State Health Updates
- Arkansas – The Arkansas Department of Human Services announced a workforce stabilization incentive program for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) providers through which roughly $112 million is available to help providers with retention and recruitment efforts. The program is the first phase of the state’s plan for the funding available for HCBS through the American Rescue Plan Act.
- Maryland – Governor Larry Hogan announced that a record number of Marylanders enrolled for health coverage through Maryland Health Connection, the state’s official health insurance marketplace, during the recently ended open enrollment period. The 182,861 enrollments marked a 10 percent increase over the 2021 open enrollment total of 166,038.
- Minnesota
- The Department of Human Services (MNDHS) released a request for proposals (RFP) as it is seeking to provide integrated, culturally supportive perinatal care to American Indian people at high risk for low-birth weight and preterm births.
- MNDHS has also released an RFP to provide supportive services for people with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) who are homeless or exiting institutions who have complex needs and face high barriers to obtaining and maintaining housing. Services provided will assist people to transition to and sustain permanent supportive housing and proposals must also address one or more of the behavioral health priorities of program linkage, peer services, veterans, and equity.
- Nevada
- The Silver State Health Insurance Exchange, the state agency that operates the online marketplace known as Nevada Health Link, announced Ryan High as its new executive director. Ryan joined the Exchange as the Chief Operations Officer in October of 2016. Congratulations, Ryan!
- Governor Steve Sisolak announced that Nevada will be joining the Northwest Prescription Drug Consortium, operated by Oregon and Washington, to reduce prescription drug costs for enrolled Nevadans. The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services is coordinating with the Consortium to implement the program, which will allow a consumer to save on average up to 80 percent on generic drugs and up to 20 percent on brand name drugs. It is free to enroll and available to all residents of Nevada, whether they hold private insurance, are underinsured, or are uninsured.
- New York
- NY State of Health, the state’s official health insurance marketplace, released fact sheets that show the impact of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) enhanced tax credit savings and PHE easements by New York Congressional District. The ARPA savings are key to a smooth transition into affordable coverage for individuals who may no longer be eligible for Medicaid or the Essential Plan following resumption of regular renewal processes at the end of the PHE.
- NY State of Health announced plans to provide free, onsite enrollment assistance to job seekers across the state. NY State of Health certified enrollment assisters will be available at more than 12 in-person job fairs throughout the spring to answer questions about health coverage available through the Marketplace and to schedule appointments to enroll.
- Oregon – The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) announced the launch of the new Health Care Market Oversight (HCMO) program, which was established by HB 2362 in the 2021 Legislative Session. This law directs OHA to review business deals that consolidate the health system in a way that could impacts, costs, quality, access and equity for Oregonians. As of the launch on March 1, large healthcare entities such as hospitals, health insurance companies, and provider groups proposing to merge or acquire other entities must file notice with the HCMO program. The review process also allows for the community to understand the potential impacts of a transaction and weigh in.
- Pennsylvania – Governor Tom Wolf announced that Pennsylvania’s state-based health insurance marketplace, known as Pennie, has added a new qualifying life event to allow Pennsylvanians with an annual household income equal to or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level the ability to enroll in health insurance throughout the year.