California Health Care Foundation released a new study authored by the Edrington Health Consulting, an HMA company, Investing in Primary Care: Why it Matters for Californians with Medi-Cal Coverage, that highlights the critical role primary care plays for patients in Medi-Cal. The study encompasses 5.4 million Californians enrolled in Medi-Cal managed care, or nearly half … Read More
HMA and National Council for Mental Wellbeing release issue brief on diversity in the behavioral health workforce
July 13, 2022
The third issue brief, in a series by HMA and National Council colleagues that examines the workforce crisis facing the country’s behavioral health system, highlights the access and service delivery challenges presented and exacerbated by health disparities and inequities. The brief focuses on the need to recruit, train, and retain a diverse workforce in order … Read More
Learning from COVID-19-related flexibilities: moving toward more person-centered Medicare and Medicaid programs
March 23, 2022
A new person-centered assessment framework and issue brief, authored by HMA experts in conjunction with Manatt Health, examine the temporary regulatory Medicare and Medicaid flexibilities implemented during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) and aimed at ensuring access to care for older adults and people with chronic conditions and disabilities. As these temporary flexibilities are … Read More
Issue brief examines greater flexibility for primary care models
March 7, 2022
An issue brief released today outlines new Medicare payment models that offer greater flexibility and aim to shift more care to primary care models, moves that can improve quality and reduce costs. HMA authors, Jennifer Podulka, Yamini Narayan, and Lynea Holmes found the two newest primary care payment models, Global and Professional Direct Contracting (which … Read More
HMA, Milbank brief examines nursing facility care
March 3, 2022
Residents in nursing facilities faced higher infection rates and worse overall care experiences during the COVID-19 public health emergency highlighting long-standing concerns about the quality and cost-effectiveness of nursing facility care, especially for residents of color. In a recent issue brief published by the Milbank Memorial Fund that HMA COO Chuck Milligan co-authored with Kate … Read More
Issue brief proposes local option for uninsured
March 3, 2022
Examining the more than 3 million non-elderly poor adults in states without Medicaid expansion, the HMA team of Matt Powers and former HMA colleagues Nora Leibowitz and Jack Meyer, have authored an issue brief proposing a local health insurance option to fill gaps for these individuals who frequently lack access to meaningful healthcare. The brief, … Read More
Report examines the value of community behavioral health providers and their networks
February 23, 2022
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
February 3, 2022
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
November 22, 2021
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. The resulting report was in response … Read More
HMA experts evaluate differences between Medicare Advantage and Fee-For-Service Medicare responses to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic
November 10, 2021
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.