quality Measures: How Do We Define and Measure Social Needs and High-Quality Social Care?
On Thursday, January 26 State Health and Value Strategies co-hosted a webinar with the Social Interventions Research & Evaluation Network (SIREN) at the University of California San Francisco on the new social care quality measures that will launch from many federal and some state agencies. The measures target a range of payer and delivery system reporting entities. They include requirements around social risk screening and, in some cases, social care interventions. The marked variation across these initiatives highlights a key question: How do we define and measure high quality social care?
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Omnibus Unwinding Provisions and Implications for States
On Wednesday, January 11 State Health and Value Strategies hosted a webinar on the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, an omnibus funding package that includes government appropriations through September 30, 2023 as well as a number of health policy provisions. Included in the package is a date certain for the expiration of the Medicaid continuous coverage requirement, a gradual phase down of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act enhanced federal match rate, and new guardrails to protect against inappropriate coverage loss and smooth coverage transitions. During the webinar, experts from Manatt Health and GMMB provided an overview of the unwinding provisions in the legislation, building on our recent expert perspective, Unwinding Provisions in the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act. Presenters discussed open questions and key considerations for state policymakers as they head into the final stretch of planning for the transition back to regular eligibility and enrollment operations.
How States are Leveraging Medicaid Managed Care to Address Health-Related Social Needs
On Wednesday, November 9 State Health and Value Strategies (SHVS) and the Health Foundation of South Florida (HFSF) hosted a webinar that reviewed examples of state approaches to address enrollees’ health-related social needs that do not require an 1115 waiver. During the webinar, experts from Bailit Health reviewed a new SHVS/HFSF resource, Addressing Health-Related Social Needs Through Medicaid Managed Care, described approaches to require and/or incentivize Medicaid plans to address health-related social needs, and facilitated a discussion with state Medicaid officials.
Unwinding of the Public Health Emergency: What’s Next for States
On Wednesday, November 2 State Health and Value Strategies hosted a webinar on the key considerations and requirements for state Medicaid/CHIP agencies at the end of the PHE. The webinar reviewed making permanent or terminating temporary COVID-19 flexibilities and returning to normal eligibility and enrollment processes. Presenters highlighted the intersection with our dynamic policy environment, including the recent CMS Proposed Rule on Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility, Enrollment, and Renewal.
CMS Proposed Rule on Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility, Enrollment, and Renewal: Implications for States
On Monday, October 17, State Health and Value Strategies hosted a webinar that provided an overview of the proposed rule released by CMS that seeks to strengthen existing eligibility, enrollment, and renewal operational processes. During the webinar experts from Manatt Health highlighted the intersection with unwinding and the end of the public health emergency, discussed key considerations related to the new policy, IT systems, and operational process changes, and reviewed opportunities for state policymakers to provide comment. The webinar drew on the expert perspective CMS Proposed Rule on Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility, Enrollment, and Renewal that summarizes the proposed rule.
Buying Value: Measures That Matter
On Wednesday, July 20, State Health and Value Strategies hosted a webinar facilitated by experts from Bailit Health. The webinar explored how the Buying Value suite of resources can help states, employers, consumer organizations and providers implement quality measures to incentivize high-quality, high-value healthcare. The webinar highlighted two free, Excel-based tools, the Buying Value Measure Selection Tool and the Buying Value Benchmark Repository.
Experiences Implementing Social Risk Factor Screening Measures in Medicaid
On Tuesday, June 14, State Health and Value Strategies hosted a webinar that featured state officials and Medicaid managed care entities from Rhode Island and Massachusetts who shared their experiences implementing social risk factor screening measurement. The webinar highlighted states who have implemented social risk factor screening measures for incentive use in managed care contracts. States use these social risk factor screening measures to hold plans and provider entities accountable for identifying Medicaid members affected by risk factors, such as homelessness and food insecurity.