Search Results: MCHLine

Annotation: This document encourages families to partner with health professionals on getting preventive health services and to take a lead role in promoting health at home and where they live, work, and play. Topics include how information sharing between families and health professionals can promote child health, the Affordable Care Act's preventive health services for children, the Bright Futures initiative, and tips for a healthy lifestyle. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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Keywords: Bright Futures, Child health, Children, Families, Family centered care, Health care reform, Health promotion, Parent professional relations, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Preventive health services, Public private partnerships, Special health care needs

Annotation: This brief presents initial findings from interviews with providers and mothers with Medicaid in Texas about the implementation of the state's Medicaid 12-month postpartum extension. Interviewees identified significant implementation challenges, including lack of awareness, confusion about which providers should serve postpartum women, and administrative hurdles. The document also highlights the need for more mental health supports for new mothers and additional Medicaid benefits and providers, particularly in rural areas. It offers policy recommendations to increase awareness of the postpartum benefit, support mental health through community programs, and improve access to services and providers in the Medicaid network.

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Keywords: Healthcare reform, Interviews, Medicaid, Postpartum care, Quality improvement, State initiatives, Texas

Annotation: This article from Grantmakers In Health (GIH) describes a collaborative effort by funders to address gaps in postpartum care following the extension of Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months after birth. The piece discusses how a workgroup of funders—including Pritzker Children's Initiative, Merck for Mothers, and Community Health Acceleration Partnership—formed in 2023 to identify opportunities for improving postpartum care systems. The article includes a visual diagram that illustrates the multi-layered challenges in postpartum care on three levels: individual, community, and system. This concentric circle diagram shows how issues such as standards of care, access to quality care, care fragmentation, and policy misalignment (at the system level) interact with community-level challenges like administrative burden and workforce shortages, as well as individual-level factors including awareness of needs, social and economic barriers, and fear of medical debt. Through stakeholder interviews, the workgroup discovered significant fragmentation of services and the absence of comprehensive care standards beyond the traditional six-week postpartum period. In response, the funders issued a request for proposals aimed at creating a centralized hub to catalog and connect postpartum care initiatives, with the goal of developing comprehensive standards and addressing what they term the "postpartum cliff."

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Keywords: Access to healthcare, Barriers, Collaboration, Funding, Health care reform, Library collection development, Medicaid, Policy, Postpartum care, Requests for proposals, Service delivery systems, Standards

Annotation: This research report examines the potential impacts of eliminating enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) for Medicaid expansion, focusing on state budget implications and health coverage consequences. It presents data showing that if enhanced FMAP were eliminated in 2026, the 41 expansion states would need to increase spending on acute care for the nonelderly by an average of 25.6 percent to maintain current eligibility levels. If all states dropped Medicaid expansion in response, Medicaid enrollment would decline by 15.9 million people, with 10.8 million becoming uninsured. The report describes how Medicaid expansion has benefited enrollees through improved health care access and financial security, while also providing fiscal benefits to states through additional savings and revenue. Using the Urban Institute's Health Insurance Policy Simulation Model, the analysis examines various scenarios of state responses and includes detailed data tables showing state-by-state impacts on coverage and spending.

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Keywords: Financing, Health care reform, Health insurance, Health policy, Medicaid, State aid

Annotation: This policy cheat sheet outlines the ways in which state Medicaid agencies can obtain federal approval to fund health-related social services such as food assistance and housing support. Included are links to related documents and federal guidance, including a table of 15 concrete interventions and four pathways for federal approval. Examples of promising strategies in the states of New York, Minnesota, and Massachusetts are also provided.

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Keywords: Funding, Health care reform, Medicaid, Policy, Social services, State initiatives

Annotation: This report examines the critical impact of mental health and substance use disorders on maternal mortality and morbidity in the United States, highlighting how suicide and substance use-related overdoses account for over 20 percent of postpartum deaths. It presents promising approaches from states including Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, New Hampshire, and California that integrate maternity care with behavioral health services and social supports. The report outlines six key recommendations for improving care: supporting dedicated multidisciplinary care teams, centering people with lived experience to drive health equity, normalizing substance use care, training all staff on bias and stigma, expanding the community-based workforce including doulas and peer recovery specialists, and implementing harm reduction and street medicine approaches. The authors emphasize that with nearly every state now providing 12 months of postpartum Medicaid coverage, there are unprecedented opportunities to implement integrated, trauma-informed, non-punitive care models that can significantly reduce maternal mortality and improve outcomes for families.

