On December 28, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a State Health Official letter providing guidance on the scope of and enhanced payments for qualifying community-based mobile crisis intervention services for Medicaid enrollees experiencing a mental health or substance use disorder crisis. The CMS guidance comes as the United States is grappling with staggering need for mental health and SUD services that has grown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This expert perspective provides an overview of the new guidance and reviews the requirements for community mobile crisis services.

State health updates as of January 14, 2022.

On December 28, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released its proposed Notice of Benefit & Payment Parameters for plan year 2023. This annual regulation governs core provisions of the Affordable Care Act, including operation of the health insurance marketplaces, standards for insurers, and the risk adjustment program. This expert perspective focuses on provisions of the proposed rule that are of particular import to the state-based marketplaces and state insurance regulators.

State health updates as of January 7, 2022.

State health updates as of December 17, 2021.

2021 was a year like no other in state health policy. Expansions of coverage subsidies, new opportunities in Medicaid, increased federal funding, and a full year of pandemic response. It has been busy for us at SHVS too, and with all of the materials we published this year, we wanted to share a list of what you might have missed.

State health updates as of December 10, 2021.

State health updates as of December 3, 2021.

State health updates as of November 19, 2021.

The impact of missed cancer screenings due to COVID-19 creates an even greater urgency for state Medicaid programs to advance strategies to encourage cancer screenings and early treatment. While the research on best practices is not conclusive, this expert perspective offers state agencies some promising practices to work with their contracted Medicaid health plans, providers, and enrollees to increase rates of colorectal and lung cancer screening.