IT Systems and Data Strategies to Prepare for Medicaid Continuous Coverage Unwinding
On Wednesday, November 10 State Health and Value Strategies hosted a webinar that provided an overview of strategies for states seeking to ensure that eligible enrollees are able to keep or transition to new affordable health coverage when the Medicaid continuous coverage requirement ends. States will be resuming eligibility and enrollment activities for all enrollees in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and as part of their planning, states have an opportunity to retain coverage gains experienced over the pandemic period by taking steps to ensure that eligible enrollees are able to keep Medicaid/CHIP coverage, and those who are eligible for subsidized Marketplace coverage are transitioned and enrolled. Experts from Manatt Health and McKinsey & Company discussed how states can prepare now by deploying strategies to update enrollee contact information, and make other eligibility and enrollment technology changes to better serve their residents.
Enforcement of the No Surprises Act: Considerations for States
To explore enforcement considerations across potentially multiple state agencies, State Health and Value Strategies hosted a webinar on Thursday, November 4 at 1:00pm ET, during which experts from the Georgetown University Center on Health Insurance Reforms and GMMB provided an overview of federal regulators’ proposed approach to enforcement of the NSA as well as shared strategies to consider in planning provider and consumer education efforts. The webinar also included presentations from three states on their enforcement approaches to the NSA: Maryland, Pennsylvania and Texas, followed by a question and answer session.
Promoting Health Equity in Medicaid Managed Care
On Monday, November 1, State Health and Value Strategies hosted a webinar that reviewed steps states can take to integrate health equity into their Medicaid managed care programs. Medicaid’s role in providing healthcare coverage to individuals who experience economic and social disadvantage is leading many states to integrate health equity into their population health management strategies, focusing specific attention on reducing health disparities and addressing conditions that create health inequities. The webinar profiled the recently published Promoting Health Equity in Medicaid Managed Care: A Guide for States, a practical guide that offers a series of concrete actions state Medicaid agencies can implement internally and with their contracted health plans in pursuit of health equity. During the webinar, experts from Bailit Health reviewed the three sections of the Guide and facilitated a discussion with state officials.
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Strategies for States to Drive Equitable Vaccine Distribution and Administration
On Thursday, August 12, State Health and Value Strategies hosted a webinar during which experts from Manatt Health and Health Equity Solutions provided an overview of the strategies states can pursue in partnership with community-based organizations to reduce disparities in COVID-19 vaccine uptake, and in the longer term, to build a more equitable and sustainable public health system. While more than 20 states and the District of Columbia reached the Biden administration’s goal of administering one or more COVID-19 vaccine doses to at least 70 percent of adults by early July, wide variation in vaccination rates persists across communities within these states and among the 30 states still working to reach this goal. This variation in vaccination rates at the community level translates to disparities across racial and ethnic groups, as most states continue to have disparities in vaccination rates between Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) and white populations. States and their community partners are implementing a broad range of distribution and outreach strategies to improve vaccine equity and are looking to build sustainable infrastructure and capacity to advance health equity within state and local public health and health care delivery systems.
Highlights of the Buying Value Benchmark Repository: Innovative Homegrown Measures
On Tuesday, June 22, State Health and Value Strategies hosted a webinar on innovative measures that states have developed to address their program priorities. States are responsible for ensuring that their Medicaid programs are delivering high-quality, high-value care, but there are not always nationally-endorsed measures focused on states’ areas of interest. The webinar featured state officials from the Oregon Health Authority and Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, who discussed their experiences developing and implementing homegrown measures in their state Medicaid programs.
American Rescue Plan’s New State Option for Community-Based Mobile Crisis Interventions
On Monday, June 14, State Health and Value Strategies hosted a webinar during which experts from Manatt Health provided an overview and considerations on the state option to provide community mobile crisis interventions services included in American Rescue Plan. Presenters walked through key questions on the new option, reviewed promising models for crisis mobile intervention services, and shared strategies for equitable design and implementation. The webinar also included a question and answer session during which webinar participants posed their questions to the experts on the line.
The American Rescue Plan: Communicating Affordability Provisions
On Tuesday, March 23, State Health and Value Strategies hosted a webinar to discuss how to best communicate with consumers and other stakeholders so residents can take full advantage of new financial help through the Marketplace, free COBRA plans, and more provided by the American Rescue Plan. The webinar was the third in a series that SHVS is hosting on the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Experts from GMMB walked through key questions to consider, thoughts on audience segmentation, initial messaging and potential outreach tactics. We also heard from states on their real-time communication plans for rollout.
The American Rescue Plan: An Overview of Medicaid Provisions and State/Local Relief
On Tuesday, March 16, State Health and Value Strategies hosted the second of three webinars to address key provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The $1.9 trillion budget reconciliation package was signed into law by President Biden on March 11. The legislation is wide-ranging, seeking to support Americans as we continue to recover from the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn. This second webinar, with experts from Manatt Health, reviewed key Medicaid provisions and state/local relief funding included in the COVID-19 relief package. Presenters also discussed considerations for state policymakers as they look to implement the American Rescue Plan, and how some proposals that did not end up in the final legislation could foreshadow future policy priorities.
The American Rescue Plan: An Overview of Private Insurance Provisions
On Friday, March 12, State Health and Value Strategies hosted the first of three webinars to address key provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The $1.9 trillion budget reconciliation package was signed into law by President Biden on March 11. The bill is wide-ranging, seeking to support Americans as we continue to recover from the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn. The first webinar explored changes to private insurance, including Marketplaces. Tax expert Jason Levitis and Joel Ario from Manatt Health explored the premium tax credit changes and COBRA subsidy and outlined decision points for state policymakers and consumers.
Analyzing Health Disparities in Medicaid Managed Care
On Wednesday, February 24, State Health and Value Strategies hosted a webinar on analyzing health disparities in Medicaid managed care. Health disparities are a key indicator of health equity and understanding health care disparities is a critical component of informing systems changes to improve health care outcomes. Stratifying performance data by race, ethnicity, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation can inform targeted interventions to reduce health care disparities; yet many states lack complete and reliable data to do so. During the webinar, experts from Bailit Health discussed how states can use performance rates and disparities analyses from Medicaid managed care programs in other states to determine where disparities are likely to exist in their own state and develop interventions.