Blogs / Reports
FEATURED ARTICLE
State Experiences Designing and Implementing Medicaid Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) Pools
/in Policy Reports Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Essential Health Benefits, Health Coverage and Access, Health System Costs, Medicaid Expansion, Medicaid Managed Care, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Quality and Measurement, State Insurance Marketplaces /by Neva KayeSeveral states are operating DSRIP programs through their Medicaid programs under the authority of Section 1115 demonstrations. These programs incentivize system transformation and quality improvements in hospitals and other providers serving high volumes of low-income patients. This report, prepared by NASHP staff, for the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), provides an in-depth […]
Transition Team Bridge Inpatient to Outpatient Mental Health Services for Complex Mentally Ill
/in Policy Oregon Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health System Costs, Long-Term Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home /by Mary TakachIn my previous “Walkabout Medical Home” blog posts I have highlighted the work Primary Health Care Organizations (PHCOs) in Australia (Medicare Locals) have done to connect people with mild to moderate mental health diagnoses to primary care or community-based services. This blog highlights the innovative work being done stateside by Oregon’s Health Share. Health Share […]
Four Tips from States on Integrating Maternal and Child Health Data Systems
/in Policy Blogs Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health /by NASHPWhat happens when state health programs use separate data systems to serve the same population, such as mothers and children? State policymakers know that when those data systems do not “talk” to one another, states may waste resources on duplicative data entry and system maintenance; providers and state agencies may struggle to access information important […]
The Mental Health Parity and Equity Addictions Act Proposed Rules – a Checklist for States
/in Policy Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Essential Health Benefits, Health Coverage and Access, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration /by NASHPState policymakers have a critical role to play in how the Mental Health Parity and Addictions Equity Act (MHPAEA) is operationalized in state programs, including Medicaid managed care organizations, alternative benefit plans, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Now that CMS has released long-awaited proposed rules on implementation of the MHPAEA in these programs, […]
Conducting the Orchestra of Multi-Payer Payment Reform: Achieving Harmony in Arkansas and Vermont
/in Policy Arkansas, Vermont Blogs Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Community Health Workers, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Coverage and Access, Health IT/Data, Health System Costs, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home /by NASHP, Tess Shiras and Anne GauthierImagine an orchestra filled with providers and plans each playing its own tune to move towards value-based payment to incentivize better care and health. Alone, each tune is recognizable. But without working together, cacophony abounds. Enter the state as conductor and participant in aligned multi-payer payment reform, and sweet sounds emerge. If it only happened […]
Don’t Take Your Eyes Off Vermont: Gobeille v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company
/in Policy Vermont Blogs Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Coverage and Access, Health IT/Data, Health System Costs, Quality and Measurement, State Insurance Marketplaces /by NASHP and Alice WeissOkay, maybe as a California colleague suggests, it’s one of the “boutique states” and yes, its single payer plan stumbled, but don’t take your eyes off Vermont. Vermont is at work to hold down costs and reform payment and delivery systems. The Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB) is engaged in comprehensive efforts to control health […]
Shaking Up the Delivery of Traditional Mental Health Services
/in Policy Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health System Costs, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Workforce Capacity /by Mary TakachSeveral primary health care organizations (PHCOs) that I have spoken with in the states and in Australia during my 10-month fellowship have established a central referral point or “one stop shop” to help primary care practices connect their patients to community-based mental health and/or substance abuse services. These referral centers can take the load off […]
Oral Health and the Triple Aim — Evidence and Strategies to Improve Care and Reduce Costs
/in Policy Washington Reports Child Oral Health, Health Coverage and Access, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Oral Health /by NASHPOral health is linked to overall health, and mounting evidence suggests that addressing oral health can help states improve patient care, improve population health, and reduce costs. This brief, supported by the Washington Dental Service Foundation, explores how oral health intersects with diabetes, maternal and child health, and avoidable emergency department use. State policies to leverage […]
Extending CHIP Is an Important First Step, More Work as We Look Ahead!
/in Policy Blogs CHIP, CHIP, Health Coverage and Access, Healthy Child Development, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health /by NASHPIt’s a great relief to many state officials that Congress has passed an extension of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Last night, the U. S. Senate passed H. R. 2, a bill that already passed the House to repeal and replace the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) and extend federal funding for the CHIP […]
State Exchanges Breaking New Ground
/in Policy Blogs Health Coverage and Access, State Insurance Marketplaces /by NASHP and Anne GauthierIn the throes of headlines that feed either supporters or critics of the Affordable Care Act, it is time to take a look at innovation in progress. Let’s take a look at the states that have established their own state-based exchanges (SBEs)[1] to deliver quality, affordable health care to millions and bolster the march toward […]
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