Insights

HMA Insights: Your source for healthcare news, ideas and analysis.

HMA Insights – including our new podcast – puts the vast depth of HMA’s expertise at your fingertips, helping you stay informed about the latest healthcare trends and topics. Below, you can easily search based on your topic of interest to find useful information from our podcast, blogs, webinars, case studies, reports and more.

Show All | Podcast | Blogs | Webinars | Weekly Roundup | Videos | Case Studies | Reports | News | Solutions

Filter by topic:

Receive timely expert insights on topics you care about.

Select Topics

67 Results found.

Webinar

Webinar Replay: Supporting the Behavioral Health Workforce During the COVID-19 Response: Strategies for Providers to Sustain and Strengthen the Behavioral Health System

Watch Now

This webinar was held on May 18, 2020.

Even as behavioral health providers work tirelessly to respond to COVID-19, the most forward-looking organizations also recognize that the pandemic has laid bare the need to develop a wide variety of short- and long-term solutions to ongoing and emergent needs. The most pressing of these needs concern strategies to support and strengthen the behavioral health system workforce.

During this webinar, HMA experts showed how leading behavioral health providers are using new regulatory flexibilities, emerging staffing models, and new delivery formats to develop and implement organizational changes and innovations that sustain workforce excellence.

Learning Objectives:

  • Hear how behavioral health providers around the country are supporting their workforce and continuing to meet ongoing and emergent behavioral health needs.
  • Learn how collaborative efforts among states and providers can lead to meaningful changes in rules, roles, tools, and approaches to delivering behavioral healthcare.
  • Obtain cross-cutting strategies for management and leadership during a crisis.
  • Find out how to ensure organizational structures are in place to help staff adjust to change, foster resilience, and provide bereavement support when appropriate.
  • Understand the available resources and emerging practices for workforce support, including training, technology, and strategies for enhancing the ability of the behavioral health workforce to meet the needs of special populations.

HMA Speakers

Barry Jacobs, PsyD, Principal, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Gina Lasky, PsyD, Principal, Denver, Colorado
Shannon Mong, PsyD, Principal, San Francisco, California
Lori Raney, MD, Principal, Denver, Colorado
Meggan Schilkie, MBA, Managing Principal, New York
Tim Sheehan, MSW, Principal, Chicago, Illinois

Brief & Report

HMA report examines COVID-19 toll on Pennsylvania hospitals

Download

A report completed by HMA colleagues estimated the potential financial impact on hospitals and health systems of the current COVID-19 pandemic in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The analysis, completed in mid-April, concluded that Pennsylvania hospitals and health systems are likely to experience losses in excess of $7 billion for the final 10 months of 2020 after accounting for federal disaster relief payments, based on emergency relief legislation that had been passed at the time. HMA Principal Tom Marks and Senior Consultant Mary Goddeeris completed the report, Analysis of the Financial Impact of COVID-19 on Pennsylvania Hospitals, on behalf of the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP). HMA conducted interviews and collected data from finance officials at a sample of health systems and projected the findings across the population of Pennsylvania hospitals and health systems. The interviews and analysis were completed in mid-April, well before the full effect of the pandemic could be measured. Financial leaders consistently reported enormous declines in patient service from mid-March to mid-April due to the cancellation and deferral of non-emergency services. While there are varying assumptions about the return of pre-pandemic patient service volumes, all leaders projected a bleak forecast for the second quarter and continued negative impact of service disruption for the rest of 2020.

Learn more about HMA’s multi-faceted COVID-19 response.

Webinar

Webinar Replay: Health Equity and Enlightened Leadership in the Shadows of COVID-19: A Conversation with Jay Bhatt, D.O.

Watch Now

This webinar was held on April 30, 2020.

True health system innovation and transformation requires the type of enlightened leadership that understands the nature and role of health equity and social justice. That’s especially true in the shadows of COVID-19, when disparities are heightened, and a strong vision is needed to progress toward the elimination of health inequities.

During this webinar, Jay Bhatt, D.O., a practicing internist and past chief medical officer of the American Hospital Association, engaged in a spirited conversation with HMA health system transformation and leadership expert Jeffrey Ring about the role of strong leadership in health system transformation and healthcare justice.

 Learning Objectives

  • Explore the concept of health equity, including a look at how inequities are heightened in the era of COVID-19.
  • Understand the concept of enlightened leadership and its role in achieving optimal healthcare delivery.
  • Gain insight into how the fallout from COVID-19 will impact our understanding of healthcare justice.

Speakers

Jay Bhatt, D.O., practicing internist; Past SVP, and Chief Medical Officer, American Hospital Association; Past President, Health Research and Educational Trust
Jeffrey Ring, PhD, Principal and Health Psychologist, Health Management Associates

Blog

COVID-19 Education, Contact Tracing, and Care Connections: Community Health Workers Can Be Activated for Sustainable Public Health Response to Local Needs

Read Blog

As reported by the New York Times (An Army of Virus Tracers Takes Shape in Massachusetts, April 17), Massachusetts has hired 1,000 public health contact tracers to speed containment of COVID-19 during its surge in infections. Contact tracers are reaching out to those who have tested positive, providing information, and talking them through their recent movements and connections, using cell phones and triangulation data. They then, in turn, reach out to inform and educate those contacts.

Read More

Blog

Medicare and Medicaid Telehealth Coverage in Response to COVID-19

Read Blog

Telehealth service expansions by Medicare and most Medicaid programs aim to rapidly increase access to care and reduce transmission, but also provide a natural experiment for policymakers.

