Insights

Filter by topic:

Receive timely expert insights on topics you care about.

379 Results found.

Quality standards in addiction care

Across the healthcare landscape, quality standards are in place to ensure patients are receiving safe, appropriate, evidence-based, and standardized care that is tailored to their individual needs and symptomology.

A significant gap has long existed in the treatment of substance use disorders (SUD), as there was no standardized method to provide treatment based on an individual鈥檚 needs at that moment, meaning people seeking treatment often received care that was either too intense or not intense enough, preventing them from attaining sustained recovery.

To create standardized treatment protocols and build additional credibility around programs, the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) developed criteria based on a holistic, multidimensional assessment[1] to determine what level of care (LOC) an individual needs. This development was revolutionary as it was the first time the field agreed on established criteria. After 35 years of improvement and refinement, the ASAM Criteria has become the national standard.

Learn More about ASAM Level of Care Certification

While many providers have adopted the ASAM criteria, and most regulators and payers require its use to determine the LOC a person may need, a significant gap still persists in ensuring services are delivered with fidelity to the criteria. As a result, those seeking treatment for themselves or a loved one continue to face challenges identifying a setting that provides evidence-based treatment focused on their specific needs.

To close this gap, ASAM partnered with CARF International, the leading accreditor of behavioral health services, to develop criteria that demonstrates providers are, in fact, delivering the LOC for which they are admitting persons. Programs that are providing can be certified for three levels including: 3.7- Medically Monitored Intensive Inpatient Services, 3.5- Clinically Managed High Intensity Residential Services, and 3.1- Clinically Managed Low Intensity Residential Services.

By achieving the ASAM LOC certification, residential treatment programs can establish themselves as high quality SUD providers and ensure future program licensing as well as future funding from states, and private and public payors. This certification demonstrates that facilities are delivering the appropriate care to the appropriate person at the appropriate time.

Preparing for certification is different from preparing for licensure in that a program must take an in-depth look at their clinical practice to ensure alignment with the ASAM criteria.

Because of our long and proven track record of helping clients prepare for, and secure, NCQA, AAAHC and URAC accreditation as well as deep expertise in SUD programs and treatment, 红领巾瓜报 was selected by ASAM as a preferred partner to provide technical assistance and usher programs through the certification process as well as help address shortfalls and gaps in programs and care.

Our team has the right mix of clinical and operational knowledge, training, and frontline experience to guide clients through the certification process and help build better systems of care and accountability from the ground up.

红领巾瓜报 has the depth and breadth of services across the healthcare spectrum, and we are uniquely positioned to help organizations address gaps identified in the certification process and improve care by ensuring services are delivered in fidelity to the LOC at which a person presents.

红领巾瓜报 is able to provide a full complement of services and support to residential providers including ASAM LOC clinical expertise, developing policies and procedures, building and operationalizing clinical programs, and improving revenue cycle, operations, and as well as payor contracting strategies.

Certification is really step number one. Utilizing 红领巾瓜报鈥檚鈥淪urvey Ready Model,鈥� we will identify ways to build quality into everyday practice allowing programs to stay on top of – and ahead of – requirements.

For more information, contact our expert below.

[1] https://www.asam.org/asam-criteria/about-the-asam-criteria

CMS revitalizes Medicaid HCBS investment opportunities

Read Blog

On June 3, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) states that they will have an additional year, until March 31, 2025, to use funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to strengthen their Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS). CMS鈥� update extends important flexibility to ensure state Medicaid programs and stakeholders, including beneficiaries, realize maximum benefit from federal investments in expanding and enhancing HCBS services.

For over a decade, the Medicaid program has been leading transformations of state long-term services and supports systems (LTSS), including physical and behavioral health services and health-related social needs. These efforts primarily focus on broadening eligibility, making more significant Medicaid investments in HCBS, and improving beneficiaries鈥� access to HCBS programs. The COVID-19 pandemic heightened attention to beneficiaries鈥� disparate experiences with accessing HCBS and exacerbated pre-COVID challenges faced by the LTSS workforce.

Section 9817 of ARPA an increase for Medicaid-funded HCBS by offering states the option to claim an additional 10 percentage point increase in鈥痜ederal match (FMAP) for the one-year period from April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022. To receive the higher federal funding, states cannot make changes to the amount, duration, and scope of covered HCBS; they cannot reduce HCBS provider payment rates; and they cannot make eligibility standards for HCBS programs or services stricter until all additional funds are expended. CMS also requires states to submit a spending plan and narrative that describes planned enhancement activities.

