State Health Policy Blog
Lower-Cost, Short-Term Insurance Plan Approved, But at What Cost to State Markets and Consumers?
Last week, the federal government released its final rule expanding the availability of short-term health insurance plans, which are usually less costly and do not have to cover pre-existing conditions or certain health care services. Increased enrollment in short-term plans is expected to upend states’ individual insurance markets unless states take steps to offset their […]
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Overcoming Payment Challenges to Realize the Promise of Telehealth
Telehealth– using telecommunications to improve patient care – has the potential to improve health care access and quality, especially in rural and medically-underserved areas. But inconsistent public and private insurance coverage and other challenges have hindered implementation of this promising health care tool. The National Academy for State Health Policy’s (NASHP) Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Workgroup […]
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Twenty States Passed 37 Bills to Curb Rising Rx Drug Costs in the Short 2018 Legislative Session
Despite a short legislative season, state lawmakers across the country introduced an unprecedented 160 bills to stem the rising cost of prescription drugs and have enacted 37 into law — with seven state legislatures still in session. Last year, state legislatures introduced 100 Rx cost control bills and passed 27. Register Now to Attend NASHP’s […]
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State Officials Work to Harness Medicaid as a Change Agent to Increase Immunization Rates
Despite vaccines’ effectiveness in preventing infectious diseases and strong public funding for childhood immunizations, vaccination rates among children living in poverty remain stubbornly lower than for children living above poverty and who are privately insured. Recently, officials from several organizations, including the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP), AcademyHealth, and the Colorado Children’s Immunization […]
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Federal Suspension of Risk Adjustment Payments Delivers Another Hit to State Exchanges
The latest challenge to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the stability of states’ individual markets came on July 7, 2018, when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it would stop issuing risk adjustment payments pending the outcome of a challenge to the ACA program in the US District Court in New […]
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Flurry of Bills Targeting the Opioid Epidemic’s Impact on Families Reach Congress
The country’s opioid crisis has had a devastating effect on women, children, and families, and continues to strain state health, foster care, and social service agency budgets. A flurry of bills has recently been introduced in Congress to prevent or reduce the effects of the opioid crisis and many directly impact families and children. The […]
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Apply Today: NASHP’s State SUD Policy Institute Supports States to Address SUD in Federally Qualified Health Centers
The National Academy for State Health Policy invites states to apply to participate in the State Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Policy Institute: Leveraging Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to Address SUD. The institute, supported by a cooperative agreement with the Health Resources and Services Administration, will support up to five state teams to develop innovative […]
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Learn the Latest about States’ Medicaid Work Requirement Proposals
More 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 […]
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Washington’s Medicaid Chief Examines the Future of Medicaid and Health Reforms
MaryAnne 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. […]
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The New Association Health Plan Rule: What Are the Issues and Options for States
Last 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 […]
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