This week, our In Focus section examines the extensive scope of flexibilities Federal and State governments have made to Medicare and Medicaid telehealth coverage in response to the COVID-19 national emergency. In March and April 2020, federal and state policymakers responded to the COVID-19 emergency by temporarily and aggressively expanding the definition of and reimbursement for telehealth services—moves intended to improve access to care and reduce virus transmission. Under the Medicare and Medicaid programs, these temporary expansions have been rapid and historic in scope, and will have substantial implications for patients, providers, payers, and federal/state financing. For policymakers, this temporary expansion may serve as a natural experiment for assessing which forms of telehealth services successfully expand access to care and should become permanent healthcare policy.

Read More

Webinar

Webinar Replay: Reflecting on HCBS Policies and Practices in Response to COVID-19

Watch Now

This webinar was held on April 17, 2020.

Medicaid-covered home and community-based services (HCBS) are critical to the health and well-being of millions of individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, and/or behavioral health conditions.

In response to COVID-19, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has provided state Medicaid programs with increased flexibility to modify HCBS programs to continue to provide timely high-quality care. State Medicaid programs have secured approval for new initiatives through a combination of Section 1135 Waivers, 1115 Emergency Amendments, Emergency State Plan Amendments, and Appendix K amendments to HCBS 1915(c) waivers.

During this webinar, our HMA experts outlined what these changes mean for states, providers, and individuals who rely on HCBS. Speakers provided an overview of key flexibilities, offered examples of promising practices, and shared insights about the present and the future of HCBS as reshaped by COVID-19.

Learning Objectives 

  • Learn how state Medicaid programs have used CMS-approved waivers and amendments to temporarily modify HCBS policies and practices to protect people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Understand how new HCBS flexibilities impact HCBS providers on-the-ground.
  • Understand what these changes mean for individuals who receive services and supports.
  • Learn more about how the pandemic may be changing the future of HCBS.

HMA Speakers

Sarah Barth, JD, Principal, New York, NY
Ellen Breslin, MPP, Principal, Boston, MA
Sharon Lewis, Principal, Portland, OR
Susan Tucker, CPA, Tallahassee, FL

 

Blog

HMA Review of State Appendix K Waivers in Response to COVID-19

Read Blog

This week, our In Focus section comes from HMA Principals Ellen Breslin (MA) and Sharon Lewis (OR). In direct response to COVID-19, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has encouraged states to maximize Medicaid flexibilities to protect people during the pandemic emergency. This includes state flexibilities for people receiving home and community-based services. States may temporarily amend their Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) 1915(c) waivers through an expedited process by submitting an Appendix K request. As of March 31, 2020, CMS had approved Appendix K submissions for thirteen states with effective periods ranging from four months to one year.[1]  The thirteen states are: Alaska, Connecticut, Colorado, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Read More

Webinar

Webinar Replay: Treatment of Substance Use Disorders During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Watch Now

This webinar was held on April 2, 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the treatment of individuals with substance use disorder (SUD), including changes in the administration of Medications for Addiction Treatment (MAT), new telehealth rules and billing procedures, and other emerging protocols and regulations designed to ensure individuals with SUD continue to receive the best care possible.

During this webinar, HMA addiction experts Scott Haga and Shannon Robinson outlined how providers and patients can best navigate this changing landscape, with a special emphasis on the opportunities and risks associated with treating SUD during the pandemic.

Learning Objectives

  • Find out how the COVID-19 pandemic significantly increases the risk of SUD relapse and overdose-related fatalities. 
  • Understand federal regulatory changes to the practice of prescribing MAT for opioid use disorder, including changes from DEA, SAMHSA, Office of Civil Rights and more.
  • Obtain best practices and billing guidelines for the use of telehealth to treat individuals with SUD remotely.

HMA Speakers

Scott Haga, MPAS PA-C, Senior Consultant, Lansing, MI
Shannon Robinson, MD, FASAM, Principal, Costa Mesa, CA

As mentioned in the webinar, the Telehealth Readiness Questionnaire is also available.

Webinar

Webinar Replay: Telehealth and the COVID-19 Response: Policy Changes and Implementation Strategies

Watch Now

This webinar was held on March 31, 2020

Telehealth services have become a key strategy for expanding access to care during the COVID-19 pandemic, driven in part by significant changes in laws and regulations to encourage the adoption of technologies that support telehealth. With these rapid changes, providers are struggling to understand how to best serve their patients using telehealth technologies.

During this webinar, HMA experts described the different modalities of telehealth and laid out the policy and reimbursement implications for the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Speakers detailed changes to HIPAA enforcement and policy changes that ensure ongoing support for prescribers and recipients of controlled substances. The webinar also reviewed how recent policy changes impact key provider decisions with regards to selecting, implementing, and building a business case for new telehealth services to support patients during the pandemic.

As mentioned in the webinar, the Telehealth Readiness Questionnaire is also available.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the different modalities of telehealth services and how to bill for them.
  • Find out about recent changes in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement policy stemming from the COVID-19 response.
  • Learn the key steps in selecting a telehealth platform, building a business case, adapting workflows, and other implications for physician practices.

HMA Speakers

Jean Glossa, MD, Managing Principal for Clinical Services, Washington, DC

David Bergman, MPA, Principal, New York

Zach Gaumer, Senior Consultant, Washington, DC

Blog

Medicare and Medicaid Flexibilities During Public Health Emergencies

Read Blog

This week, our In Focus comes from HMA Vice President Kathleen Nolan and Managing Principal Jon Blum. On March 13, 2020, President Trump declared a national emergency due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 virus. This declaration provides Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) new abilities to waive Medicare and Medicaid regulatory requirements to help health care providers, health plans and other stakeholders respond to immediate needs of their patients and communities.   In the past, HHS and CMS have solicited requests for relief needs from states, local providers and trade associations, among other stakeholders.  Health care providers, health plans and others should continue to monitor policy announcements from HHS and CMS and work with their states and trade associations to identify potential areas of need for requested regulatory relief.

Read More