Notably, a state must reinvest the higher federal funding in Medicaid HCBS while maintaining the spending levels they had in place on April 1, 2021. According to CMS鈥檚 new guidance, states can now use the funds until March 31, 2025, rather than March 31, 2024, under the previous guidance.

Actions Stakeholders Can Take to Maximize the Extra Time

The updated spending deadline is grounded in a better understanding of the level of effort and time necessary for states to identify, build consensus, and implement specific actions to include in a state鈥檚 HCBS spending plan. 红领巾瓜报 works with states, providers, health plans, and other stakeholders, including consumers, who will benefit from the additional time to make investments. Our work includes supporting states as they align the multitude of needs and priorities with the available funds and supporting robust stakeholder engagement efforts to inform the plans.

The following are some of the most impactful 鈥渘ext steps鈥� that states and stakeholders can pursue to best utilize the additional time to reinvest in Medicaid HCBS programs:

States can communicate with stakeholders, including health plans, providers, community organizations, consumers, and others, to share how the extension impacts the state鈥檚 spending plan.
States and stakeholders can renew their engagement to consider potential changes to the spending plan activities, timelines, or both. Stakeholders may have additional opportunities to offer input to refine further and prioritize the design and delivery of augmented or new services, systems, and related initiatives.
State Medicaid, aging, and various other programs and providers have more time to strengthen their collaboration to meet the needs of individuals of all ages who are living with disabilities.
States, vendors, health plans, and providers can evaluate through evidence, analysis and stakeholder feedback, if the projects they are pursuing are effective and/or should be modified. For example, it may be beneficial to provide more flexibility in the deadlines for case management and referral systems builds and implementation of the training for workers on these new systems.
States and their stakeholder partners can refocus on workforce issues, including examining eligible provider types and scopes, evaluating provider network issues, considering the role of virtual services, conducting provider and managed care rate setting studies, and other changes to support the HCBS direct care workforce.
States can develop reasonable timeframes to strengthen existing efforts or pursue new initiatives to develop and implement managed long-term services and supports for certain groups of Medicaid beneficiaries.

Looking ahead, states and all stakeholders need to assess the impact of these investments. ARPA funds are a significant investment in strengthening Medicaid LTSS programs, but these transformative efforts require sustained commitment. There is continued uncertainty around additional federal Medicaid funding over the long term that are necessary to address ongoing needs and make further progress towards high-quality, accessible HCBS services. Understanding the extent to which the funds are achieving the desired structural transformations and the impact on Medicaid beneficiaries can guide future areas of federal and state focus and investments.

For more information, please contact our experts below.

Federal Funding for Home and Community-based Services (HCBS): Enacted and Proposed Investments: /blog/federal-funding-for-home-and-community-based-services-hcbs-enacted-and-proposed-investments/
红领巾瓜报 Prepares Issue Briefs Exploring MLTSS Impacts on State Medicaid Programs: /blog/hma-prepares-issue-briefs-exploring-mltss-impacts-on-state-medicaid-programs/

Low-cost carriers in ACA: insights from the 2018-2021 market experience

Read Blog

This week, our In Focus highlights a from Wakely, an 红领巾瓜报 Company, exploring the potential design elements and expected effects of a public option or a low-cost plan being newly introduced in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) individual market.

1332 state innovation waivers have been in place for a number of years and allow states to implement programs that increase access to and the affordability of healthcare coverage, subject to approval by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Treasury (Treasury). Nearly all waiver programs in effect in 2021 employ a reinsurance program aimed at reducing the overall claim costs and premiums for members by reimbursing issuers for a portion of claim costs over a specified threshold.

A number of states have been exploring other ways to structure a waiver program, including introducing a public option plan into ACA markets (individual and small group plans subject to the ACA market reforms). The definition of a 鈥減ublic option plan鈥� has evolved over time and can vary, but more commonly refers to a privately funded health plan with some level of government oversight or additional requirements established to improve consumer value and facilitate cost containment.

A public option plan aims to further increase access to coverage and affordability by offering a new qualified health plan, typically with a lower premium relative to existing premiums in the market. A public option plan specifically aims to extend a more affordable coverage to individuals who are currently not eligible for ACA subsidies (e.g., family glitch, non-citizens, and those with higher incomes). The plan could be structured in a variety of ways such as a state-sponsored product, state employee health plan buy-in, Medicaid plan buy-in, or a private plan offered by existing issuers. Colorado and Washington will require health plans to offer public option plans with a target premium reduction relative to other plans in the market, with constrained rate increases over time, giving health plans the opportunity to arrive at the lower premiums through their own means, for the 2023 plan year. Lower premiums would likely be achieved through a combination of lower provider reimbursement and lower risk margins.

