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HMA Insights 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 blogs, webinars, case studies, reports and more.

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Webinar

Webinar Replay: The Role of Medicaid Managed Care Plans in Addressing the Opioid Crisis

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This webinar was held on March 14, 2019 and was the third webinar in a series about addressing the opioid crisis in America.

Medicaid managed care plans are poised to play a significant role in helping states address the opioid crisis by incentivizing utilization of effective therapies and developing policies that help stem the flow of prescription opioid drugs. Health plans are also developing models aimed at coordinating and improving treatment of opioid use disorder.

During this webinar, HMA public health and prevention experts provided an overview of current health plan opioid initiatives and offered a roadmap for future treatment and prevention strategies.

Learning Objectives

  1. Learn how health plans can help prevent the proliferation of opioid prescriptions.
  2. Find out what you need to know about the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities (SUPPORT) Act, also known as HR-6, and what it means for health plans.
  3. Understand the role of alternate payment models and value-based reimbursements in driving the best opioid care.
  4. Learn how new controlled substance provisions aimed at expanding Medication Assisted Therapy will impact health plans.
  5. Understand where health plans are having the most success in driving opioid prevention and treatment as well as where plans are seeing challenges.

HMA Speakers

  • Craig Thiele, MD, Principal, Columbus

Who Should Listen
State and local public health and behavioral health practitioners, Medicaid, addiction treatment providers; clinical and administrative leaders of provider organizations, health systems, correctional health facilities, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and other provider organizations; executives of Medicaid managed care organizations and behavioral health plans. Attendees are encouraged to join the conversation and submit questions on Twitter using #HMAtalksOpioids.

Webinar

Webinar Replay: Successful Prevention Strategies to Address the Opioid Crisis

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This webinar was held on March 1, 2019, and was the second webinar in a series about addressing the opioid crisis in America, 

State and local governments – backed by an infusion of federal dollars – are beginning to develop and implement a wide variety of prevention strategies to address the opioid epidemic. And several states are already showing positive initial results. Among the early lessons is that success depends on a coordinated approach to prevention; partnerships among government agencies, law enforcement, and providers are critical; and opportunities to positively impact results exist at every level of the prevention spectrum.

During this webinar, HMA public health and prevention experts provided case studies of innovative and effective opioid misuse and overdose prevention initiatives. Speakers also outlined the key components of an effective opioid prevention strategy, including an understanding of the key drivers of success.

Learning Objectives

  1. Understand how to best leverage federal funds earmarked for opioid prevention and treatment.
  2. Learn how to develop coordinated prevention efforts that involve behavioral health and opioid use disorder treatment providers, law enforcement, corrections, Medicaid programs, and public health agencies at the state and local level.
  3. Gain insights about emerging state and local opioid misuse and overdose prevention initiatives and trends, including supervised injection facilities, fentanyl testing strips and medical marijuana for pain management.
  4. Find out how to effectively impact various levels of prevention, including tertiary (e.g., overdose prevention), secondary (e.g., medication-assisted treatment), and primary (e.g., prescribing practices).

HMA Speakers

  • Shannon Breitzman, Principal, Denver
  • Lindsey Kato, Consultant, Denver

Who Should Listen
State and local public health and Medicaid departments; addiction treatment providers, behavioral health providers, and leaders of health systems, correctional health facilities, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and other provider organizations; executives of Medicaid managed care organizations and behavioral health plans.

Webinar

Webinar Replay: Military Competency Among Health Care Providers: Best Practices for Screening, Treating and Coordinating Care of Veterans

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This webinar was held on February 28, 2019.

The unique health care needs of veterans pose significant challenges for providers. What’s required can best be called “military competency,” which is a set of tools and strategies aimed at successfully identifying, screening, and treating veterans. Military competency also means the ability to coordinate care across provider groups and health care facilities for specific medical conditions most prevalent in the veteran community.

During this webinar, HMA Principal Uche Uchendu, M.D., who also served as chief officer for health equity at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, outlined best practices for providers hoping to achieve military cultural health competency. She also offered a variety of hands-on strategies for immediately improving care to patients who are veterans.

