The COVID-19 Relief Package and the “No Surprises Act”: Implications for States
In the waning days of 2020, Congress enacted a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package and government funding bill. Included in the measure is the “No Surprises Act,” which contains new protections for consumers from surprise medical bills from out-of-network providers. State Health & Value Strategies hosted a webinar during which experts from Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms, Manatt Health, and tax expert Jason Levitis reviewed the provisions of this legislation and their implications for states. The webinar reviewed the No Surprises Act and provided an overview of the next steps for implementing the federal balance billing protections and what the law will mean for state-level protections. Additionally, presenters discussed a number of other key health care provisions, including state and locality funding for COVID-19 vaccine distribution and testing as well as policy changes to the Provider Relief Fund, and the impact of additional unemployment compensation and relief payments on eligibility for financial assistance for health coverage.
Supporting Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs During COVID-19
On Tuesday, December 15 State Health and Value Strategies hosted a webinar on how states can support children and youth with special health care needs during COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant health and economic hardships for many children and families. Children who receive health services in school settings to support their education are losing access to those services. In addition, a pre-COVID-19 shortage of home health providers has worsened due to the pandemic, placing a significant burden on families who rely on home health services. The result can lead to gaps in care and caregiver burnout, putting children and youth with special health care needs at risk of regression and long-term negative health outcomes. Recognizing these risks, states and the federal government have broadly expanded telehealth coverage, established continuous coverage requirements and eased regulatory requirements for delivery of services. The webinar, produced by Manatt Health with the American Academy of Pediatrics, Family Voices, and the Georgetown Center for Children and Families with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health, explored strategies for state Medicaid agencies to enforce coverage requirements and make permanent the temporary regulatory flexibilities that have expanded access to services during the pandemic.
Click here for webinar recording
State Strategies for Overcoming Barriers to Advance Health Equity
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted longstanding health inequities which have resulted in an increased risk of sickness and death for people of color. The crisis has also propelled a nationwide focus on understanding and addressing health inequities. This issue brief explores impediments and accelerants to advancing health equity as states are increasingly being called upon to drive change.
Screening for Social Risk Factors Webinar Series
State Health and Value Strategies hosted a two-part webinar series on screening Medicaid members for social risk factors. State Medicaid agencies are increasingly recognizing the impact that non-medical factors, such as social risk factors, have on health. Social risk factors are adverse social conditions which create barriers to health for individuals, such as food insecurity and homelessness. The first webinar reviewed key terms, screening tools, and design decisions for states interested in screening Medicaid managed care members for social risk factors. The second webinar, explored adopting a measure to assess social risk factor screening rates.
Click here for the Slide Deck for Part I
Click here for the Recording for Part I
Changes in the Coverage Environment During COVID-19: State Strategies to Support Enrollment
On Friday, October 30, State Health & Value Strategies hosted a webinar during which experts from Manatt Health and GMMB reviewed the trajectory of 2020 Medicaid enrollment growth to date and provide effective strategies related to communication with members and coordination across state Medicaid agencies and Marketplaces to support coverage access and retention in this dynamic environment.
Developing a Social Risk Factor Screening Measure
This issue brief is designed as a resource for states looking to adopt a measure to assess social risk factor screening rates. It is the result of a series of convenings that the authors facilitated with three states—Massachusetts, Oregon, and Rhode Island—which helped them consider, discuss, and share perspectives related to the development of their own social risk factor screening process measures. The issue brief looks at the progress these states and North Carolina have made in developing their own social risk factor screening measures and highlights considerations for other states either planning to adopt an existing or develop a new screening measure.
Social Risk Factor Screening in Medicaid Managed Care
The past two years have seen a sharp increase in state Medicaid program interest in how social determinants of health (SDOH) influence Medicaid enrollee health status and spending. This brief provides an introduction to the first step most states are taking in response through their Medicaid managed care programs—screening members for social risk factors (SRFs). It explains why Medicaid managed care members should be screened for SRFs, identifies screening design decisions, identifies common SRFs, and reviews options for screening tool selection.
Protected: Health Equity Roundtable Resource Page
In October 2020, State Health & Value Strategies hosted a three-hour virtual roundtable with a select group of states.
In March, 2021, we held a second round of meetings with this roundtable group. Access to the meeting materials is restricted to the states that participated in the convening and available through this password protected page.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Unwinding Federal Medicaid Flexibilities: Issues and Considerations for States
States quickly mobilized to implement emergency federal authorities (e.g., Section 1135 waivers, 1915(c) Waiver Appendix K, emergency Section 1115 waivers) and state-level regulatory flexibilities to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic; now they must determine which flexibilities to scale back or sustain, taking into account fiscal implications. The interaction of the stimulus package dates, the Public Health Emergency, and the President’s National Emergency Declaration, among other factors, are complex, and states are actively grappling with decision making regarding which flexibilities they need and want to keep, and how. This Excel workbook is intended to serve as a tool for states as they strategize and plan for the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, states can utilize this template to conduct both a primary analysis as they determine which flexibilities to unwind or maintain and a secondary analysis to plan for operational and implementation implications. The workbook has been updated to reflect the renewal of the Public Health Emergency as of October 2, 2020.
Buying Value: Measures that Matter for Quality and Equity
On Monday, September 28, State Health and Value Strategies hosted a webinar on the Buying Value suite of resources to support state use of performance measures as they assess and improve value with managed care plans and accountable provider entities. Buying Value consists of two free Excel-based tools. The Buying Value Measure Selection Tool assists states, employers, consumer organizations and providers in creating and maintaining aligned quality measure sets. The Buying Value Benchmark Repository is a database of non-HEDIS measures in use by state purchasers and regional health improvement collaboratives, and associated performance data for benchmarking purposes.