Center for Health Care Strategies

As the primary health insurer for LGBTQ communities, Medicaid policies and programs are well positioned to help address the health disparities facing LGBTQ communities. This brief highlights key considerations to shape Medicaid policies that enhance health outcomes and quality of care for LGBTQ individuals. https://bit.ly/3KZwDL6 Liz Gipson; Courtney Shahan Roman

Public sector leaders across the U.S. who are working to expand access to reproductive health services can explore lessons from NJ's cross-sector and interagency efforts. Check out this new profile:

SEEKING STATE APPLICATIONS: Up to six states will be selected for this new opportunity to bolster collaboration between Medicaid, behavioral health, and corrections entities. Learn more and apply by 7/26 👇

Medicaid agency staff and other stakeholders interested in learning key design choices for developing a primary care population-based payment (PBP) model are invited to join this webinar, 7/11, 3 – 4 pm ET. It will draw on the experiences of Medicaid agency staff from Colorado, Connecticut, and Massachusetts to provide practical guidance for designing effective PBP models that strengthen primary care. https://bit.ly/3Vgjwde

How can #CommunityHealthWorkers (CHWs) and registered nurse teams address health-related social needs? Logan Kelly, Center for Health Care Strategies Senior Program Officer, recently moderated a panel on “Advancing Sustainable Financing for Mitigating Health Disparities” at AcademyHealth’s annual ARM meeting. Speakers Chidinma Ibe, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Tiffany Scott, Scott Consulting Firm; Sarah Szanton, PhD, ANP, FAAN, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing; and Annie Cloke, IMPacT Care discussed strategies to lessen the effects of social factors on health through the use of community health workers and registered nurse teams. Learn more about evidence-based approaches to deploy CHWs on the Better Care Playbook: https://bit.ly/3xGwysG

Ensuring that families of children with special health care needs get the care they need to thrive requires strong partnership between the agencies serving them. In this episode of the Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast, Ohio Medicaid leaders, Maureen Corcoran and Dr. Sala Webb MD, FAPA, DFAACAP, and parent advocate, Mark W. Butler, OPA, MTS, share their perspectives on how Medicaid agencies can better support children with special health care needs by partnering across silos and opening new lines of communication. The podcast is developed in partnership by the National Association of Medicaid Directors and the Center for Health Care Strategies through support from RWJF. https://bit.ly/3yU2VnY Ohio Department of Medicaid, Jami Snyder, Mark Larson, Lauren Moran, Karen Seaver Hill, Dawn Cutler-Tran, Kate McEvoy

CHCS is delighted to welcome new Board members, Douglas Jutte and Keris Jän Myrick! Dr. Jutte is founder and past executive director of the Build Healthy Places Network, a national nonprofit committed to transforming how organizations in the health, community development, and finance sectors work together to reduce poverty, advance racial equity, and improve health. Ms. Myrick is vice president of partnerships and innovation at inseparable, a mental health advocacy organization working to reform mental health policy at the federal and state levels. She is also the developer and host of the Unapologetically Black Unicorns podcast. We’re excited to benefit from their expertise and passion to improve the health care system for people served by #Medicaid. Learn more: Douglas Jutte, MD, MPH: https://rb.gy/czvljd Keris Jän Myrick, MS, MBA: https://rb.gy/2iprwq

As #Pride Month comes to a close, this new brief from the Center for Health Care Strategies explores critical opportunities to improve health care quality for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual and gender minorities (LGBTQ ) community. LGBTQ individuals face significant health disparities and inequities due to persistent interpersonal discrimination, homophobia, transphobia, systemic discrimination, and structural barriers. With increasing community pressure and federal and state interest, many policymakers are exploring how to leverage #Medicaid to better address the health needs of LGBTQ members. This new brief highlights key considerations for shaping Medicaid policies that aim to enhance health outcomes and quality of care for LGBTQ individuals. https://bit.ly/3KZwDL6 Liz Gipson, Courtney Shahan Roman

In California, managed care plans (MCPs) are seeking more effective ways to partner with homeless service providers to better address the health and social needs of people experiencing homelessness. As part of CalAIM, the state’s Medicaid transformation initiative, MCPs can provide Community Supports to address members’ health-related social needs, enabling new opportunities to coordinate with homeless service providers to offer care and services. The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) recently spoke with Kris Kuntz, program director of housing and homeless strategy at Anthem Blue Cross, about how MCPs can partner with homeless service providers to enhance care and services for people experiencing homelessness. Kris, along with colleagues at HealthNet, Calviva Health, and the Kings Tulare Homeless Alliance, are participating in Partnerships for Action: California Health Care & Homelessness Learning Collaborative. https://bit.ly/3VC6nez California Health Care Foundation

The lived experience of #Medicaid members offers critical information to help guide policymaking and program implementation. CHCS’ new Community Member Engagement Resource Center provides resources for health care organizations looking for best practices, implementation tools, and other practical materials related to community engagement. https://bit.ly/4c7DVrF