Learning Objectives

  1. Understand the importance of identifying patients who have a military history, opening the door for appropriate screening, diagnosis and treatment of conditions prevalent among veterans.
  2. Find out about tools providers can utilize to screen veterans based on military service exposures, combat or non-combat experiences, and conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
  3. Learn how providers can adjust their practices to ensure that veterans receive the proper care, including an understanding of the many services available for support, recommendation and referral.

HMA Speakers

Uche Uchendu, MD, Principal (Washington, DC)

Who Should Listen
Executives and clinicians involved in primary care and behavioral health practices, hospitals, long term care facilities, health systems, community-based organizations, and caregivers interested in providing services for military service veterans and their families.

Webinar

Webinar Replay: The Future of Medicaid Expansion: States to Watch for Potential Ballot Initiatives, Other Expansion Efforts

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This webinar was held on February 20, 2019.

Who would have guessed that there would be an increase in the number of Medicaid expansion states during the Trump administration? In fact, five states have agreed to expand Medicaid since 2016, bringing to 37 the total number of states expanding under the Affordable Care Act. Several of the remaining holdouts are considering expansion as well. The continued interest has been driven by several factors, and the remaining states are rethinking expansion because the Trump administration has afforded leeway to shape expansion programs through work requirements and other variations and innovations.

During this webinar, HMA experts provided an overview of the Medicaid expansion market and looked at which of the remaining states are most likely to pursue expansion and why. Presenters also addressed some of the important program variations states are most likely to consider when shaping expansion benefits.

Learning Objectives

  1. Find out which remaining states are most likely to expand Medicaid and which ones are most likely to hold the line and remain non-expansion.
  2. Get an overview of Medicaid expansion innovations, including an understanding of how each variation potentially impacts enrollment and costs.
  3. Understand the economics of expansion, including a look at the budget implications of expanding Medicaid and remaining non-expansion.
  4. Understand the operational implications and considerations for states and health plans implementing alternative expansion models.
  5. Learn what the remaining opportunity is for Medicaid managed care plans in states that still haven’t expanded Medicaid.

HMA Speakers

  • Matt Powers, Principal, HMA (Chicago)
  • Jason Silva, Senior Consultant (Sacramento)
  • Lora Saunders, Senior Consultant (Tallahassee)

Who Should Listen

State Medicaid officials and staff; executives of Medicaid managed care plans; and providers, including clinical and administrative leadership of health systems.

Webinar

Webinar Replay: Opioid Treatment Eco-Systems: A New Way Forward for Understanding, Addressing the Opioid Crisis

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This webinar was held on February 13, 2019 and was the first webinar in a series about addressing the opioid crisis in America.

No one questions the terrible impact opioid abuse has had on America – a grim tally measured in overdoses, dependency, broken families, and soaring health care costs. Less understood is how we got here, and the best way forward. Even as the federal government prepares to invest billions of dollars in battling opioids, important questions remain concerning the most effective way of organizing a complete eco-system of care to tackle this problem.

During this webinar, nationally recognized addiction expert and HMA Principal Corey Waller, MD, discusses how the historical structure of the nation’s approach to addiction treatment hampers progress on opioid addition. Dr. Waller also identifies pathways at the state, provider, and health plan level for fostering an effective opioid treatment eco-system.

Learning Objectives

  1. Learn how the historical decision to treat addiction separately from mainstream medicine has resulted in significant barriers to battling the opioid crisis.
  2. Understand the importance of identifying and adhering to a proven body of evidence-based protocols for overdose and addiction treatment, ensuring that patients receive a consistent and coordinated response from providers, hospitals, emergency rooms, and the criminal justice system.
  3. Quantify the true cost of the opioid crisis, which includes not just the cost of addiction and overdose treatment, but also the added costs associated with HIV, hepatitis C, foster care, criminal justice, and neonatal care.
  4. Get a preview of other opioid treatment-related topics to be covered in this webinar series, including primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment strategies; building treatment access and capacity; and understanding the role of health plans, local community organizations, and correctional health.

HMA Speakers

  • Corey Waller, MD, Principal (Lansing)

Who Should Listen

Executives of Medicaid managed care organizations and behavioral health plans; clinical and administrative leaders of provider organizations, health systems, substance abuse treatment facilities, correctional health facilities, federally qualified health centers, and other provider organizations; state and local public health, Medicaid, and addiction officials and staff.

Webinar

Webinar Replay: Medicare Advantage Advance Notice Overview: Favorable Signs for Managed Care Growth, Performance

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This webinar was held on February 11, 2019.

The just-released 2020 Advance Notice Part II represents a net positive for Medicare Advantage plans, including another year of favorable Medicare rates and solid prospects for the growth and performance of the program.

During this webinar, HMA Managing Principal and former CMS Deputy Administrator for Medicare Jonathan (Jon) Blum, joined by HMA Managing Principal Mary Hsieh, provided an overview and analysis of the proposal’s key aspects, including the level of rate increase, growing emphasis on opioids, and efforts to further integrate duals. Speakers also addressed what these changes mean for Medicare Advantage plans’ existing strategies and opportunities.

Learning Objectives

  1. Understand why the expected 2020 rate increase for Medicaid Advantage plans – though smaller than last year – is still favorable enough to ensure continued industry growth and solid financial performance.
  2. Find out how federal regulators continue to push Medicare Advantage plans to play a proactive role in helping to address the opioid crisis.
  3. Learn how CMS will implement new legislative requirements to permit Medicare Advantage plans to offer non-medical benefits and services.
  4. Find out how CMS hopes to further integrate dual eligible members, including tightening its enforcement on Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNP) that it perceives do not meet D-SNP statutory requirements.
  5. Understand how prescription drug-related proposals in the Advance Notice tie into broader administration efforts to overhaul pharmacy benefit management drug rebate rules.
  6. Learn about updates to the Medicare Star Ratings system.

HMA Speakers

Jonathan Blum, Managing Principal, Washington, DC
Mary Hsieh, Managing Principal, Atlanta, GA

Who Should Listen

Executives of Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare-Medicaid Plans, D-SNPs; providers and executives of provider-led Medicare-Medicaid initiatives; state and federal regulators.

Webinar

Webinar Replay: Evolving Integrated Managed Care Models for Medicare-Medicaid Dual Eligible Beneficiaries: Key Considerations for Health Plans

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This webinar was held on January 8, 2019.

Managed care plans face significant strategic and operational questions when it comes to serving individuals enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid. That’s because existing managed care models and state and federal policies are evolving in ways that will dramatically impact the roles and responsibilities of participating plans. What’s more, no single model has emerged as preeminent – whether it involves variations on the Capitated Financial Alignment Demonstrations (aka dual demonstrations), Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs), Fully Integrated Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (FIDE SNPs), or even provider-led initiatives.

During this webinar, HMA experts provided an overview of the complex landscape for integrated Medicare-Medicaid managed care and assessed what state and federal changes mean for health plans. Speakers also provided insights into how health plans can best develop the expertise needed to effectively serve this population and successfully compete no matter which models emerge.

Learning Objectives

  • Learn how health plans are tailoring models of care and services within a shifting regulatory framework to successfully serve the diverse needs of dual eligible populations.
  • Understand the implications of new state requirements that Managed Long Terms Services and Supports (MLTSS) plans operate D-SNPs, and that D-SNPs serve and coordinate care for Medicaid members.
  • Understand how rules surrounding default enrollment of dual eligible populations will impact the growth prospects of Medicaid managed care plans and D-SNPs.
  • Find out what to watch for as federal regulators get ready to release new rules encompassing Medicare-Medicaid integration and care coordination.
  • Learn why health plans need to reevaluate internal operations and organizational structures to better focus care coordination efforts for dual eligible members and break down walls between Medicare and Medicaid business lines.

HMA Speakers
Sarah Barth, Principal, New York, NY
Ellen Breslin, Principal, Boston, MA

Who Should Listen
Executives of Medicaid managed care plans, Medicare-Medicaid Plans, D-SNPs, and FIDE-SNPs; providers and executives of provider-led Medicare-Medicaid initiatives; state and federal regulators.

Webinar

Webinar Replay: Medicaid Health Homes

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This webinar was held on October 30, 2018.

Health Homes have been implemented in at least 22 states under the federal Medicaid Health Home state plan option, and initial results illustrate the potential for meaningful improvements in the quality and cost of care associated with serving individuals with chronic physical, mental, or behavioral conditions.

During this webinar, HMA experts discuss some of the key lessons learned in these early Health Home initiatives, with a special emphasis on the experience in New York and the District of Columbia.  The webinar also provides practical solutions for the successful development, implementation, and refinement of Health Home care models.

Learning Objectives

  1. Understand the key components of a successful Health Home, including the monitoring of care transitions, early patient engagement, and integration of physical and behavioral health care.
  2. Learn how to work effectively with external stakeholders such as managed care plans, hospitals, community agencies, and other partners.
  3. Find out why the lessons learned from Health Homes programs are germane to any effort to improve the care of high-acuity patients.
  4. Obtain lessons learned from existing Health Home efforts in New York and the District of Columbia, including the potential for improvements in utilization, cost, and quality.
  5. Understand why Health Homes are an effective way to address behavioral health needs, substance abuse disorders, and social determinants of health.

HMA Speakers

  • Jean Glossa, MD, Managing Principal for Clinical Services (Washington, DC)
  • Meggan Schilkie, Principal (New York, NY)
  • Margaret Kirkegaard, MD, Principal (Chicago, IL)

Who Should Listen
Providers caring for high-needs individuals including primary care, behavioral health providers, health systems, and others; providers and payers developing Health Homes and other models of delegated care management and care coordination; state Medicaid officials and staff; consumer advocates and community-based organizations addressing the social determinants of health.

Webinar

Webinar Replay: Electronic Visit Verification for Personal Care Services, Home Health

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This webinar was held on May 24, 2018.

The 21st Century Cures Act requires state Medicaid programs to implement electronic visit verification (EVV) for personal care services in 2019 and home health care in 2023. While the aims are noble – reducing fraud and improving quality of care – the practical considerations of understanding and implementing EVV will pose a tremendous challenge for many states.

During this webinar, healthcare experts from HMA and the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) provided a blueprint for effective implementation of EVV requirements as well as a deeper understanding of the implications of the new rules. Speakers provided an update on existing EVV programs at the state level as well as looked at best practices and lessons learned.

Learning Objectives

  1. Understand the specific EVV technology, implementation, and verification requirements of the 21st Century Cures Act.
  2. Identify EVV technologies and design models that best fit the needs of your state.
  3. Find out how EVV not only helps reduce fraud, waste, and abuse in Medicaid programs, but also improves the quality of care for patients needing home health and personal care services.
  4. Learn why more than half of states may not be able to meet the EVV deadlines imposed by the 21st Century Cures Acts.

Speakers

  • Jen Burnett, Principal (Harrisburg, PA)
  • Camille Dobson, Executive Deputy Director, National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD)

Who Should Listen
Representatives of state Medicaid agencies; Medicaid managed care plans; personal care services, home care, and other providers; EVV vendors; and the federal government.

Click here to view the slides from this webinar: EVV Webinar 05-24-18

Webinar

Webinar Replay: Partnership Opportunities for Payers, Providers and States: Supportive Housing for High Utilizers

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This webinar took place on June 7, 2018.

Medicaid managed care plans, health systems, and states are teaming up with community-based organizations and housing authorities to consider a wide variety of supportive housing initiatives. Research indicates that doing so not only improves health outcomes for individuals experiencing homelessness, mental health, and/or substance use disorders, but also reduces utilization of emergency room services, inpatient bed days, and community justice involvement.

During this webinar, leading Medicaid and supportive housing consultants from HMA outlined nationally recognized evidence-based practice supportive housing models used to bend the healthcare cost curve, citing specific programs and outcomes.

Learning Objectives

  1. Learn how supportive housing programs can be used to provide comprehensive, integrated healthcare services for the homeless and high utilizers, improving health outcomes while reducing costs.
  2. Understand the basic components of evidence-based practice supportive housing models that produce improved health outcomes and cost savings.
  3. Find out how to partner with housing authorities and social services organizations to leverage health system funding for supportive housing programs.
  4. Understand the opportunity to use supportive housing targeted to those with substance use disorders and how it can improve treatment completion and long-term recovery outcomes.

Speakers

  • Scott Ackerson, Principal (San Antonio, TX)
  • Carol Clancy, Principal (San Francisco, CA)
  • Rachel Post, Senior Consultant (Portland, OR)
  • Meggan Schilkie, Principal (New York, NY)

Who Should Listen
Representatives of Medicaid managed care plans, hospitals and health systems, community-based organizations, state and federal government.

View the slides from this webinar here: Partnership Opportunities Webinar 6-7-18

Webinar

Webinar Replay: Personal Responsibility & Community Engagement in Medicaid

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This webinar was held on May 17, 2018.

A growing number of state Medicaid agencies are developing initiatives aimed at achieving broader social goals not previously emphasized in Medicaid, including most notably the introduction of community engagement requirements. Personal responsibility initiatives in Medicaid are not new, but today there is intense state and national focus on leveraging these initiatives as a component of coverage for the non-disabled adult Medicaid expansion population.

During this webinar, state policy experts from HMA Medicaid Market Solutions provided an overview of existing Medicaid personal responsibility initiatives and discussed what tools state and industry leaders need to navigate implementation and operation of these unique programs.

Learning Objectives

  1. Learn why states are stressing personal responsibility as a key social determinant of health, including a look at the policy decision-making process states go through when considering community engagement and other personal responsibility initiatives.
  2. Discover the key components in the design of a personal responsibility 1115 waiver program, including the complexities of translating policy into actual practice.
  3. Understand administrative hurdles and information technology challenges that can occur when implementing community engagement strategies.
  4. Gain key insights into how to integrate personal responsibility policies into existing Medicaid operations, including examples of how other states accomplished this.

HMA Medicaid Market Solutions Speakers

  • Kaitlyn Feiock, Senior Consultant (Indianapolis)
  • Amanda Schipp, Senior Consultant (Indianapolis)

Who Should Listen
This webinar was designed for state officials and staff; executives of Medicaid managed care plans; Medicaid systems and operational vendors and stakeholders; clinical and administrative leadership of health systems; behavioral health providers; federally qualified health centers; and other provider organizations trying to understand the emerging trend toward personal responsibility waivers in Medicaid.

View the webinar slides here: HMA Webinar 5-17-2018

Webinar

Webinar Replay: The State of the States: Key Data on State Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports Programs

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This webinar was held on March 22, 2018.

As the primary payer for long-term services and supports (LTSS) in the U.S., Medicaid accounts for more than 50 percent of all public and private spending on LTSS. For states, paying for LTSS represents a steep financial commitment. Medicaid-funded LTSS accounts for more than 30 percent of state Medicaid program spending, which pays for more than 5 million people who receive home and community-based and institutional services. Adults and seniors represent about 85 percent of Medicaid-funded LTSS beneficiaries. Most are also covered under the Medicare program for their non-LTSS needs. It’s no wonder state Medicaid programs see LTSS as one of their greatest challenges, especially given rising demand for LTSS from the “age wave” and advances that help people with disabilities to live longer.

During this webinar, HMA experts covered an important set of data points to help participants assess the current and future state of the states concerning their LTSS trends and needs. Key data points about states included demographic shifts, social determinants of health, LTSS spending, state economic environment, relationships with Medicare, and system readiness.

Learning Objectives

  1. Enhance your understanding of LTSS challenges facing states given an aging population and continued increases in life expectancy for individuals with disabilities.
  2. Understand how LTSS challenges and opportunities vary by state and how these differences will impact state planning, readiness, and budgetary constraints.
  3. Find out how states are responding to emerging LTSS trends and challenges, including case studies of forward-looking state initiatives concerning LTSS planning and implementation.

Speakers

Sarah Barth, Principal, HMA (New York, NY)
Ellen Breslin, Principal, HMA (Boston, MA)
Barbara Edwards, Principal, HMA (Columbus, OH)
Dennis Heaphy, Healthcare Advocate, Disability Policy Consortium
Anissa Lambertino, Senior Consultant, HMA (Chicago, IL)