Tag Archive for: academy member

Following on the heels of our Leader’s Summit, held in October, last night NASHP convened our Academy members in a national issues forum teleconference to update each other and discuss emerging concerns and opportunities. From that discussion, several themes emerged:

1. The uncertainty of policy direction confounds states and markets and leads to instability

2. As policy evolves, priority should be given to market stability

3. Maintaining the momentum in states in payment and delivery reform –key components of addressing costs- is critical and much of it has been supported through the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI)

4. Numerous, long negotiated waivers and waiver renewals now before the federal government should be addressed to assure momentum in reform continues

5. States are considering the impact of block grants, weighing added flexibility against the budget impact of moving from the guaranteed funding of an entitlement to the annual Congressional appropriations process

6. The Children’s Health Insurance Program  (CHIP) and maintenance of effort requirements have provided coverage for millions of children and that coverage needs to be a priority in whatever policy is considered.

7. Public health and prevention are important long term strategies to tame the health care cost trajectory and must be part of any emerging proposals.

8. NASHP is a non-partisan organization of state health policy leaders ready to identify issues of concern and strategies that can work

The October Leaders’ Summit produced a new publication that outlines ways in which states are ready to work with the next administration.