Aug, 30, 2024

State Health Updates

  • Colorado – Colorado submitted a request to amend its Medicaid section 1115 demonstration to incorporate a health-related social needs program and provide housing and nutrition services for eligible populations. 
  • Connecticut – During the Connecticut Healthcare Benchmark Steering Committee’s August meeting, researchers presented findings from an analysis of Connecticut’s healthcare affordability index. The index assesses residents’ ability to afford healthcare without sacrificing basic needs like housing, food, transportation and childcare. The analysis found that 13% of state households couldn’t afford healthcare in 2022, and projected that more households would be unable to afford basic needs in 2024.
  • Louisiana – The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) is seeking feedback from healthcare providers and stakeholders on the state’s upcoming proposal for CMS’ Transforming Maternal Health (TMaH) Model, which aims to provide up to $17 million over a 10-year period to selected Medicaid agencies. LDH will host two meetings to discuss the TMaH model and its requirements and seek feedback on the draft proposal.
  • Maine – Maine Bureau of Insurance Superintendent Bob Carey announced approval of the 2025 health insurance rates for Maine’s individual and small group market. The approved rates increase by 8.6% for individuals and 9.4% for small employers and will take effect on January 1, 2025.
  • Massachusetts – The Massachusetts Health Connector published a report on the state’s ConnectorCare pilot expansion, the Marketplace’s financial assistance program which was approved in the fiscal year 2024 state budget to pilot increased eligibility limits from 300% to 500% of the federal poverty level. The report provides detail on the over 51,000 enrollees in the pilot, including their plan choices and premium savings.
  • New Mexico – The New Mexico Health Care Authority is seeking stakeholder feedback regarding the state’s new federal authority to connect Medicaid-eligible individuals in incarceration to needed services prior to their release. Two online meetings are scheduled in September to educate healthcare providers and the state, county, and local jails and prisons who serve these populations about this change and to involve stakeholders in the program design. 
  • New York
    • Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation to expand resources for women’s health services. S.5910-B/A.4060-A requires menstrual products in public colleges and universities. S.6146-A/A.5729-A requires commercial health insurers to provide coverage for tattooing performed by a physician as part of breast reconstruction surgery. 
    • Governor Hochul announced more than $24 million to expand HealthySteps, a program that supports young families with mental and physical health development for children under three years old. The funding will support up to 50 new HealthySteps sites. The program is administered by the New York State Office of Mental Health, which pairs pediatric physicians with child development specialists to provide services for children and their families in a pediatric healthcare setting.
  • North Carolina – The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced a $4.5 million investment in the NC Child Treatment Program, a statewide initiative to train mental health providers in trauma-informed treatment models for children with complex behavioral health needs. The investment is part of the department’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the child behavioral health workforce and build a continuum of services to improve outcomes for children and families.
  • Pennsylvania – The Pennsylvania Departments of Human Services (DHS), Health (DOH), Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP), and the Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) launched a planning process to develop a maternal health strategic plan. DHS, DOH, DDAP, and PID will launch an online survey and host community events in September and October to gather input from Pennsylvanians with lived experience in maternal health. The strategic plan will include priorities centering on equity and diversity, with a focus on increasing access to high-quality care, expanding and diversifying the maternal healthcare workforce, and addressing behavioral health and substance-use disorder services and supports.
  • Tennessee – Tennessee requested to amend their Medicaid section 1115 demonstration entitled “TennCare III.” The proposed amendment would extend TennCare coverage to additional working individuals with disabilities, with the goal of removing barriers to employment for individuals with disabilities who, but for their income and resources, would otherwise qualify for coverage under the TennCare demonstration.