Feb, 14, 2025

State Health Updates

  • Colorado – The Department of Health Care Policy & Financing terminated its contract with MedRide LLC to provide Non-Emergency Medical Transportation services to Colorado’s Medicaid program members statewide. MedRide has consistently failed to meet numerous state and federal regulations, jeopardizing the health and safety of Health First Colorado members.
  • Louisiana – The Louisiana Department of Health’s (LDH) Medicaid program is launching an emergency room utilization reduction pilot program. The pilot program extends medical services from LDH’s six Medicaid managed care organizations to patient residences via urgent mobile care provided by Acadian Health. The pilot program will provide mobile urgent treatment for an array of non-life-threatening medical conditions, including sickle cell disease and other chronic diseases. 
  • Massachusetts – The Division of Insurance developed a Q&A to help explain Massachusetts laws regarding insurance coverage for abortion and abortion-related care. The Q&A is intended for insurance companies, providers, pharmacists, and consumers to understand the reproductive access rights provided under state law.
  • Nevada – The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services released its final Public Health Emergency Unwinding report reflecting collective data on Medicaid and CHIP enrollment, renewals and disenrollment during the unwinding period. At the peak of the continuous coverage requirement, a total of 973,929 individuals were enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP. As of December, 2024 a total of 822,034 individuals were enrolled. 
  • New Jersey 
    • Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order establishing an advisory council on HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and viral hepatitis to help bolster the state’s efforts to uplift public health. The advisory council will bring together government officials and members of the public with a mandate to tackle these pressing communicable disease threats to public health with specific attention to the disproportionate impact of HIV, STIs, and viral hepatitis on New Jersey’s Black, Hispanic, Latino, and LGBTQIA+ communities.
    • New Jersey Human Services announced $3.5 million in funding for non-profits and local county or municipal government agencies through the 2025 Inclusive Healthy Communities Grant Program (IHC) to help communities across New Jersey support the health and wellbeing of individuals with disabilities. The IHC Grant Program is an initiative to support communities and ensure that the voices and needs of people with disabilities are included in healthy community planning. 
  • New York
    • Governor Kathy Hochul announced $20.7 million to support SNUG Street Outreach programs that work to reduce gun violence and save lives in 14 communities across the state. These grants to community-based organizations and hospitals fund outreach workers, hospital responders, social workers and case managers who work with individuals at risk of gun violence, connecting them with support and services to change behavior and increase opportunities.
    • NY State of Health, the state’s official health insurance Marketplace, published fact sheets which show the impact of the enhanced premium tax credit savings by New York Congressional District and the expected impact on New Yorkers if the enhancements are not extended by Congress in 2025.
  • North Carolina – The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced more than $11 million in funding to community-based diversion programs and reentry services that strengthen support for people involved in the justice system. The funding will support the expansion of the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program and referrals to community-based services and supports, with an emphasis on regions or localities that have historically lacked the resources to operate these programs. Additionally, funds will ensure people involved in the justice system, including those reentering their communities, have access to housing and supported employment services tailored to their needs. 
  • Pennsylvania – The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones, along with leadership from the departments of Human Services and Health, joined substance-use disorder (SUD) treatment providers, those with lived experience, local government and judicial officials for a roundtable discussion to seek feedback on the development of the state’s Maternal Health Strategic Plan specific to the SUD-related care for pregnant and postpartum individuals.