Filter

1-10 of 22 results

  • The Effects of the Medicaid Expansion on State Budgets: An Early Look in Select States

    Issue Brief

    This brief examines the early state budget effects of the ACA Medicaid expansion in three states: Connecticut, New Mexico, and Washington State. States were asked about savings and costs in Medicaid, behavioral health, corrections, uncompensated care spending, etc. as well as revenues. Findings from a study looking at Kentucky are also included.

  • Health Reform and State Workforce Challenges: An Early Look at Five States

    Report

    This report provides an early look at state efforts to prepare for health reform, examining the experiences to date in five states (Connecticut, Michigan, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Washington). The report finds that the state political environment and expected leadership transitions create uncertainties and are already factoring into state strategies on health reform implementation. State leaders dealing with an aging workforce, hiring constraints, and the toll from the recession also see a need for additional…

  • Section 1115 Waiver Watch: A Look at the Use of Contingency Management to Address Stimulant Use Disorder

    Policy Watch

    Contingency management is an evidence-based psychosocial intervention that uses motivational incentives, such as vouchers or gift cards, to encourage recovery behaviors like stimulant abstinence and treatment session (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy, group therapy) attendance. The Biden administration has approved five state contingency management waivers (California, Delaware, Hawaii, Montana, and Washington); two additional state contingency management requests are currently pending federal review.

  • Analysis of 2015 Premium Changes in the Affordable Care Act’s Health Insurance Marketplaces

    Issue Brief

    This analysis provides an early look at premium changes for individuals in the health insurance marketplaces, created under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), in major cities across 15 states plus DC. Although premium changes vary across and within states, premium changes for 2015 in general are modest when looking at low-cost plans. On average, individuals will pay slightly less in premiums for the benchmark silver plan in 2015 than in 2014.

  • Massachusetts and Washington: Financial Alignment Demonstrations for Dual Eligible Beneficiaries Compared

    Fact Sheet

    This fact sheet examines the similarities and differences between the five-year demonstrations in Massachusetts and Washington state to integrate care and align financing for people dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. The states finalized memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in fall 2012, and the demonstrations in each state are set to begin in April 2013. Fact Sheet (.pdf)

  • What Worked and What’s Next? Strategies in Four States Leading ACA Enrollment Efforts

    Issue Brief

    This brief highlights the experiences of four states—Colorado, Connecticut, Kentucky, and Washington—that established a State-based Marketplace (SBM), implemented the ACA’s Medicaid expansion, and achieved success enrolling eligible individuals into coverage. Based on interviews with key stakeholders in each state, it identifies effective strategies that contributed to enrollment and current priorities looking forward.

  • Washington’s Managed FFS Demonstration to Integrate Care and Align Financing for Dual Eligible Beneficiaries

    Issue Brief

    Washington is the first state to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to test a managed fee-for-service (FFS) financial alignment model for beneficiaries who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, beginning on April 1, 2013. Washington’s managed FFS demonstration uses Medicaid health home services to coordinate care for high risk/high cost dual eligible beneficiaries with chronic conditions. This policy brief summarizes key aspects of the…

  • How Will the Uninsured in Washington Fare Under the Affordable Care Act?

    Fact Sheet

    This state report explains how the ACA expands coverage in Washington, including a breakdown of how many uninsured people are eligible for Medicaid, how many are eligible for financial assistance to help them buy private insurance in the new Marketplace and how many will not receive any financial assistance at all. The report also details, in specific dollar figures, the income levels at which people in Washington are eligible for Medicaid or financial assistance in…