Population Health
FEATURED ARTICLE
Washington’s Medicaid Chief Examines the Future of Medicaid and Health Reforms
/in Policy Washington Blogs Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Essential Health Benefits, Health Coverage and Access, Health System Costs, Medicaid Expansion, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, Quality and Measurement, State Insurance Marketplaces, Value-Based Purchasing /by NASHP WritersMaryAnne Lindeblad oversees Washington State’s Apple Health (Medicaid) program, which serves more than 1.8 million residents. She also chairs the National Academy for State Health Policy’s executive committee and is a National Association of Medicaid Directors board member. Lindeblad took time recently to talk to NASHP about the future of Medicaid and health care reform. […]
State Strategies to Advance Medical Homes for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs
/in Policy Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Coverage and Access, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home /by NASHP StaffMedical homes are critical components of comprehensive care systems for children and youth with special health needs (CYSHCN). They can reduce costs and improve outcomes and care experiences for CYSHCN and their families. This new report, State Strategies to Advance Medical Homes for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs, examines effective strategies used […]
Health Services Initiative Gives States Unique Tools to Improve the Health of Low-Income Children
/in Policy Arkansas, Delaware Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Eligibility and Enrollment, EPSDT, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Expansion, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Olivia BaconWith federal funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) assured through 2027, states can consider using a portion of their CHIP dollars to improve the health of low-income children through innovative Health Services Initiative (HSI). HSIs provide states with a mechanism to use CHIP administrative dollars to fund a range of activities beyond just […]
How States Can Improve Access to Care for Children Under the Medicaid Managed Care Rule
/in Policy Colorado, Virginia Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, EPSDT, Health Coverage and Access, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Quality and Measurement /by Kate HonsbergerNext month, states face new federal requirements for establishing and maintaining Medicaid managed care provider networks. As they work to comply with these new rules, states have an opportunity to strengthen access to care for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN). Medicaid and requirements, which address how enrollees access care and the […]
An Early Look at Vermont’s Value-Based, Multi-Payer “Next Gen” Model, Designed to Lower Costs and Improve Population Health
/in Policy Vermont Reports Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Coverage and Access, Health IT/Data, Health System Costs, Medicaid Expansion, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, Quality and Measurement, State Insurance Marketplaces, Total Cost of Care Benchmark, Value-Based Purchasing /by NASHP WritersBy Robin Lunge, JD, MHCDS Robin Lunge is a member of Vermont’s Green Mountain Care Board, which regulates health insurance rates, hospital budgets, and accountable care organizations. In this brief, she explores how the state’s transformation from a fee-for-service payment system to a value-based, multi-payer model designed to curb health care spending and improve care […]
The Roadmap Ahead: New York’s Value-Based Payments Reward Communities and Providers for Addressing the Social Determinants of Health
/in Policy New York Blogs Accountable Health, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Health System Costs, Medicaid Expansion, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, Quality and Measurement, Social Determinants of Health, State Insurance Marketplaces, Value-Based Purchasing /by Amy ClaryMedicaid payment models in many states are shifting away from rewarding providers for the quantity of care they provide to models that reward high-quality, coordinated care that addresses some of the broader social factors that influence health and well-being. One example is New York’s Value-Based Payment (VBP) Roadmap, which rewards Medicaid providers and community-based organizations […]
50-State Scan of Lead Screening and Treatment Policies for Children and Pregnant Women
/in Policy Charts CHIP, CHIP, Eligibility and Enrollment, Health Coverage and Access, Healthy Child Development, Integrated for Pregnant/Parenting Women, Lead Screening and Treatment, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Population Health /by Megan LentThe US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that children in 4 million households are exposed to high levels of lead. Elevated blood lead levels increase risk for damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and development, and learning, behavior, hearing, and speech problems, along with long-term financial financial and health implications. […]
New Law Helps States Pay for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services with Federal Foster Care Funds
/in Policy Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, Health Coverage and Access, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Integrated for Pregnant/Parenting Women, Maternal Health and Mortality, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health /by Kate HonsbergerThe Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), passed as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act in February 2018, presents a new funding option for states to provide mental health and substance abuse services in order to prevent the placement of children in foster care. The number of children entering foster care has increased in recent […]
Oklahoma Uses Focus Groups to Identify Strategies to Better Serve Foster Care Youth
/in Policy Oklahoma Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, Health Coverage and Access, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Safety Net Providers and Rural Health, Social Determinants of Health, Workforce Capacity /by Anita Cardwell and Olivia BaconOklahoma uses focus groups to identify ways to improve treatment guidelines, communication, and medication monitoring for foster care youth enrolled in Medicaid. May is National Foster Care Month and for the fourth consecutive year the number of children in foster care nationwide has climbed, fueled in part by the opioid epidemic, according to the Adoption and […]
State Agencies Partner to Address Health Care Workforce Shortages
/in Policy Indiana Blogs Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Health Coverage and Access, Population Health, Safety Net Providers and Rural Health, Workforce Capacity /by Natalie WilliamsTwelve governors flagged health care workforce needs as a key priority in their 2018 State of the State Addresses, an increase from only eight in 2017. States across the country are experiencing shortages of health care professionals, with the gap projected to increase in the coming years as America’s population continues to age. These workforce […]
For individuals living with complex, often chronic conditions, and their families, palliative care can provide relief from symptoms, improve satisfaction and outcomes, and help address critical mental and spiritual needs during difficult times. Now more than ever, there is growing recognition of the importance of palliative care services for individuals with serious illness, such as advance care planning, pain and symptom management, care coordination, and team-based, multi-disciplinary support. These services can help patients and families cope with the symptoms and stressors of disease, better anticipate and avoid crises, and reduce unnecessary and/or unwanted care. While this model is grounded in evidence that demonstrates improved quality of life, better outcomes, and reduced cost for patients, only a fraction of individuals who could benefit from palliative care receive it. 
States’ COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declarations and Mask Requirements
/in COVID-19 State Action Center Charts, Featured News Home, Maps COVID-19, Featured Policy Home, Health Equity, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by NASHP Staff and Ella Roth