The NDNRC newsletter will be published on a biweekly basis until the end of the summer.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has chosen ten states to take part in the Medicaid Behavioral Health Clinic Demonstration (CCBHC). CCBHCs aim to establish payment systems for those who use Medicaid services delivered at CCBHCs and ensures that they meet federal standards such as providing 24-hour crisis services and routine outpatient care regardless of ability to pay.
The combination of CCBHCs with mental health and substance use services will help improve access to equitable and quality care to ensure comprehensive services with evidence-based practices. CCBHCs have been proven to reduce homelessness and substance use and can be found through FindTreatment.Gov or by calling 800-662-4357.
Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families (CCF) reported on Marketplace enrollment for those who have lost Medicaid coverage and concluded that current unenrollment rates are at their lowest since September 2023. These changes were most likely due to the Open Enrollment Period and an increase in child Medicaid enrollment.
Beyond the Basics presented a webinar on the finalized rules for Section 1557, specifically the new sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) marketplace application questions and how enrollment assisters can help ensure trust and effective relationships with LGBTQI+ consumers to aid in accessing coverage.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) has announced to award $500 million over a five-year period of performance for navigators helping people enroll in healthcare coverage, especially those in underserved communities. Applications are due July 8, 2024. This will greatly increase the enrollment in healthcare coverage and health equity for those who qualify.
ACA Marketplace plans have also aimed to decrease racial and ethnic disparities, as reported by the CHIRblog. These include lower rates of cervical cancer screening rates for Asian Americans and lower rates of antidepressant medication adherence for general BIPOC communities.
The Olmstead Act turns 25 on June 20, 2024! This ruled that the unjustified segregation of people with disabilities was a form of unlawful discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is hosting an in-person and virtual celebration from 2 PM ET to 4 PM ET.
![Behavioral Health Supports Continue through Medicaid. Images of a woman smiling, a man standing on a sidewalk, and a woman in a wheelchair holding hands with a woman standing.]](https://nationaldisabilitynavigator.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Newsletter-Images.png)
As of June 4, states have reported renewal outcomes for more than half of those enrolled in Medicaid/CHIP, according to data from the KFF with 21.8 million renewals still remaining. 24% of those who completed the renewal process were disenrolled and 49.6 million enrollees were able to qualify for renewed coverage. The large range of disenrollment rates in each state varies, with the highest of 56% being in Utah and the lowest of 13% in Maine and North Carolina. Out of all states with available data, 69% of all those disenrolled were due to procedural reasons.
CMS has released national healthcare expenditure (NHE) projections for 2023 to 2032. These projections have found that the average annual growth in NHEs will show an increase in the health spending share of GDP from 17.3% in 2022 to 19.7% in 2032. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and record high marketplace enrollment due to the unwinding of Medicaid act as factors to the increase in spending.
The CHIRblog covered a final rule that rescinded regulations in 2018 that would led to the expansion and use of Association Health Plans (AHPs).
The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) broke down how Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace premiums have been changing. This overview covered changes in the average premium by metal levels before tax credits for a 40-year-old and changes in lowest-cost metal plan premiums for each county in the country.
CCF emphasized the importance of social media as a tool to conduct outreach for eligible children and families to find coverage through Medicaid, CHIP, or a marketplace plan. By posting relevant enrollment and eligibility information on these free social media platforms, reaching underserved populations like the disability community could be a useful strategy in state enrollment.
A poll from CCF that surveyed families’ experience during the Medicaid unwinding has provided helpful insight in how to improve the enrollment process. Key takeaways included making renewals less frequent, increasing outreach at a community level, increased staffing for Medicaid offices, and simplifying renewal materials.
HHS finalized a rule that will enable Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) grantees in accessing Marketplace coverage starting November 2024. They will also be able to purchase qualified health plans (QHPs) in and obtain advance premium tax credits.
HHS also issued new reports that detailed historic gains in health care coverage in minority communities thanks to new ACA provisions and expansions. The uninsured rates from 2010 to 2022 were as follows, respectively:
- Black Americans: 20.9% to 10.8%
- Latinx: 32.7% to 18%
- Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders: 16.6% to 6.2%
- American Indians and Alaska Natives: 32.4% to 19.9%
The American Association on Health and Disability hosted a webinar through the All of Us Research Program discussing community care and mental health, as a part of the 2023-2024 Disability and Health Webinar series. Learn more about the All of Us Research Program and how inclusive research might support better health for all: https://bit.ly/JoinAOU-June6.
Archives of our weekly updates are available on the NDNRC website. Follow us on Twitter/X at @NDNRC!