Given the nature of premium subsidization in the individual ACA market, where premium subsidies are tied to the second lowest cost silver (SLCS) plan in the market, the introduction of a lower cost public option plan has a mixed impact on market growth and the types of member segments that benefit. Since Washington State is the only Exchange that currently offers a public option plan, there is minimal experience available to understand the impact a public option plan may have on the market. As a result, our goal was to look at states where a new issuer has entered a market as a low-cost plan over the last four years, to better understand plan enrollment migration (how many members switch to the low-cost carrier), competitors鈥� reactions, and the reduction in premium needed to incentivize members to take up coverage. This market dynamic potentially closely mimics a public option plan that offers lower premiums being introduced in a market. Over the last four years (2018-2021), we identified 51 instances of new issuers entering an individual on-Exchange market. Of those 51 new entrances, 25 met our criteria of a low-cost plan.

The analysis showed mixed impacts of a low-cost plan introduction in ACA markets, with minimal impact on the uninsured, but with improved affordability, particularly for the unsubsidized. The detailed observations are discussed further .

For more information, contact our expert below.

Oklahoma to transition to Medicaid managed care

Read Blog

This week, our In Focus section reviews a new Oklahoma law to implement Medicaid managed care by October 1, 2023. The law, signed by Governor Kevin Stitt on May 26, 2022, requires the state to issue a request for proposals and to award at least three Medicaid managed care contracts to health plans or provider-led entities like accountable care organizations.

Provider-led entities would receive preferential treatment, with at least one targeted to receive a contract. However, if no provider-led entity submits a response, the state will not be required to contract with one.

Goals of the legislation include:

Improve health outcomes for Medicaid members and the state as a whole;
Ensure budget predictability through shared risk and accountability;
Ensure access to care, quality measures, and member satisfaction;
Ensure efficient and cost-effective administrative systems and structures; and
Ensure a sustainable delivery system that is a provider-led effort and that is operated and managed by providers to the maximum extent possible.

Plans would provide physical health, behavioral health, and prescription drug services. Covered beneficiaries would include traditional Medicaid members and the state鈥檚 voter-approved expansion population, but not the aged, blind, and disabled population eligible for SoonerCare.

Plans will need to contract with at least one local Oklahoma provider organization for a model of care containing care coordination, care management, utilization management, disease management, network management, or another model of care as approved by OHCA.

Oklahoma will also issue separate RFPs for a Medicaid dental benefit manager plan and a Children鈥檚 Specialty plan.

Background

Oklahoma currently does not have a fully capitated, risk-based Medicaid managed care program. The majority of the state鈥檚 more than 1.2 million Medicaid members are in SoonerCare Choice, a Primary Care Case Management (PCCM) program in which each member has a medical home. Other programs include SoonerCare Traditional (Medicaid fee-for-service), SoonerPlan (a limited benefit family planning program), and Insure Oklahoma (a premium assistance program for low-income people whose employers offer health insurance). Prior efforts to transition to Medicaid managed care have encountered roadblocks, starting in 2017 with a failed attempt to move aged, blind, and disabled members to managed care.

More recently, in June 2021, the Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down a planned transition of the state鈥檚 traditional Medicaid program to managed care, ruling that the Oklahoma Health Care Authority does not have the authority to implement the program without legislative approval.

Contracts had been awarded to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma, Humana, Centene/Oklahoma Complete Health, and UnitedHealthcare. Centene/Oklahoma Complete Health also won an award for the SoonerSelect Specialty Children鈥檚 Health Plan program, covering foster children, juvenile justice-involved individuals, and children either in foster care or receiving adoption assistance.

Link to

Behavioral health crises drive bipartisan action in Congress

Read Blog

Agreement about the severity of the nation鈥檚 mental health and substance use disorder crises is rising above the partisan politics in Congress. In fact, these are among a handful of issues driving work on bipartisan legislation across all the key House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over behavioral health programs and policies this year.

On May 18, the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously approved the 鈥淩estoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act of 2022鈥� (H.R. 7666). This legislation incorporates a collection of bipartisan bills to update and reauthorize over 30 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) programs addressing the mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) crisis. The bill also advances initiatives to strengthen the 9-8-8 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline implementation efforts, invest in the crisis response continuum of care, and support strategic opioid crisis response plans among numerous other policies. Energy and Commerce is one of several House committees planning to advance behavioral health bills this year.

