Blogs / Reports
FEATURED ARTICLE
Twelve State-based Marketplace Leaders Express Serious Concerns about Federal Health Reimbursement Arrangement Rule Changes
/in Policy Blogs Eligibility and Enrollment, Health Coverage and Access, State Insurance Marketplaces /by NASHP WritersIn an April 29, 2019 letter to the secretaries of the departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services, 12 state-based marketplace leaders expressed serious concerns about delays in proposed federal rules that would significantly change states’ insurance markets and marketplaces in 2020. The proposed rules would impact health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) — allowing […]
State Policy Levers for Advancing Quality Improvements in Primary Care
/in Policy Reports Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Quality and Measurement /by Johanna Butler, Christina Cousart and Jennifer ReckStates, as major purchasers of health care, have a compelling interest to spur primary care providers to adopt the latest research to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of care. This new report, the third in the EvidenceNOW: Insights for State Health Policymakers Series, highlights policy levers states can use to support the adoption of evidence-based […]
Resources to Help States Fund Health-Related Social and Economic Needs
/in Policy Charts, Reports Accountable Health, Blending and Braiding Funding, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Community Benefit, Housing and Health, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Elinor Higgins and Amy ClaryFederal funding can help states improve housing, employment, and other life conditions for their vulnerable residents. This table highlights new programs, including public-private investment opportunities from the US Treasury, integrated care models from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation, and recent federal initiatives to combat the opioid crisis. It also features key longstanding sources, […]
New Eight-State Policy Academy Advances Access to Care for Pregnant/Parenting Women with SUD
/in Policy Alabama, Colorado, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Integrated for Pregnant/Parenting Women, Maternal Health and Mortality, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home /by Erin BonzonSubstance use disorders (SUD) and mental health conditions are prevalent among pregnant and parenting women in the United States, and they have far-reaching consequences for the health and well-being of women and their children. Integrated care models that support pregnant and parenting women’s physical and behavioral health and social service needs can improve outcomes for […]
NASHP Updates Model Drug Price Transparency Legislation, Featuring a Common Data Set for Cross-State Comparisons and Stronger Enforcement
/in Policy Maine Blogs Legislative Tracker, Model Legislation, Prescription Drug Pricing, State Rx Legislative Action /by Jennifer ReckAs drug price transparency measures proliferate across states, the National Academy of State Health Policy (NASHP) has released revised model transparency legislation featuring a common data set to reduce reporter burden and yield standardized, actionable data that will be comparable across states. The data — to be reported by manufacturers, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), wholesalers, and insurers — will […]
New Law Enables New Mexico to Leverage State Purchasing Power to Lower Rx Spending
/in Policy New Mexico Blogs Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health System Costs, Model Legislation, Prescription Drug Pricing, State Rx Legislative Action /by Trish RileyNew Mexico Gov. Lujan Grisham recently signed into law SB 131, establishing a state Interagency Pharmacy Purchasing Council to leverage public purchasing power by reviewing and coordinating cost-containment strategies through procurement of pharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical benefits, and pooling of risk among state agencies. Cosponsored by state Sen. Jeff Steinborn* and Rep. Joanne Farrary, the law also […]
Maryland Passes Nation’s First Prescription Drug Affordability Board Legislation
/in Policy Maryland Blogs Administrative Actions, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Coverage and Access, Health System Costs, Medicaid Managed Care, Newly-Enacted Laws, Prescription Drug Pricing, State Rx Legislative Action /by Jane HorvathOn April 8, 2019, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation that which would create the first state Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) to address the costs of certain high-priced drugs in Maryland. Gov. Larry Hogan has until May 31, 2019, to sign or veto the bill. If he signs the bill or does nothing, the […]
New Medicaid Funding Could Help States Better Integrate Care for Children with Medical Complexity
/in Policy Blogs Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, EPSDT, Health Coverage and Access, Integrated Care for Children, Integrated for Pregnant/Parenting Women, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care /by Hannah Eichner and Kate HonsbergerEarlier this month, the Senate passed the Medicaid Services Investment and Accountability Act of 2019 (H.R. 1839), which contains funding mechanisms and reforms that allow states to improve care coordination for children enrolled in Medicaid. As of early this week, the bill was on the President’s desk awaiting his signature. This legislation significantly gives states […]
State Initiatives Using Purchasing Power to Achieve Drug Cost Containment
/in Policy Reports Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Coverage and Access, Prescription Drug Pricing /by Jane HorvathThis report focuses on several state purchasing strategies designed to achieve concessions in negotiations with drug manufacturers and in other parts of the prescription drug supply chain. The highlighted strategies include intrastate actions, which combine state agencies’ purchases of drugs to improve their negotiating clout, and interstate activities, such as multi-state organizations that unite to […]
Cross-Agency Strategies to Curb Health Care Costs: Leveraging State Purchasing Power
/in Policy Reports Administrative Actions, Health Coverage and Access, Health System Costs, Making the Case for Action, Prescription Drug Pricing, State Rx Legislative Action /by Jane Horvath, Ellen Schneiter, Christina Cousart, Trish Riley and Maureen Hensley-QuinnRising health care costs are an intractable problem in the United States, but states, faced with balanced budget requirements and growing voter concern, aren’t waiting for a federal solution. This report explores state initiatives to curb health care costs by: Leveraging Medicare’s well-established reimbursement rates as reference prices for state employee plans to address rising […]
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