Improving Systems
The community health worker (CHW) workforce saw an infusion of funds during the COVID-19 pandemic from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and American Rescue Plan of approximately $300 million and $200 million, respectively. Other federal entities like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded grants to complement state efforts, all with […]
On April 17, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), issued new guidance sharing a new opportunity for states interested in improving transitions from state incarceration to the community. The grotesque racial inequities in justice-involved populations, combined with abrupt transitions back into community settings without health supports after incarceration, lead to poor post-release health […]
Medical Care Advisory Committees are powerful tools—available in every state—for advancing effective health policies on behalf of children and families. Anyone working on state Medicaid policies needs to know about MCACs! What is an MCAC? Medical Care Advisory Committees, known as “MCACs”, are advisory bodies that provide state Medicaid agencies with formal feedback and recommendations […]
In May, Wyoming received approval to transition its separate Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) into what we call an M-CHIP program, where all children funded through CHIP coverage expansions are enrolled in Medicaid. Wyoming follows in the footsteps of North Dakota, Michigan, New Hampshire, and California – all of which converted their separate CHIP programs […]
States are continuing to push for extending Medicaid coverage for postpartum women beyond the current federal cutoff of 60 days after the end of their pregnancy. Just in the last month, three more states submitted waiver applications to CMS: Indiana, Georgia, and Texas. Before the end of the year, we submitted comments on Indiana’s limited […]
My new paper for the Commonwealth Fund analyzes how Puerto Rico’s Medicaid block grant financing contributed to Puerto Rico’s overall fiscal and debt crisis and resulted in a Medicaid program that is far less generous than what is provided in the states. Puerto Rico’s experience thus offers critical lessons to federal and state policymakers about […]
