| Apr 24, 2019

State Considerations for Medicaid Buy-In Proposals

Lawmakers across the country are considering Medicaid buy-in or “public option” programs to stabilize the Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance market and offer a coverage option that is more affordable and accessible than current options in the individual and employer markets. So far in the 2019 legislative session, more than 10 states have introduced legislation to study or implement a buy-in.1 A new State Health and Value Strategies issue brief, State Medicaid Buy-Ins: Key Questions to Consider, explores the key questions that states will want to consider as they pursue design, and implementation of buy-in proposals. This State Health Policy Highlight provides a checklist summarizing the key questions, which are laid out in greater detail in the underlying issue brief.


Expert Perspectives

CMS Offers New Details on Account Transfer 2.0

The Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) explained the transition to “Account Transfer 2.0” (AT 2.0) in a CMCS Informational Bulletin (CIB) released on October 10, 2024. The CIB indicates significant federal investment in improving the process of transferring consumer application information between state Medicaid and CHIP agencies and the Marketplace in the states using the federal platform. This expert perspective reviews the CIB and highlights opportunities for states to improve account transfer data under the CIB.

CMS Solicits Comments on Medicaid/CHIP Reporting Templates for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity

On September 9, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new collection of federal Medicaid and CHIP reporting templates designed to assist states in monitoring Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) compliance in Medicaid and CHIP. Informal public comment is requested by December 2, 2024. This expert perspective reviews the reporting templates to highlight considerations for states and support the formulation of comment submissions.