Briefs & Reports

Report examines the value of community behavioral health providers and their networks

A recent report examines the importance of behavioral healthcare (BH) and its ability to improve outcomes and reduce costs when integrated in meaningful ways with medical services, especially primary care. An HMA team of behavioral health experts, including Annalisa Baker, Ann Filiault and Josh Rubin, published the report, The Value of Community Behavioral Health Providers … Read More

Second behavioral health issue brief focuses on workforce crisis and call for immediate action

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing (National Council) and HMA have released the second in the series of three issue briefs examining the ongoing, and exacerbated, workforce and staffing crisis facing behavioral health services providers and facilities. The brief, Immediate Policy Actions to Address the National Workforce Shortage and Improve Care, focuses on clinical transformation … Read More

HMA report compares quality outcomes across state Medicaid program delivery models

A recently completed analysis of the impact of Medicaid managed care on key quality indicators found managed care organizations (MCO) outperformed fee-for-service (FFS) and primary care case management (PCCM) programs for both Child and Adult Core Set measures, once the data was normalized with respect to beneficiary distribution in each model.

HMA experts evaluate differences between Medicare Advantage and Fee-For-Service Medicare responses to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic

In a new report released by the Better Medicare Alliance (BMA), HMA colleagues Zach Gaumer and Elaine Henry concluded that the greater flexibility of the Medicare Advantage plan model enabled plans to offer providers additional support during 2020 that were not found within the Fee-For-Service (FFS) Medicare program. The report’s findings were previewed in a recent panel discussion during the BMA’s Medicare Advantage Summit. 

National Council for Mental Wellbeing and HMA have partnered to create a three-part series that examines behavioral health workforce crisis

As demand for behavioral health services continues to grow, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, staffing and workforce capacity to deliver services has not kept up with demand. In a three-part series of issue briefs, colleagues from Health Management Associates (HMA) and the National Council for Mental Wellbeing (the National Council) offer immediate steps states can … Read More

Study examines Austin LGBTQIA+ community, quality of life

A new report summarizing the ShoutOut Austin Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual (LGBTQIA+) Quality of Life Study, has been released. The report summarizes research conducted by HMA Community Strategies (HMACS) which included town hall meetings, surveys, stakeholder interviews, and focus group responses from a diverse group of community members.

HMA brief examines options for CMMI to refine approach for testing Medicare program improvements

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. The brief … Read More

Case study examines Georgia’s experience unbundling LARC payments from Medicaid prospective payment system

A new case study prepared by colleagues from Health Management Associates (HMA) analyzes the Georgia Medicaid program’s experience with unbundling long-acting, reversible contraception (LARC) devices and services from the Medicaid prospective payment system (PPS) for reimbursement in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). HMA examined Medicaid claims data from 2012-2019 as … Read More

HMA colleagues conduct environmental scan of NEMT benefit to Medicaid enrollees

As part of a larger Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) study on Medicaid non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) in response to a request from the Senate Appropriations Committee, a team of HMA colleagues conducted a 50-state environmental scan of NEMT programs and stakeholder interviews to better understand approaches and trends in the provision … Read More