Messages from the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services

Although Medicaid and CHIP cover more than 75 million Americans, collecting high-quality and timely data for each state’s Medicaid and CHIP program is incredibly difficult. Not only do states have flexibility in the design and implementation of these programs, but collecting data and submitting it to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in a standardized format is a demanding administrative and information technology task for both states and the federal government.

For decades policymakers have hypothesized that better integration of Medicare and Medicaid services could help improve health outcomes for people enrolled in both programs. Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has focused on promoting integrated care and developing new payment and service delivery models for dually eligible beneficiaries. Now the evidence is stronger than ever: integrated care is improving outcomes.