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Keywords: Substance abusing pregnant women, Community participation, Disorders, Health care reform, Initiatives, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Medicaid, Mental health, Model programs, Perinatal addiction, Perinatal care, Postpartum care, Quality improvement, Risk factors, Service integration, Substance use disorders

Annotation: This issue brief discusses the extension of postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months following birth, which states have been able to implement since April 2022. It examines how this extension supports improved access to perinatal and postpartum care but requires complementary state actions to be fully effective. The brief highlights key challenges in postpartum care, including care fragmentation, workforce shortages, and barriers to implementation at system, community, and individual levels. It outlines four solution areas: developing comprehensive standards of care, expanding dyadic care models, increasing workforce support, and providing education and technical assistance. The document concludes with specific recommendations for funders to support implementation efforts at local, state, and national levels to improve maternal health outcomes and advance health equity.

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Keywords: Barriers, Financing, Health care reform, Initiatives, Maternal health, Medicaid, Model programs, Perinatal care, Postpartum care, Resources for professionals, patient education materials

Annotation: This issue brief examines the implementation of Medicaid/CHIP postpartum coverage extensions from 60 days to 12 months after pregnancy in five states. Based on interviews with 37 maternal health stakeholders, the authors identify key challenges and opportunities to maximize the impact of these extensions on maternal health outcomes. The report finds that while eligibility systems are functioning, limited communication about extended coverage and barriers to accessing care may reduce effectiveness. The authors recommend specific actions to improve implementation, including expanding education about extended coverage, improving quality of postpartum care, supporting continuity of care with a focus on equity, strengthening managed care organization accountability, and monitoring implementation progress. This policy analysis emphasizes that while extending coverage is necessary for improving maternal health outcomes, additional delivery system reforms are needed to address persistent racial and ethnic disparities and ensure coverage translates into access to quality care throughout the postpartum year.

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Keywords: Barriers, Children's Health Insurance Program, Health care delivery, Health care reform, Health equity, Maternal health, Medicaid, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Policy development, Postpartum care, Quality Assurance, Quality improvement, South Carolina, State initiatives, and Virginia

Annotation: This report examines baseline data to identify which birthing persons and individuals with low incomes in Illinois are most likely to benefit from the state’s Postpartum Medicaid Extension. It analyzes self-reported healthcare utilization rates, specifically well-woman visits and pre-pregnancy checkups, using data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The document includes recommendations for system changes, such as implementing two-generation care models, reducing provider bias, and addressing structural determinants of health to ensure that increased coverage leads to high-quality care for Black birthing persons

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Keywords: Comparative analysis, Data, Health care reform, Low income groups, Medicaid, Models , Postpartum care, Quality improvement, Risk assessment, Statistical analysis

Annotation: This report describes state trends in the use of Medicaid funds to improve maternal health, including Medicaid extensions that cover the 12-month postpartum period; the expansion of provider types to include doula care; and coverage of postpartum mental health screening and treatment. Guidance on how states can leverage Medicaid managed care contracts to Improve maternal health outcomes is included, along with a chart comparing the percentage of women who attend timely prenatal and postpartum visits in both expansion and non-expansion states.

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Keywords: Financing, Health care reform, Medicaid, Policy , Postpartum care, Prenatal care, Quality improvement, State legislation, Trends

Annotation: In this podcast episode, host Christie Allen and Dr. Gillispie-Bell discuss how acknowledging the need for change and understanding the difficulty of the journey are the starting points for positive transformation. With a focus on practical steps, they address how healthcare providers can engage with systems and structures already in place to promote equity. From engaging with quality departments and hospital teams to fostering a culture of transparency, they outline actionable strategies for both providers and institutions to create a future where safe and equitable births are the norm. This episode is part of the AIM for Better Birth series of podcasts that dive deeper into the rising severe maternal morbidity and maternal mortality rates in the United States through a data-driven, quality improvement lens.

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Keywords: Childbirth, Health care reform, Health care systems, Health equity, Maternal health, Quality improvement

Annotation: This brief is designed to assist state health officials who are considering, designing, and implementing the extension of Medicaid postpartum coverage. Extending coverage from 60 days to 12 months—an option made permanent under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023—is intended to address the maternal mortality crisis, especially since more than half of pregnancy-related deaths occur in the first year after birth. The brief outlines six key policy considerations for states implementing this option, which include assessing the health of the maternal and infant population, determining the costs and benefits, securing federal authority (such as a State Plan Amendment or 1115 waiver), conducting outreach and education, maximizing coverage by engaging health plans and home visiting programs to align with optimal postpartum care recommendations, and evaluating the policy's impact on maternal and infant health outcomes.

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Keywords: , Maternal health, Medicaid, Planning, Policy development, Postrpartum care, State health care reform

Annotation: This report focuses on aspects of Medicaid's mission to ensure access to high-quality health services and the program's future as a major health care payer driving health system change toward value. The report focuses on topics of interest to Congress, including Medicaid’s responsiveness during economic downturns; concerns about high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality; improving hospital payment policy for the nation's safetynet hospitals, and the integration of care for people who are dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare.

