Claudia Williams’ Post

An amazing story indeed, Secretary Kinsley. As hospital week comes to end end, let’s not forget the unsung heroes of this story, our State’s hospitals. North Carolina hospital worked tirelessly with our elected leaders in the House and Senate to get HB 76 across the finish line. Hospitals made significant contributions to make Medicaid Expansion a reality. 🎯 Funding the non-federal share of expansion (10% of the total cost) saving North Carolina tax payers hundred of millions of dollars 🎯 Providing tens of millions of additional dollars to the NC general fund 🎯 Making concessions to modernize the CON law (many of these changes go into effect in 2025) 🎯 Creating HASP, which allows the state to draw down additional federal dollars to support local hospitals to help offset new taxes and obligations and to support the work that hospitals do every day to support their communities and the people they serve. (Note: HB 76 requires the state to draw down these dollars, annually, to make it all work - a win-win arrangement) Thank your home town hospital and the amazing people who work there

Peter Gordon hosts an episode of "Organizing Life's Daily Demands" where he interviews Colin Sandler, a licensed clinical social worker and the owner of Medicaid Solutions. Colin specializes in assisting families and caregivers in developing a long-term care strategy and providing guidance on managing expenses. Tune in to the episode for these key insights from Colin Sandler: * The importance of social workers * Different types of Medicaid * Common myths about Medicaid * What is pooled income trust? * Is a professional needed through the Medicaid process? https://lnkd.in/e_RBJdNU Are you trying to get covered by Medicaid?

Interested in state strategies to support housing-related services under Medicaid? Our new resource highlights examples of how state Medicaid programs are leveraging manage care contracts and policies to align a variety of health and housing supports and services, including behavioral health services, pre-tenancy services, tenancy sustaining services, home remediations, and home/environmental accessibility modifications. Check out the resource to learn more: https://loom.ly/FEUdTQU

A growing number of states are covering housing-related services under Medicaid. 🏘️ Check out NASHP | National Academy for State Health Policy's latest report to learn more about how states are leveraging their contracts with managed care organizations to support housing-related interventions.

How can programs and services better integrate care coordination for families? Kaitlin Sheedy, (pictured at right with former staffer Cori Sheedy, PhD, left) shared insights from CMS’s InCK Model at #APHA2023. Learn more about the project with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: https://lnkd.in/giuC7YE8

Governor Kathy Hochul announces a groundbreaking $7.5 billion waiver approval by CMS to boost health equity and address disparities in the state's Medicaid Section 1115 Demonstration. This transformative initiative will invest nearly $6 billion over the next three years, focusing on critical Medicaid initiatives. Here's what you need to know: ✨ Key Highlights ✨ Comprehensive #HealthEquity: The amendment supports underserved communities, providing vital services like #nutrition and #HousingSupport. Safety Net Hospitals: Critical funding for safety net hospitals to enhance care and address health worker shortages. Continuous #Medicaid Eligibility: Plans to submit an amendment for continuous Medicaid eligibility for children up to age six. Social Care Networks: Integrating health, behavioral, and social care services to connect members with nutritional and housing support. Substance Use Disorders: Coordinated treatment enhancements for #SubstanceUseDisorders. Primary Care Investment: Long-term investments in primary care and workforce training programs. 💬 Governor Hochul stated, "This approval will help us support underserved communities, provide critical services, and improve access for those affected by substance use." Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/e9TZjUKa #HealthEquity #NewYorkHealthcare #MedicaidInnovation #CommunityWellness

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approval allows New York to make large investments in wide-ranging Medicaid initiatives. This includes establishing sustainable base rates for safety net hospitals that serve the state’s most underserved communities; connecting people to critical housing and nutritional services; enhancing access to mental health and substance abuse treatment; and making long-term, sustainable investments in the state’s healthcare workforce. Read more about how the initiatives will provide a wide range of health and social support services to underserved communities by addressing health disparities health outcomes and quality of life. https://ow.ly/Ex8G50QxZ6j #healthdisparities #qualityoflife #housingsupport #healthequity #behavioralhealth

The measure of our communication is not in crafting sentences we adore, but in ensuring that our message is heard and engaged with by others. Often, this requires us to choose different language and reframe our thoughts. Connection and engagement are built on mutual understanding and a common interest. Kody Kinsley and The Other 80 discuss Medicaid expansion in NC, highlighting the financial incentives and arguments that enabled this change a decade after the ACA. Kinsley explains techniques for identifying qualifying Medicaid participants (e.g., using ex parte data from SNAP and Experian) and the E-14 Waivers that extended NC's Medicaid coverage for kids by a year. Notably, NC was the first state to adopt a whole-person care approach, providing social services alongside medical services through a Section 1115 Waiver. Presumptive eligibility is the next step for WIC and SNAP eligibility. This streamlined government savings opportunity would drive down costs. An example of presumption eligibility, if a pregnant mother qualifies for Medicaid, she would automatically be enrolled in SNAP and WIC services. This is a really informative episode—give it a listen!

Calling all CHW employers and allies. If you are interested in learning more about reimbursement for CHW work, this is the webinar to be at. 👍

As organizations consider the opportunities the NY 1115 waiver may bring, it is worth taking some time to think about how the role of the community based organization can and should evolve. We have to focus not only on the "referrals and billing" side of SCNs, but on what actually happens at the CBOs - I often think about how CBOs have only nominally been engaged in Medicaid Redetermination. We need to rethink how these entities can become truly integrated partners and providers, vs just a safety net player.