In a webinar hosted by the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF) last week, stakeholders sought to understand how the proposed preventive services Medicaid State Plan Amendment (SPA) can support a sustainable community health worker and promotore workforce. They also identified opportunities and challenges of the SPA and discussed how it can support community health workers … Read more
The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) opened the public comment period for the state’s draft 1115 waiver renewal application on Tuesday, signaling the latest step forward in the state’s effort to reform the Oregon Health Plan (OHP). OHA is preparing to submit the new five-year Medicaid program waiver to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services … Read more
Over 400 rural health providers are set to receive more than $118 million in funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) following a joint announcement by Sen. Ron Wyden (D) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D). The ARPA funding is part of a $7.5 billion allotment from the U.S. Health Resources and Services … Read more
Federal and state policymakers have been working to improve the cost-effectiveness of care provided to the “dually eligible” — those entitled to services under both Medicare and Medicaid — for more than two decades, but the results to date have been disappointing. The two giant public insurance programs are run by separate bureaucracies, have different … Read more
With the Thanksgiving holiday this week, I wanted to take a moment to say thank you on behalf of the entire State of Reform team for your continued support. Whether it’s through attending our conferences, reading our coverage of health care and health policy in Maryland, or sponsoring our events, we appreciate you! Thanks again … Read more
Michigan has the ability to enroll 3,000 to 4,000 more “lawfully residing” immigrant children and pregnant women in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) through a 2007 act—the Legal Immigrant Children’s Health Improvement Act (ICHIA). However, the state has yet to do so, according to a report from the Michigan League for Public … Read more
Earlier this month, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) submitted the state’s 1115 waiver demonstration application to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to expand services for older adults and adults with disabilities. The waiver specifically asks for the authority to expand Oregon Project Independence (OPI) and to create a new Family Caregiver Assistance … Read more
Undercounts from the 2020 Census could mean states are missing out on $552 million in Medicaid reimbursements dollars, according to a report out of the Urban Institute. The report estimates an overall 0.5% undercount of the US population but notes that there is considerable variation in who was undercounted and overcounted. Hard-to-count groups, reads the … Read more
With the Thanksgiving holiday next week, I wanted to take a moment to say thank you on behalf of the entire State of Reform team for your continued support. Whether it’s through attending our conferences, reading our coverage of health care and health policy in Alaska, or sponsoring our events, we appreciate you! Thanks again … Read more
The current House version of the Build Back Better (BBB) legislation, as posted by the Rules Committee, includes provisions that would close the health insurance coverage gap in states that have declined to expand Medicaid pursuant to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The individuals who now are ineligible both for Medicaid and ACA subsidies would … Read more