Quality and Measurement
FEATURED ARTICLE
New Federal “No Surprises Act” Extends Medical Billing Protections Beyond State Reach
/in Policy Blogs, Featured News Home Consumer Affordability, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health System Costs, Hospital/Health System Oversight, Quality and Measurement /by Christina CousartThe “No Surprises Act,” the most comprehensive federal legislation enacted to date designed to prohibit surprise medical bills, is part of the recently enacted Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.
States Quickly Retool Strategies to Maximize Vaccination Coverage
/in COVID-19 Blogs, Featured News Home Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, COVID-19, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Population Health, Quality and Measurement, Quality and Measurement, Social Determinants of Health, Workforce Capacity /by Ariella Levisohn, Rebecca Cooper and Jill RosenthalFaced with limited vaccine supplies, a slow rollout of federal funds, and new federal guidelines allowing vaccination of those 65 and older, states face distribution challenges as they quickly evaluate which mass immunization practices are most effective.
Texas Improves Access to Routine Oral Health Services for Very Young Children
/in Policy Texas Child Oral Health, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Consumer Affordability, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Health System Costs, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Oral Health, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Quality and Measurement, Quality and Measurement, Social Determinants of Health /by Veronnica ThompsonThough largely preventable, tooth decay (caries) is the most common chronic disease in US children, affecting approximately 23 percent of children ages 2 to 5.[1],[2] Texas’s First Dental Home and its enhanced bundled payment has increased access to preventive dental service and improved the oral health of Medicaid-enrolled children ages 6 to 35 months. Providing […]
Michigan Medicaid Addresses Social Determinants of Oral Health through Dental and Medical Contracts
/in Policy Michigan Blogs, Featured News Home Child Oral Health, CHIP, Consumer Affordability, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, EPSDT, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Health System Costs, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Oral Health, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Quality and Measurement, Social Determinants of Health, Workforce Capacity /by Ariella LevisohnInequities in dental care are prevalent across the United States, with significant disparities based on age, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Economic factors, such as ability to pay for dental insurance, and social factors such as food insecurity and access to nutritious food options also play a large role in oral health outcomes. In Michigan, […]
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 […]
Three States’ Strategies to Improve Behavioral Health Services Delivery through Medicaid Accountable Care Programs
/in Policy Colorado, Minnesota, Rhode Island Featured News Home, Reports Accountable Health, Care Coordination, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Equity, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Quality and Measurement, Quality and Measurement /by Neva KayePatient-Centered Outcome Research Institute Informs States’ Use of Telehealth
/in Policy Blogs, Featured News Home Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, COVID-19, Population Health, Quality and Measurement, Quality and Measurement /by Amanda Attiya, Christina Cousart and Maureen Hensley-QuinnIn response to COVID-19, states have made swift and unprecedented changes to enable the use of telehealth to meet the public’s need to safely access care remotely. Now, policymakers face the challenge of analyzing whether to sustain these changes as they weigh cost, privacy, and security considerations and effectiveness of remote care delivery. As officials […]
Three States’ Efforts to Use Accountable Care to Improve Oral Health Services in Medicaid
/in Policy Colorado, Maine, Oregon Blogs, Featured News Home Accountable Health, Child Oral Health, CHIP, CHIP, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Coverage and Access, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Oral Health, Population Health, Quality and Measurement /by Neva KayeToolkit: National Standards for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs
/in Policy Toolkits Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, EPSDT, Featured Policy Home, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Health IT/Data, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Integrated for Pregnant/Parenting Women, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Quality and Measurement, Social Determinants of Health /by NASHP StaffThe National Standards for Systems of Care for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) define the core components of a comprehensive, coordinated, and family-centered system of care for CYSHCN.
Toolkit: Upstream Health Priorities for Governors
/in Policy Toolkits Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Chronic and Complex Populations, Community Health Workers, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, Featured Policy Home, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Housing and Health, Long-Term Care, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Expansion, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Palliative Care, Population Health, Quality and Measurement, Social Determinants of Health, Value-Based Purchasing, Workforce Capacity /by NASHP WritersGovernors can control costs, advance their priorities, and enhance lives by improving the social and economic conditions that make up 80 percent of the factors affecting their residents’ health. Governors are uniquely positioned to maximize state resources to address the conditions affecting health by leading cross-agency and public-private collaborations, leveraging siloed state resources, and advancing evidence-based health policy approaches.
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. 
New Federal “No Surprises Act” Extends Medical Billing Protections Beyond State Reach
/in Policy Blogs, Featured News Home Consumer Affordability, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health System Costs, Hospital/Health System Oversight, Quality and Measurement /by Christina CousartThe “No Surprises Act,” the most comprehensive federal legislation enacted to date designed to prohibit surprise medical bills, is part of the recently enacted Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.