Blogs / Reports
FEATURED ARTICLE
NASHP State Medicaid Policy Institute on Family Caregiving: Request for Applications
/in The RAISE Act Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center Blogs, Featured News Home Chronic and Complex Populations, Council Meeting Materials and Resources, COVID-19, Population Health, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center /by NASHP StaffThe National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP), with generous support from The John A. Hartford Foundation, is seeking state applications to participate in its State Medicaid Policy Institute on Family Caregiving. The institute will engage up to five teams of state leaders for one year to develop and/or strengthen health policies and strategies that support […]
RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council Votes to Approve Council Recommendations for Inclusion in Initial Report to Congress
/in The RAISE Act Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center Blogs, Featured News Home Chronic and Complex Populations, Council Meeting Materials and Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center /by NASHP StaffOn Nov. 18, 2020, the RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council convened to review and vote on a set of recommendations to support family caregivers, across the lifespan, for inclusion in its initial report to Congress. The council is tasked with creating a National Family Caregiving Strategy, as required by the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and […]
States Re-think Contact Tracing and Case Investigation Strategies as COVID-19 Cases Rise
/in Policy Blogs, Featured News Home Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Contact Tracing, COVID-19, Health Equity, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Elinor HigginsContact tracing is an essential strategy for curbing the spread of COVID-19. When implemented quickly, isolation of people diagnosed with COVID-19 and identification and quarantine of close contacts can effectively interrupt disease transmission and reduce spread. Faced with rapidly climbing caseloads, testing delays, and increases in community spread, states and localities have had to prioritize high-risk […]
NASHP Selects Emerging Leaders of Color Fellows
/in Policy Blogs, Featured News Home Health Equity, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Trish RileyI am very pleased to announce the inaugural class of NASHP’s Emerging Leaders of Color Fellowship as a small step to achieve our goals of racial equity in state health policy. We were humbled to receive 108 applications for the three available fellowships and moved by the testimony of each fellow as they shared their […]
States Use Appendix Ks to Provide Innovative Flexibilities for Medicaid Enrollees and Caregivers during COVID-19
/in The RAISE Act Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center Connecticut, Georgia, Washington Blogs, Featured News Home Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, COVID-19, Long-Term Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center /by Salom Teshale, Paige Spradlin, Wendy Fox-Grage and Kitty PuringtonDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, states have used the Appendix K Emergency Preparedness and Response authority to amend Medicaid 1915(c) home- and community-based services (HCBS) waivers and quickly provide more flexible services and supports to Medicaid enrollees and, indirectly, their caregivers.
With Federal Guidance Evolving and Vaccine Supplies Uncertain, States’ COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plans Remain Works in Progress
/in COVID-19 State Action Center Blogs, Featured News Home COVID-19, Health Equity, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Rebecca Cooper, Ariella Levisohn, Trish Riley and Jill RosenthalAs COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths soar and federal guidance evolves, states are finetuning their vaccine distribution plans as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) appears poised to approve a vaccine later this week. The timely, safe, and equitable distribution of the vaccines falls squarely on states and their providers, who are already stretched […]
State Use of Patient-Centered Outcomes Research in Telehealth Policymaking
/in Policy Featured News Home, Reports Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Consumer Affordability, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, COVID-19, Health Equity, Health System Costs, Population Health, Quality and Measurement, Quality and Measurement, Social Determinants of Health, Value-Based Purchasing /by Amanda Attiya, Christina Cousart and Maureen Hensley-QuinnThe adoption and use of telehealth have exploded across states, spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for social distancing, and swift federal and state action to enable how telehealth is delivered and covered by insurers. These changes will have a lasting impact on how health care is delivered, affecting payers, medical providers, and patients […]
State Strategies to Support the Health Needs of Children with Special Needs in Schools during COVID-19
/in Policy Blogs, Featured News Home Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, Chronic and Complex Populations, COVID-19, Health Equity, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Eskedar GirmashChildren and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) and their families face unique hardships in accessing school-based health services during COVID-19, especially children of color, those experiencing poverty, and those living in rural areas who have limited access to technology and acute socioeconomic needs. States are developing unique strategies to support the health needs […]
Guest Blog: Massachusetts Attorney General Issues Recommendations to Address Health Inequities
/in Policy Massachusetts Blogs, Featured News Home Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, COVID-19, Health Equity, Housing and Health, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Noam Yossefy and Sandra WolitzkyTo showcase what states are doing to address health disparities that the COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare, the National Academy for State Health Policy is highlighting state initiatives through reports and guest blogs, such as this one by Massachusetts Attorney General Office Health Care Analyst Noam Yossefy and Assistant Attorney General Sandra Wolitzky. A new […]
PhRMA Challenges Federal Importation Rule and Canada Limits Exports, States Continue Work
/in Prescription Drug Pricing Blogs, Featured News Home Administrative Actions, Legal Resources, Model Legislation, Newly-Enacted Laws, Prescription Drug Pricing, State Rx Legislative Action /by Jennifer Reck and Trish RileyAs expected, last week the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) filed suit in US District Court for the District of Columbia to block a new federal rule that allows states to import less costly prescription drugs from Canada. Also last week, the Canadian Minister of Health issued an order prohibiting the bulk export […]
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