Bill Snyder, former South Dakota Medicaid director, has joined Leavitt Partners, an HMA Company as a principal with the firm. He is the third former Medicaid Director to join the Health Management Associates (HMA) family of companies this year.
Government Programs & The Uninsured
Minnesota Releases Senior Health Options, Special Needs Basic Care RFPs
This week our In Focus reviews Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) requests for proposals (RFPs) for two of the state’s Medicaid managed care programs: Minnesota Senior Health Options/Minnesota Senior Care Plus and Special Needs BasicCare/Integrated Special Needs BasicCare. Both RFPs, released on October 25, 2021, cover health care services in all 87 Minnesota counties.
Key takeaways from CMS Innovation Center strategy refresh
This week, our In Focus section shares HMA’s takeaways from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) white paper on the CMS Innovation Center Strategy Refresh: Driving Health System Transformation – A Strategy for the CMS Innovation Center’s Second Decade.
Highlights from Kaiser/HMA 50-State Medicaid Director Survey
This week, our In Focus section reviews highlights and shares key takeaways from the 21st annual Medicaid Budget Survey conducted by The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) and Health Management Associates (HMA). Survey results were released on October 27, 2021, in two new reports: States Respond to COVID-19 Challenges but Also Take Advantage of New Opportunities to Address Long-Standing Issues: Results from a 50-State Medicaid Budget Survey for State Fiscal Years 2021 and 2022 and Medicaid Enrollment & Spending Growth: FY 2021 & 2022. The report was prepared by Kathleen Gifford, Aimee Lashbrook, and Sarah Barth from HMA; Mike Nardone; and by Elizabeth Hinton, Madeline Guth, Lina Stolyar, and Robin Rudowitz from the Kaiser Family Foundation. The survey was conducted in collaboration with the National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD).
HMA Brief Examines Options for CMMI to Refine Approach for Testing Medicare Program Improvements
This week, our In Focus highlights a recent issue brief, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation: Recommendations for Future Direction, revisits questions raised in a previous HMA report and offers potential answers to guide progress and changes for demonstrations within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) or the Innovation Center.
2022 Star Ratings, An Historical Year
This week, our In Focus provides an analysis of 2022 Medicare Advantage (MA) Star Ratings, including a look at how regulatory changes during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a record number of Medicare plans receiving historically high scores. HMA Managing Director Anthony Davis and Principal Sarah Owens rely on data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to take a deep dive into ratings for nearly 500 Medicare plans serving 26.8 million members.
New Jersey Shares its Five-Year Vision for the Latest 1115 Waiver Renewal Draft
This week, our In Focus reviews the the New Jersey Department of Human Services (DHS), Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (DMAHS) draft proposal for the renewal of its 1115 Comprehensive Demonstration Waiver, released on September 10, 2021. The waiver was initially approved and implemented in October 2012. This demonstration is in its second five-year period and is slated to expire on June 30, 2022.
Texas Releases STAR Health Draft RFP; Seeks Public Input on STAR+PLUS, STAR Kids ACO
This week, our In Focus reviews the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) draft request for proposals (RFP) for Texas STAR Health, the state’s Medicaid managed care program for foster care kids. The state is also seeking public input for the STAR+PLUS and STAR Kids Accountable Care Organization (ACO) programs, in anticipation of the reprocurement of these Medicaid managed care programs.
Medicaid Non-Emergency Transportation Benefit: Stakeholder Perspectives on Trends and Innovations
This week, our In Focus section reviews key takeaways from the report, Medicaid Non-Emergency Transportation Benefit: Stakeholder Perspectives on Trends and Innovations, prepared by Health Management Associates (HMA) for the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC).
Arizona Releases Competitive Contract Expansion (CCE) RFP
This week, our In Focus section reviews the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) Competitive Contract Expansion (CCE) request for proposals (RFP), released on August 4, 2021. The procurement will expand the current AHCCCS Complete Care (ACC) Medicaid contracts to include responsibilities as an ACC Contractor (health plan) with a Regional Behavioral Health Agreement (ACC-RBHA). At least one incumbent Medicaid ACC Contractor will be selected in each of the state’s three Geographic Service Areas (GSAs). The responsibilities will include management of: