Tracking Social Determinants of Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic April 21, 2022 Issue Brief This brief provides an overview of social determinants of health and a look at how adults are faring across an array of measures throughout the pandemic.
Nursing Facility Staffing Shortages During the COVID-19 Pandemic April 4, 2022 Issue Brief This data note presents the most recent national and state-level data on nursing facility-reported staff shortages and describes the Biden Administration’s new policy initiatives to address staffing and other quality issues in nursing facilities.
California Efforts to Address Behavioral Health and SDOH: A Look at Whole Person Care Pilots March 17, 2022 Issue Brief As California ramps up its CalAIM initiative, the state will incorporate and transition its Whole Person Care pilot program’s services statewide through the state’s Medicaid managed care system. This brief examines the lessons from those pilots in coordinating and integrating physical health, behavioral health, and social services.
State Policies Connecting Justice-Involved Populations to Medicaid Coverage and Care December 17, 2021 Issue Brief The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified pre-existing health disparities for justice-involved populations, with coronavirus infection rates among incarcerated populations higher than overall infection rates in nearly all states. Justice-involved individuals are disproportionately low-income and often have complex and/or chronic conditions, including behavioral health needs. Although the statutory inmate exclusion policy prohibits Medicaid from covering services provided during incarceration (except for inpatient services), states may take other steps to leverage Medicaid to improve continuity of care for justice-involved individuals.
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How Do CMS’s New COVID-19 Vaccine Reporting and Education Rules Apply To Different Long-Term Care Settings? June 16, 2021 Issue Brief Recognizing that ongoing vaccination efforts are crucial to ending the pandemic, CMS issued an Interim Final Rule with Comment Period (IFC) that establishes new vaccine reporting and/or education requirements for nursing homes and ICF/IDDs as of May 21st, 2021. Public comments are due July 12, 2021, after which CMS may revise the rule.
Key Questions: HIV and COVID-19 May 20, 2021 Issue Brief This brief examines and summarizes what we know about COVID-19 and HIV including, what we know about COVID-19 risk, disease severity, vaccination, and federal response. It also explores how people with HIV are overly represented in many of the demographic groups hardest hit by the pandemic.
The U.S. Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) Initiative: What You Need to Know February 9, 2021 Issue Brief This explainer provides an overview of the federal “Ending the HIV Epidemic” initiative and explores issues that might mitigate or facilitate its success.
What Will Be the Contours of the Biden Administration’s Global Health Agenda? February 9, 2021 Issue Brief This issue brief provides an overview of the Biden administration’s COVID-19 and global health actions to date, as well as likely ones on the horizon, and identifies key policy issues and outstanding questions ahead.
Key Issues for State Medicaid Programs When the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Ends January 25, 2021 Issue Brief As a result of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) , states have experienced increased enrollment along with administrative challenges. After the PHE ends, states are likely to have renewal and redetermination backlogs and will face decisions around continuing temporary policy changes. This brief highlights key issues from the new CMS guidance to states on how to unwind emergency authorities and resume normal eligibility and enrollment operations.