The National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD) Conference gathered executives and government employees in the bustling city of Washington D.C to discuss Medicaid program initiatives in America. The conference offered a variety of Medicaid workshops while highlighting key advancements in healthcare technology.
In case you weren’t able to attend, check out our NAMD recap of key takeaways:
The United States is unique among developed countries in the extent to which it ties health care financing to employment. Fifty-six percent of Americans receive health coverage through their jobs. Some health policy experts have criticized this situation, asserting that health care could be financed much more efficiently if individuals purchased the health care coverage that best suited their needs rather than relying on their employers to purchase coverage for them.
The 2018 Midterm Elections made history with a record-high 47% of registered voters casting a ballot. When it comes to important issues, exit interviews conducted by CNN, CBS News, and ABC reported 40% of Americans ranked healthcare as their most prominent concern.
As the 2018 Midterm Elections approach, several states are focusing their attention on healthcare and Medicaid Expansion. Kaiser Health News reports “So far, 33 states plus the District of Columbia have opted to expand, extending coverage to almost 12 million Americans, according to federal estimates last year. In those states, the expense ranges from tens of millions of dollars to hundreds of millions.” States that didn’t pursue the expansion pay nearly half the cost of coverage. Montana, Idaho, Utah, and Nebraska have put forward state initiatives in hopes to win over the ballet box on November 6th.
Almost 12 million people enrolled in health insurance coverage during last year’s open enrollment. Be a part of the millions this year and mark your calendars for these important Open Enrollment dates and deadlines.
Waiver priorities have been identified by the Trump Administration and present countless opportunities for states and carriers, alike. As states move to expand Medicaid through Section 1115 waivers, Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) must look toward MITA-aligned, HIPAA-compliant financial management solutions.
On October 22, 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the U.S. Department of Treasury jointly announced new guidance overhauling the 1332 Waiver process, which will take effect in 2020. With modification of the 1332 waiver process, the new policy will address states’ request for greater flexibility. It will also permit states to use waivers to increase choice and competition within their insurance markets, use subsidies to help consumers afford health coverage, and introduce new flexibilities.
As the 2018 Midterm Elections approach, healthcare is a top issue for voters across America. Leading up to the polls, seven in ten voters (71 percent) say healthcare “very important” in casting their ballot this year. According to Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) “While at least half of voters say all of the issues provided are “very important” to their vote, when asked to choose the one issue that is the “most important” in their voting decision for Congress this year, the largest share of voters chooses health care (30 percent).”
This year’s Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI) National Conference kicked off day 2 with interactive sessions led by Keynote Speaker Seema Verma, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services‘ (CMS) Administrator, and Dr. Jack Lewin, National Coalition on Health Care‘s Chairman.
On October 10, 2018, Senate came to a decision on whether to move forward with a Democratic resolution to overturn a recent final rule on short term insurance. One day earlier, Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) ignited a measure to reverse a recently approved decision on short-term health plans with a discharge petition, forcing a vote on resolution. Despite receiving support, from 49 Democratic Senators and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), the petition fell one vote short of being escalated to the Senate floor. As result, the measure of reversing new regulations that allow insurers to sell health plans outside the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has come to a halt.
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