The Commonwealth Fund continues to track changes in outpatient visits during the COVID-19 pandemic, with October 2020 data showing outpatient care generally returning to pre-pandemic levels after the sharp decline of nearly 60 percent in late April. But the data also show that visits for younger children remain substantially below the prepandemic baseline and visits […]
COVID-19 is affecting every part of family life, and for parents of young children the financial strain, emotional stress, and burden of care are especially overwhelming. We know that the emotional wellbeing of parents affects their children’s development, especially in the early years of life. In a recent report of a weekly survey to about […]
After more than the usual end-of-session drama, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA) became law on December 27, 2020 (P.L. 116-260). The sprawling, 2,124-page opus includes not just badly needed COVID relief for millions of unemployed Americans but also funding for the entire federal government and protections against surprise medical bills for consumers with private […]
States and stakeholders now have the long-awaited CMS guidance on advance planning in Medicaid and CHIP for the end of the public health emergency (PHE). There’s a lot to digest in this 54-page State Health Official letter (SHO). It discusses what happens to the various pandemic-related authorities and waivers and what states must do to […]
A new report written by my colleagues Edwin Park, Allie Corcoran and I for the Commonwealth Fund examines and summarizes the growing body of research documenting the long-term benefits of Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women and children. Because Medicaid/CHIP expansions were phased in over time, and states reacted on different timetables to federal options and requirements, […]
A few weeks ago I blogged about how a Biden Administration could go about unwinding Medicaid Section 1115 work reporting requirement waivers. Since Section 1115 demonstrations are clearly in the purview of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, a Biden Administration is in the driver’s seat (within the confines of the statute of course!) […]
