May, 10, 2024

State Health Updates

  • Arizona – The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) announced that since implementation of continuous coverage for children eligible for Medicaid and CHIP, AHCCCS has continued coverage for more than 155,000 children under the age of 19.
  • Colorado – Governor Jared Polis signed legislation aimed at addressing the state’s healthcare workforce shortage. The bill provides additional funding to support the establishment of a third medical school in the state and to help expand programs at other institutions.
  • Connecticut – Governor Ned Lamont announced that he has signed legislation prohibiting healthcare providers and hospitals in Connecticut from reporting a person’s medical debt to credit rating agencies for use in credit reports. It also voids any medical debt that is reported to credit rating agencies.
  • Iowa 
    • Governor Kim Reynolds signed two health insurance bills, including one requiring insurers to cover supplemental and diagnostic testing for breast examinations and legislation requiring coverage of biomarker testing to guide treatments.
    • The Department of Health and Human Services launched a community survey seeking feedback concerning challenges in accessing services to age well or provide care to others within the community. Feedback will help create a long-term plan for how the state and community partners will work together to provide access to services through the lifespan.
  • Kansas – Governor Laura Kelly signed legislation that provides legal protections for those that seek to provide medical assistance to a person suffering a medical emergency related to substance-use. Known as the Good Samaritan Law, this legislation will prevent those suffering an overdose and bystanders who seek emergency services from being prosecuted for drug possession or use.
  • Maine – Governor Janet Mills announced that Jeanne Lambrew will step down from her position as Commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services, effective May 31, to accept a position leading national health policy development at The Century Foundation and to teach at Harvard University. 
  • Massachusetts – Massachusetts submitted a request to amend its section 1115 demonstration entitled, “MassHealth Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) Section 1115 Demonstration.” This demonstration amendment aims to provide the Commonwealth with Designated State Health Programs authority to support new demonstration initiatives and provide new federal support for existing state operated programs that serve low-income populations. 
  • Maryland – Governor Wes Moore signed into law the Maryland Kids Code, which seeks to limit data that could be collected from children online and authorizes certain monitoring practices to allow a child’s parent or guardian to monitor the child’s online activity or location without alerting the child.
  • Michigan – Michigan requested to extend the Michigan 1115 Behavioral Health Demonstration for five years. Additionally, Michigan is seeking new authority to provide contingency management as part of a comprehensive treatment model. 
  • Minnesota – The Department of Human Services published a bulletin announcing the end of Minnesota’s unwinding period effective June 1, 2024. The bulletin also provides information about temporary eligibility and enrollment strategies that will continue through December 2024.
  • North Carolina – Governor Roy Cooper announced that more than 450,000 North Carolinians have signed up for Medicaid under expansion in five months, with more than one million prescriptions covered. The milestone means three-fourths of those eligible for expansion have now gained coverage.
  • Oregon – The Oregon Health Authority launched a social media campaign spotlighting the public health harms caused by fentanyl, and how people can prevent deadly overdoses in the state. The campaign, “Fentanyl Aware” will focus on teaching people about risks, harm reduction strategies, recognizing and responding to an overdose and Oregon’s Good Samaritan Law.