• 2022
• 2021

Keywords: Access to health care, Adolescents, Children, Children's Health Insurance Program, Costs, Financing, Health care reform, Health services delivery, Medicaid, Medications, Mental health, Oral health, Organizational change, Pregnant women, Reimbursement, Systems development

Annotation: This issue brief highlights current perinatal payment models, including perinatal bundles; outlines where equity can be embedded in payment reforms; and illustrates how payment reforms can be linked to address the needs of the whole person and improve longitudinal health outcomes for birthing people. Included are examples of perinatal bundle models in North Carolina, Colorado, and Tennessee.

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Keywords: Financing, Health care reform, Health equity, Models, Perinatal care, Policy development

Annotation: This article outlines recommendations for improving financing for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN), including potential innovations to address barriers, such as state Medicaid expansion for CYSHCN, greater transparency in medical necessity processes and determinations, and adequate reimbursement and funding.

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Keywords: Barriers, Children with special health care needs, Financing , Health care reform, Health insurance, Medicaid, Youth

Annotation: This report examines the implementation of the 12-month postpartum coverage extension in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) following the American Rescue Plan Act. It describes operational strategies for states, such as managing eligibility, financing, and managed care contracts, while emphasizing the role of this policy in addressing racial disparities and health equity. The document provides recommendations for improving the quality of postpartum care, expanding access to community-based providers such as doulas, and integrating two-generation health approaches through maternal depression screening during well-child visits,,,. Substantial discussion is included regarding the use of data and quality metrics to track progress in maternal and infant health outcomes,.

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Keywords: Medicaid, Health care reform, Health insurance, Postpartum care, Quality improvement

Annotation: This issue brief examines the potential impact of extending Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage from 60 days to 12 months postpartum for individuals with low incomes and those from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. It describes the state-level implications of the American Rescue Plan Act option and proposed legislation, highlighting how continuous enrollment can address high rates of maternal mortality and morbidity during the first year after childbirth. The document presents simulated projections of eligibility gains and the average duration of coverage if all states were to adopt the extension, with specific emphasis on results for non-expansion states. Discussion focuses on reducing racial and ethnic health disparities and overcoming administrative barriers like coverage churn to ensure continuity of care. An appendix provides tables detailing state-specific actions and estimated increases in the number of individuals gaining coverage.

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Keywords: Health care reform, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Medicaid, Policy development, Postpartum care, Prevention, State initiatives, State legislation

Annotation: These webinar slides examine strategies for maintaining continuity of coverage and addressing health inequities during the postpartum period for individuals enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). They provide an overview of the Maternal and Infant Health Initiative, which utilizes a framework addressing clinical and social factors across the maternal and infant health trajectory to improve long-term outcomes and reduce intergenerational disparities. The slides detail state-level initiatives, such as the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' use of managed care contracts and financial incentives to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in care. Additionally, the slides outline federal requirements for eligibility redeterminations and the transition of coverage for pregnant and postpartum women after the initial 60-day period.

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Keywords: Access to health care, Federal legislation, Guidelines, Health care reform, Medicaid, Postpartum care, State initiatives

Annotation: This report is a compilation of research, survey data, and best practices that outlines the landscape for children's vision and eye health in the United States. Contents include information about the prevalence and impact of vision disorders in U.S. children, receipt of vision screening for infants and children from birth through age 17, and state approaches to ensuring children's vision and eye health. Additional topics include vision screening rates and requirements by state, pediatric vision benefits available under the Affordable Care Act, what is included in a strong vision health system of care, and model children's vision legislation. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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Keywords: Access to health care, Adolescents, Children, Costs, Health care reform, Health insurance, Health status, Policy development, Prevalence, Preventive health services, Primary care, Reimbursement, Research, Screening, Service integration, Standards, State programs, State surveys, Statistical data, Systems development, Vision, Vision disorders

Annotation: This document describes the modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) methodology for evaluating eligibility for health care affordability program applicants and enrollees. It also provides guidance on implementing and governing the methodology. Topics include Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) populations and eligibility categories subject or exempted from MAGI, determination of countable income, household composition in the marketplace vs. Medicaid/CHIP, household scenarios, MAGI conversion for Medicaid and CHIP, state options for the transition to MAGI-based eligibility systems, and MAGI and the single streamlined application. An accompanying webinar, The World According to MAGI, covers the ins-and-outs of the rules by working through hypothetical family scenarios.

• 2018 Update

Keywords: Applications, Children, Eligibility determination, Families, Family income, Federal initiatives, Health care reform, Health insurance, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, State programs