U.S. Senate committee leaders have been similarly engaged in developing bipartisan proposals to address mental health and substance use disorders. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions () and committee leaders are expected to reveal their proposals as soon as this summer. The Finance Committee鈥檚 proposal will focus on Medicare, Medicaid, and Children鈥檚 Health Insurance Program (CHIP) policies and could reflect findings from the committee鈥檚 , 鈥淢ental Health Care in the United States: The Case for Federal Action.鈥� Similarly, HELP members Sens. Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) the Mental Health Reform Reauthorization Act to extend several expiring mental health programs, which could be incorporated in that Committee鈥檚 comprehensive proposal. Across committees, there has been an interest in strengthening parity, supporting integration of primary and behavioral health care, increasing access to youth mental health screenings, scheduling fentanyl analogues, and easing requirements for prescribing Medication Assisted Treatment.

What To Expect

Congressional leaders have consistently expressed their desire to advance bipartisan legislation to address the urgent needs and gaps in the mental health and SUD care delivery systems, as well as support education and research. While these are key areas to watch, the diminishing number of legislative days on the congressional calendar and climate surrounding November鈥檚 mid-term elections create uncertainty for the timing and scope of Congress鈥� work. It remains to be seen whether a package of health care proposals, such as reauthorization of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration鈥檚 user fee programs, the Cures 2.0 legislation to advance biomedical research, mental health and substance use disorder legislation, and the PREVENT Act could be sent to President Biden鈥檚 desk before the end of September.

红领巾瓜报 companies are supporting clients impacted by the policy changes being discussed and the program funding addressed in these legislative proposals. Understanding the landscape for federal change allows state and local governments and stakeholders to plan for and shape these opportunities. For more information, please contact our experts below.

New paper outlines seven ways to alleviate medical debt without unintended consequences

Read Blog

As efforts continued at the beginning of 2022 to implement the No Surprises Act aimed at preventing surprise medical bills that patients are often unable to pay, the Kaiser Family Foundation published a that estimates nearly one in 10 adults have medical debt, and that Americans鈥� total medical debt could be as high as $195 billion. About a week later the nation鈥檚 top three debt collection firms to medical debt practices designed to reduce the strain of medical debt on patients and appease a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that has made credit reporting and medical debt a priority. Less than a month later, the Biden Administration announced aimed at alleviating issues related to medical debt for Americans.

The PHE is continuing鈥攚hat鈥檚 next for Medicaid?

Read Blog

On May 16, 2022, no announcements were made concerning the impending end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) declaration. What does this mean for state Medicaid programs and stakeholders, including consumers? When will the PHE declaration expire?

KFF predicts Medicaid implications of end of PHE

Read Blog

This week, our In Focus reviews the Kaiser Health Foundation (KFF) analysis, Fiscal and Enrollment Implications of Medicaid Continuous Coverage Requirement During and After the PHE Ends, published on May 10, 2022.

CMS hospital inpatient rule proposes novel methods for calculating 2023 payment rates

Read Blog

This week, our In Focus section reviews the policy changes included in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services鈥� (CMS) Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Medicare Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and Long-Term Acute Care Hospital (LTCH) Proposed Rule (). This year鈥檚 IPPS Proposed Rule includes several important policy changes that will alter hospital margins and change administrative procedures, beginning as soon as October 1, 2022.

红领巾瓜报 conference on “The New Normal for Medicaid, Medicare, and Other Publicly Sponsored Programs” to feature insights from health plan leaders, state Medicaid directors, and providers

Read Blog

Pre-Conference Workshop: October 9, 2022
Conference: October 10-11, 2022
Location: Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park

红领巾瓜报 Conference on the New Normal for Medicaid, Medicare, and Other Publicly Sponsored Programs to Feature Insights from Health Plan Leaders, State Medicaid Directors, Providers

Early Bird registration is now open for 红领巾瓜报鈥檚 fifth national conference on trends in publicly sponsored healthcare. Early Bird Registration Ends July 11th.

Nebraska releases Medicaid managed care RFP

Read Blog

This week, our In Focus section reviews the Nebraska Heritage Health request for proposals (RFP), released by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) on April 15, 2022. DHHS will award statewide contracts to two or three Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) to serve approximately 342,000 individuals. Implementation is set to begin July 1, 2023. Contracts are currently worth $1.8 billion annually.

The family glitch and changes to premium tax credit eligibility

Read Blog

This week, our In Focus section reviews the Biden Administration鈥檚 proposed rule revising eligibility standards for premium subsidies for families, released on April 5, 2022. The proposed rule would 鈥渇ix鈥� the family glitch and, therefore, dramatically increase the number of people eligible for premium tax credits. This brief describes what the regulation would do and the implications for the individual market.

Featured Services:

红领巾瓜报 Insights: Your source for healthcare news, ideas and analysis.

Receive timely expert insights on topics you care about.

379 Results found.