Issue Briefs , Webinars | Apr 2, 2014

Realizing Rural Care Coordination: Considerations and Action Steps for State Policy-Makers

Michael Stanek, Carrie Hanlon, and Tess Shiras

Better coordination of patient care is an increasingly important part of not only advanced primary care models but also of broader strategies to create shared accountability across providers and care settings. States seeking to promote care coordination, either within Medicaid or through participation in multipayer initiatives, will run into long-standing challenges to delivering care and promoting health in rural areas. Rural areas often experience disparities in access to care, health status, and available infrastructure relative to their urban counterparts. Any strategy to coordinate care that aims to operate statewide or target rural areas must consider the needs of rural communities. This issue brief draws from the experiences of six states, Alabama, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Vermont, to identify common policy considerations and action steps for coordinating care in rural environments.

To view the webinar slides that correspond to this resource, click here.


Expert Perspectives

November 18, 2019

Standardizing Health Plan Benefit Design: Opportunities and Implications for States

Sabrina Corlette, Georgetown University Center on Health Insurance Reforms

In 2019, the Washington legislature enacted a bill requiring insurers on the state’s health insurance exchange to offer plans with standardized benefit designs, beginning in 2021. Colorado and Maryland are considering similar requirements. As these and other states consider the option of standardized health plans, they can benefit from the experiences of California, the District of Columbia (D.C.), Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, and Vermont, all of which require insurers to offer standardized benefit designs. This Expert Perspective outlines benefits and risks of plan standardization, and raises critical questions that states will need to consider, and offers a decision roadmap for states implementing a standardized benefit design requirement.

November 16, 2019

More States Looking to Section 1332 Waivers

In the absence of federal legislation, states are actively seeking tools to reform their health care systems. While 1115 waivers rightly get a lot of attention, because of their ability to reshape state Medicaid programs, the Affordable Care Act’s Section 1332 waivers continue to be a promising avenue for states to stabilize their health insurance marketplace. SHVS is tracking state activity and has many resources, including a template, for states interested in pursuing a Section 1332 waiver.

More information

October 18, 2019

New Policy Regarding Uninsured Noncitizens

On October 4, the President issued a proclamation that requires immigrants to show that they have health insurance or can pay medical expenses out of pocket in order to receive a visa. The proclamation will impact individuals applying for a visa with the Department of State (DOS) through consular offices abroad. In this expert perspective, Manatt Health reviews this latest policy regarding uninsured noncitizens and provides their take on implications for states.