Mar, 21, 2025

State Health Updates

  • Connecticut – Access Health CT announced that applications are open for the 2025 Broker Academy Program. This free program recruits and trains individuals from marginalized communities in Connecticut, to become licensed health insurance brokers. The program aims to help reduce health disparities and uninsured rates and increase trust in the healthcare system by embedding these professionals in the state’s hardest-to-reach areas.
  • Idaho – Governor Brad Little signed into law House Bill 345, which calls for the state to seek work requirements for “able-bodied” Medicaid enrollees, and to give Idahoans eligible for Medicaid expansion access to tax credits to buy insurance on the state’s healthcare exchange. It also calls for the state to submit to CMS all state plan and waiver authorities required to implement a plan for comprehensive Medicaid managed care. Governor Little commented on signing: “House Bill 345 is a huge improvement over a previous version that would have reversed voter-approved Medicaid Expansion in 2018. The voters spoke loudly in 2018 with their votes, and as elected leaders we must continue to respect that. I am pleased House Bill 345 improves the Medicaid program without rejecting the will of the voters on Medicaid Expansion.”
  • Nevada – The state’s Medicaid program is implementing a new Centralized Credentialing process to speed up, consolidate and accurately verify the information healthcare providers submit to legally administer medical care. Prior to Centralized Credentialing, providers who wanted to serve Medicaid members through a health plan in certain counties had to credential with each health plan. Providers will still need to go to each health plan to initiate credentialing and contracting, but this process will streamline the credentialing step through one vendor.
  • Nebraska – The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services is inviting residents to participate in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey. The BRFSS collects data on health-related risk behaviors and events, chronic health conditions, and use of preventive services. Information gathered during these surveys is used to identify emerging health problems, establish and track health objectives, and develop, implement, and evaluate a broad array of disease prevention activities in the state.
  • New Mexico – The New Mexico Health Care Authority (HCA) is equipping all Income Support Division offices with naloxone, commonly known as Narcan. HCA will also train staff to help prevent opioid overdoses and save lives.
  • New York 
    • Governor Kathy Hochul announced a $4 million expansion of the Community Mental Health Loan Repayment Program to include licensed professionals serving children and adolescents at programs licensed or funded by the state. The expansion will help mental health professionals offering direct care mental health services to youth repay education loans and student debt.
    • Governor Hochul announced the launch of DFS Connect, a new digital program launched by the Department of Financial Services (DFS) that will provide a streamlined and transparent way for individuals to file complaints for prescription drug prices that increase more than 50% over the course of a year. Pharmacies will also be able to report problematic business practices of Pharmacy Benefit Managers and drug manufacturers.
  • North Carolina – The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child and Family Well-Being’s Infant-Toddler Program which supports infants and toddlers with disabilities, is available for public review and comment. The program provides early intervention services including service coordination, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, assistive technology, special instruction, and other services that increase cognitive, physical, and social-emotional functioning.
  • Oregon – The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has opened a public comment period on new edits to its existing 1331 Basic Health Program (BHP) Blueprint. OHA is requesting to offer retroactive coverage to a limited number of individuals who meet certain circumstances and were determined eligible for the BHP and a continued exception to federal requirement to offer a choice of standard health plan offerings to OHP Bridge enrollees.
  • Pennsylvania – The Pennsylvania Insurance Department, the Department of Human Services, and Pennie – Pennsylvania’s official health insurance Marketplace – celebrated the Affordable Care Act’s 15th anniversary and called for federal action to renew tax credits set to expire at the end of 2025.
  • Wyoming – The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) launched a video series to help lead workplace discussions on substance-use and mental health. Known as “Let’s Talk Wyoming,” the short, informative videos are free to watch and share online at LetsTalkWY.org, which is included on the WDH website.