Recent Releases and Announcements
FAQs: Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity Final Rule for Medicaid and CHIP
Today the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity Rule for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Under the March 2016 final rule, CMS applied certain mental health and substance use disorder parity provisions of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) to the coverage provided to enrollees of Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs), Medicaid alternative benefit plans (ABPs), and CHIP to ensure that financial requirements and treatment limitations on mental health and substance use disorder benefits generally are no more restrictive than the requirements and limitations that apply to medical and surgical benefits in these programs. CMS has received a number of questions regarding this final rule, and the purpose of this FAQ document is to capture the most common questions and concerns that have been identified by states and stakeholders.
Medicaid Innovation Accelerator Program (IAP)
Register Now: Improving the Quality of Medicaid Encounter Data National Learning Webinar (Tomorrow, October 12, 2017)
To assist Medicaid and CHIP agencies with their data analytic needs, CMS’s Medicaid Innovation Accelerator Program (IAP) will host a state learning webinar on Thursday, October 12th from 3:00 – 4:30 PM ET on improving the quality of Medicaid encounter data. In this interactive webinar, states will learn about approaches to improving their encounter data.
Presenters will share different perspectives on improving the quality of encounter data. A guest speaker from the state of Minnesota will discuss their Medicaid managed care structure data flow and their approaches to quality assurance, benchmarking, and timely data feedback. Additionally, a representative from the National Association of Health Data Organizations will discuss best practices in data collection, analytics, and output reports for encounter data, as well as the use of shared or public data to improve results.
Register Now: Medicaid Value-Based Payment Approaches for Children's Oral Health National Learning Webinar (October 19, 2017)
To assist state Medicaid/CHIP dental program staff, state Medicaid directors, and other state officials, CMS’s Medicaid Innovation Accelerator Program (IAP) will host a webinar on Thursday, October 19, 2017, from 2:00 – 3:00 PM ET on Medicaid Value-Based Payment (VBP) approaches for Children’s Oral Health. This is the second webinar of a series of VBP-focused national learning webinars the Medicaid IAP is hosting in October/November. This webinar will:
- Share perspectives about the importance of payment reform in children’s oral health
- Describe Medicaid VBP approaches that states can use to improve children’s oral health outcomes
- Provide examples of Medicaid VBP approaches in children’s oral health:
- Texas First Dental Home
- Oregon Health Authority
This is the second webinar of a series of VBP-focused national learning webinars the Medicaid IAP is hosting in October/November.
Register Now: Medicaid Value-Based Payment Approaches for Substance Use Disorders National Learning Webinar (October 26, 2017)
As part of CMS’s Medicaid Innovation Accelerator Program (IAP) Reducing Substance Use Disorder (SUD) program area, we are sharing what we have learned from working with states on SUD delivery system reform through our national learning webinars. We invite you to join our next national learning webinar on Thursday, October 26, 2017 from 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM ET.
The October webinar, Medicaid Value-Based Payment Approaches for SUD, will address opportunities to incorporate SUD related services in value-based payment approaches. We will draw upon both the Health Care Payment Learning and Action Network (HCPLAN) framework and other key considerations for incentivizing value when purchasing SUD services. Utilizing the HCPLAN framework, which describes a continuum of value-based payment (VBP) approaches, we will highlight SUD examples across that continuum.
This is the third webinar of a series of VBP-focused national learning webinars the Medicaid IAP is hosting in October/November.
Register Now: Medicaid Value-Based Payment Approaches for Maternal and Infant Health National Learning Webinar (November 2, 2017)
To assist state Medicaid directors, maternal and infant health providers, Title V Directors, and other state Medicaid/CHIP staff, CMS’s Medicaid Innovation Accelerator Program (IAP) will host a webinar on Thursday, November 2, 2017, from 2:00 – 3:00 PM ET on Medicaid Value-Based Payment (VBP) Approaches for Maternal and Infant Health. This webinar will:
- Share perspectives on the importance of payment reform in maternal and infant health
- Describe Medicaid VBP approaches that states can use to improve maternal and infant health outcomes
- