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Medicaid
Medicaid is a vital safety net for many of our most vulnerable residents. Community Catalyst believes that the Medicaid program is the foundation of any state’s strategy to effectively expand coverage and reduce the number of uninsured. We offer expertise and support to prevent harmful cuts in Medicaid enrollment and benefits and to promote policies focused on generating savings through improved quality of care and more effective management of chronic diseases.
- May 14, 2013 Infographic: Dental Therapists Are A Smart Investment Dental therapists are increasing access to oral health care especially for those who need it most: low-income families, people of color, people living in rural areas, and those on Medicaid.
- March 04, 2013 Medicaid Report Card This webtool will help you propose budget-saving alternatives to harmful Medicaid cuts. Just click on your state to get a customized list of policies your state could enact to reduce costs while maintaining or even improving patient care.
- November 30, 2012 Health Homes: Rhode Island’s Development of a Pediatric Health Home Model This paper details the development of Rhode Island's pediatric health home program, which provides coordinated, community-based services to children and youth with special health care needs.
- November 19, 2012 Avenues for Consumer Engagement to Shape Medicaid Managed Long-Term Services and Supports The development of Medicaid Managed long-term services and supports (LTSS) in any state creates openings for consumer engagement. To mitigate the risks and maximize the potential benefits of the program, consumer advocates must get involved when the program is first planned and stay involved as it unfolds.
- November 19, 2012 Executive Summary: Putting Consumers First: Promising Practices for Medicaid Managed Long-Term Services and Supports More states are adopting managed care for the long-term services and supports (LTSS) needed to help Medicaid beneficiaries live with chronic illnesses and disabilities. This guide includes LTSS 101, policy recommendations, promising practices, and tips for engagement to help shape Medicaid managed LTSS to better serve consumers.
- November 19, 2012 Putting Consumers First: Promising Practices for Medicaid Managed Long-Term Services and Supports More states are adopting managed care for the long-term services and supports (LTSS) needed to help Medicaid beneficiaries live with chronic illnesses and disabilities. This guide includes LTSS 101, policy recommendations, promising practices, and tips for engagement to help shape Medicaid managed LTSS to better serve consumers.
- October 05, 2012 Comments to the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services on Medicaid Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Policies Community Catalyst provides another perspective on some of the recommendations made by the National Association of Medicaid Directors to the Center.
- October 01, 2012 The Sickle Cell Treatment Act of 2003: The Law's Provisions and Opportunities for Advocacy This two-page document provides a short summary of the key provisions of the Sickle Cell Treatment Act of 2003 and presents the opportunities for advocacy related to this law. Additional information can be found in the accompanying policy brief.
- October 01, 2012 The Sickle Cell Treatment Act of 2003: The Law's Provisions and Opportunities for Advocacy Policy Brief This policy brief outlines the implications of The Sickle Cell Treatment Act (SCTA). The brief discusses provisions, benefits and opportunities for advocacy at the state level for improved care and outcomes for those living with sickle cell disease.
- September 27, 2012 The Case for Protecting Medicaid Medicaid, a program that is more efficient than private insurance, is the wrong place to look for ways to reduce the federal deficit. Cutting the program would not only jeopardize the health of children, seniors and people with disabilities, it would harm state economies that are buoyed by federal Medicaid dollars.
- September 14, 2012 Best Practices for Meaningful Consumer Input in New Health Care Delivery Models This issue brief outlines a framework for thinking about the best practices that are needed to ensure a meaningful consumer voice in new care delivery models.
- August 21, 2012 Guide to Recess Activities to Protect Medicaid & Medicare Medicaid and Medicare are under attack, and August recess provides an opportunity to educate Members of Congress about the importance of Medicaid and Medicare and of protecting them against cuts this year, and to raise the profile of the programs more broadly.
- July 09, 2012 Supreme Court Ruling on Medicaid: Challenges and Opportunities for State Advocates The Supreme Court’s ruling on the Affordable Care Act was a major victory. States must now move swiftly to implement the law and provide affordable health care to millions of Americans. But the Court’s decision also introduced a new challenge: it opened the door for states to reject the law’s Medicaid expansion. This memo explains the key policy implications of the Supreme Court’s ruling on Medicaid expansion. It also outlines strategic considerations for consumer advocates planning a state-based campaign to implement the Medicaid expansion.
- July 03, 2012 Letter to Secretary Sebelius Regarding the Dual Demonstration Projects As states have rapidly rolled out their proposals, we have become increasingly concerned that claims of potential savings and/or the speed with which those savings can be achieved is being overstated. In particular, we have three closely related concerns: that savings targets are not yet transparent, that the assumptions on which projected savings are based may be either opaque or overly optimistic and that insufficient safeguards are in place to guard against the potential for either windfall profits or catastrophic losses, either one of which would undermine the goals of the demonstration, and cause harm to people with disabilities and seniors.
- April 10, 2012 Dual Eligible Demonstration Projects: Top Ten Priorities for Consumer Advocates The Affordable Care Act created demonstration projects aimed at integrating care for low-income seniors and people with disabilities who are eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. This issue brief was created to assist advocates in states where duals demonstration project proposals are being created.
- February 22, 2012 Integrated System of Care for Dual Eligibles: Capitated Approach Guidance recently released from the Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office provides several opportunities to engage in payment models for dual eligibles.
- November 03, 2011 Payment Reform Toolkit What if your state could save millions of dollars in its Medicaid program next year and improve patient care? By implementing smart payment reforms, it can.
- October 20, 2011 Shaping Medicaid Managed Care Expansions to Better Serve Consumers Medicaid managed care can provide opportunities for improved coordination, quality, and efficiency of services, but it comes with risks for consumers. This document provides principles to help consumer advocates work for managed care that best serves seniors and people with disabilities.
- October 03, 2011 Letter to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction Community Catalyst and other national organizations sent a letter to the Super Committee asking the group to create a deficit reduction package that protects the most vulnerable Americans.
- August 01, 2011 Assessing Consumer Protections in the July 2011 HHS Exchange Regulations Based on Community Catalyst’s work to help develop state Exchanges around the country, this document highlights 10 important priorities for consumers and outlines key areas that require stronger protections or clarification in the federal regulations.
- July 11, 2011 Letter to Senator Hatch and Representative Upton regarding their Medicaid letter to Governors Community Catalyst and 118 other organizations representing consumers, health care providers, and people of faith in 33 states (plus D.C.) joined together to send an important message to Congress: Don’t shift more Medicaid costs onto states!
- May 17, 2011 Caps Miss the Mark Concern is growing about projected rising long-term debt which is driven largely by anticipated growth in health care costs. Many potential solutions to the debt problem are under discussion in political and policy circles.
- May 17, 2011 Health Care Cost Containment: Getting It Right This chart guides you through options on cost containment and outlines top-level approaches, problems and example solutions.
- March 30, 2011 A Better Path to Solving the Debt Problem: Capping Federal Health Expenditures Misses the Mark Concern is growing about projected rising long-term debt which is driven largely by anticipated growth in health care costs. Many potential solutions to the debt problem are under discussion in political and policy circles.
- March 30, 2011 Smart Payment Reforms Can Reduce Costs and Improve Quality In response to the fiscal pressures created by the current economy, at least 25 states have proposed deep, identifiable cuts in health care in FY2012. Such cuts would jeopardize access to needed services for America’s most vulnerable populations. Payment reform provides an opportunity to improve state budgets and do better for Medicaid beneficiaries and providers.
- February 25, 2011 Letter to HHS: Options to Save Medicaid Costs Without Harming Care Community Catalyst's letter to HHS outlines eight consumer-friendly options states can use to save money in Medicaid instead of cutting eligibility or benefits.
- February 18, 2011 An Advocate's Guide to HHS Letter Defining State Medicaid Flexibility As states struggle to balance their budgets, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a letter reminding governors of a variety of policy levers they have at their disposal to reduce Medicaid expenditures.
- February 14, 2011 Sign-On Regarding Arizona Waiver A letter to Secretary Sebelius from several organizations expressing concern about Arizona's request to waive the maintenance of effort requirement in the ACA.
- January 26, 2011 Capping Federal Health Expenditures Does Not Reduce Costs -- It Merely Shifts Them While short-term growth in U.S. debt is primarily caused by the recession, concern is growing about rising long-term debt which is driven largely by projected growth in health care costs. Many potential solutions are under discussion in political and policy circles. Among the most troubling are proposals to cap federal health expenditures, such as the Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform’s suggestion to cap them at no more than one percent more per year than overall economic growth.
- January 26, 2011 Eliminating the Maintenance of Effort Requirement: The Wrong Solution to a Real Problem States are facing significant budget stress. In response, Republican governors recently asked the White House and Congressional leadership to eliminate the Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirement in the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
- December 29, 2010 Medicaid Health Homes: A new state option can improve patient care, save money and capture additional federal dollars In January 2011, states can qualify for two years of enhanced federal funding to help set up health homes to better coordinate the care of Medicaid beneficiaries with chronic physical or mental illness.
- December 13, 2010 The "Dual Eligible" Opportunity: Improving Care and Reducing Costs for Individuals Eligible for Medicare and Medicaid As states facing record budget deficits and the federal government look to enact quality and efficiency provisions in the Afforadable Care Act for the 8.8 million Americans enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid -- or "dual eligibles" -- governments need to take concrete steps to ensure better health outcomes for this population, a Community Catalyst and Center for American Progress report finds.
- December 03, 2010 Building A Case for Medicaid This guide will help advocates convince policymakers that Medicaid helps people and is popular; and present policymakers with savings and revenue options to support Medicaid.
- November 16, 2010 Medicaid Coalition letter to Congress on Transitional Medicaid Assistance (TMA) program Community Catalyst and nearly 40 other organizations signed-on to a letter urging Congress to extend the TMA program, which expires December 31, 2010.
