Health Equity
All children should have the opportunity to reach their full potential in life, regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. Continuous access to affordable health coverage improves access to pediatrician-recommended care and services that support healthy development, help children achieve greater academic success and grow up to become healthier adults. CCF’s research, data analysis and recommendations on strategies for bolstering health equity for children and families are highlighted below.
Mandatory Reporting on Medicaid Quality Measures: What Did Congress Intend?
In August, CMS posted its proposed rule to codify Congressional action taken in 2018 to mandate state reporting of the Child Core Set and the Adult Behavioral Health Core Set of quality measures in Medicaid and CHIP, starting in 2024. Until 2024, state reporting on the core sets is voluntary. I did a quick scan […]
Build Back Better Act: Health Coverage Provisions Explained
On November 19, 2021, the House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act, the budget reconciliation bill, with the Senate expected to consider the legislation in coming weeks. The Build Back Better Act includes numerous provisions that would dramatically strengthen and expand both public and private health insurance coverage. Some of the new provisions […]
Kids with Gaps in Coverage Have Less Access to Care
Last week, we blogged about the 1 in 10 children who were uninsured at some point during the course of the recent uptick in uninsured children and how requiring 12-month continuous eligibility in both Medicaid and CHIP could help reduce racial, income, and geographic disparities in kids’ insurance coverage. This week, we’re taking another look […]
House Energy and Commerce Committee Releases Text of Medicaid/CHIP Reconciliation Provisions
Last night, legislative language was released by the House Energy and Commerce Committee (which has jurisdiction over Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)) – the “Build Back Better Act”. The Committee plans to “mark up” these provisions starting Monday — so things are now moving quickly inside the Beltway to move forward a […]
Workplace Wellness Programs Have Overlooked Health Equity
By Julie Zuckerbrod* In 2017, many food service and maintenance staff at Yale University received a notice about a mandatory health screening and “coaching” program. These employees and their spouses were automatically enrolled in the Yale Health Expectations Program (HEP), which required them to complete a series of health services like physical exams, blood tests, and […]
Critical Health Equity Context Needed in New Maternal and Infant Health Data Profile
Just before the end of 2020, CMS published a valuable new trove of data on indicators of maternal and infant health in Medicaid, designed to create a profile of the health status of pregnant and postpartum women and their infants. The information is part of several new reports and learning communities launched by CMS to […]