Blogs / Reports
FEATURED ARTICLE
NASHP’s State SUD Policy Institute Supports States to Address SUD in Federally Qualified Health Centers
/in Policy Alabama, Illinois, South Dakota, Virginia, Wisconsin Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Coverage and Access, Health System Costs, Integrated for Pregnant/Parenting Women, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Safety Net Providers and Rural Health /by NASHP WritersNASHP congratulates the five states selected to participate in NASHP’s State Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Policy Institute: Alabama Illinois South Dakota Virginia Wisconsin The State SUD Policy Institute, supported by a cooperative agreement with the Health Resources and Services Administration, will assist these five state teams to develop innovative strategies to increase access to and […]
Learn the Latest about States’ Medicaid Work Requirement Proposals
/in Policy Blogs Health Coverage and Access, Medicaid Expansion, Work Requirements /by Anita CardwellMore than 30 states have proposed or are implementing work requirements, in some cases to enable Medicaid expansion. Read an update about state efforts and a recent federal court ruling on Kentucky’s waiver application. Since January, when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it would allow states to require certain enrollees to […]
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. […]
The New Association Health Plan Rule: What Are the Issues and Options for States
/in Policy Blogs Essential Health Benefits, Health Coverage and Access, Medicaid Expansion, State Insurance Marketplaces /by NASHP StaffLast week, the Department of Labor released its final rule regulating association health plans (AHPs). The rule is part of the Trump Administration’s multi-pronged strategy to revise regulations governing AHPs, short-term insurance, and health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) to promote health care competition and choice. The rule is expected to reshape state insurance markets and […]
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 […]
Ministry, Association, and Short-Term Health Plans: What’s a State to Do?
/in Policy Blogs Essential Health Benefits, Health Coverage and Access, Medicaid Expansion, State Insurance Marketplaces /by NASHP StaffThe Trump Administration is expanding the availability of alternatives to Affordable Care Act-compliant health insurance. Rules to expand association health plans and short-term limited duration health plans are imminent. So what’s a state to do to prepare consumers and insurance markets for these alternative plans? The Administration asserts these alternatives will provide choice and lower-cost […]
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 […]
The Federal Government Considers Updating Data Collection and Analysis of Drug Prices
/in Policy Blogs Administrative Actions, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health System Costs, Prescription Drug Pricing, State Rx Legislative Action /by Jane HorvathThe Trump Administration announced a series of initiatives earlier this month to reduce prescription drug prices and patient drug costs. Its American Patients First provides an outline of ideas for future action and reprises initiatives the Administration recently began. The Administration is now seeking public input on many of these proposed policies. The Administration’s Request […]
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