- November 12, 2010 Defending Medicaid In Hard Times: A Guide for State Advocates As states face budget shortfalls, Medicaid is often a target for cuts. This guide distills lessons from Medicaid defense work in a number of states and provides tools to fight cuts and introduce the most promising alternatives.
- April 08, 2010 Chronic Illness: The Cost to Society This Campaign for Better Care fact sheet outlines how the costs to treat chronic conditions could overwhelm patients, families and caregivers – and strain the health care system. It points out how care coordination improves quality and cuts costs.
- April 08, 2010 The Case for Better Care: Care coordination for people with complex, multiple health conditions This Campaign for Better Care fact sheet outlines the challenges of care for people with chronic conditions, and makes the case for coordinating care for better results.
- March 22, 2010 Protect and Target Federal Funding for Safety Net Hospitals Despite the historic national health care reform, millions of immigrants and other people will remain uninsured and will continue to rely on the safety net for their care. Advocates must ensure that Medicaid DSH funds for safety-net hospitals are actually serving the uninsured.
- March 22, 2010 Using Data to Track and Reduce Health Disparities in Medicaid This brief outlines opportunities for advocates to obtain and use data to address health disparities, along with action steps and examples.
- March 19, 2010 Gains in the States: Consumer Advocacy and Federal-State Alliances Help Expand Health Coverage Despite a deep economic recession and the promise of national health care reform, states advanced access to quality affordable health care in 2009.
- November 13, 2009 The MassHealth Pharmacy Program: Implementation Report The MassHealth Pharmacy Program Implementation report, presented at the Massachusetts Health Policy Forum Nov. 13, found that the Massachusetts model is a successful approach to clinically rigorous pharmaceutical cost containment that has been met with acceptance among providers and advocates.
- August 31, 2009 Paying for Better Care: A Consumer Advocate’s Reference Guide to Payment Reform Our current method of paying for health care has created a system that is expensive, fragmented, and largely unresponsive patients' needs. It does not emphasize preventive, patient-centered care based on quality outcomes. This brief outlines new payment options as a way to improve patient care and slow the growth of health care spending.
- June 22, 2009 Strengthening Medicaid in National Health Reform Medicaid has long provided a foundation of health care coverage for people with low incomes and special health care needs. This fact sheet outlines principles for legislation to expand Medicaid to provide comprehensive coverage and high-quality, culturally-appropriate care to children, and people with low-incomes or special health needs.
- May 22, 2009 Special Delivery: How Coordinated Care Programs Can Improve Quality and Save Costs This is the fourth in a series of Community Catalyst publications on consumer-friendly options to improve quality and contain costs.
- February 10, 2009 Defending Medicaid and Containing Costs: What Can Consumers Do? A fact sheet that describes ways to protect Medicaid during an economic downturn.
- February 10, 2009 Reasons to Protect Medicaid A fact sheet that provides ways to protect Medicaid during an economic downturn
- February 29, 2008 Medicare Special Needs Plan: A Consumer Advocate's Guide To Opportunities, Risks and Promising Practices This report provides an easy to read analysis of Special Needs Plans (SNPs)
- November 26, 2007 Medicare Special Needs Plans (SNPs): What Consumer Advocates Should Know About Integrating Medicare and Medicaid Benefits for Dually Eligible Enrollees This brief describes SNPs and the populations they are meant to serve, with a particular emphasis on dually eligible beneficiaries. It then discusses how SNPs, when they are fully integrated with state Medicaid programs, offer the potential to (1) improve the quality of care for beneficiaries with complex care needs; and (2) produce efficiencies that will give state health access advocates a tool to protect or expand state Medicaid benefits for enrollees.
- May 01, 2006 Medicaid in Rhode Island: Our Investment for a Healthy Future This report aims to provide a brief overview of the role of Medicaid in Rhode Island.
- January 01, 2005 Medicaid Block Grants: What have we got to lose? Community Catalyst responds to the Bush Administration's plans to cut Medicaid programs through block grants.
- January 01, 2005 Medicaid Faces Storm Clouds on the Horizon A brief on on the current political state of Medicaid.
- November 01, 2003 Using Tobacco Taxes to Support Medicaid: A Win-Win Scenario This paper addresses those arguments and asserts that health care advocates have an important stake in increasing tobacco tax that goes beyond the revenue that can be raised.
- October 01, 2003 The Policy and Political Context of Defending Medicaid A report on why Medicaid should be defended
- January 01, 2003 Oregon Health Plan 2 An overview of the Oregon Health Plan
- December 01, 2002 Making the Case Against Medicaid Cuts Presentation A powerpoint presentation to the Alliance for a Healthy New England Summit
- April 01, 2002 RIte Care: Right for Rhode Island A BRIEFING PAPER ON RITE CARE’S POSITIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT ON RHODE ISLAND
- April 01, 2002 The Utah Primary Care Network A brief on the Utah Primary Care Network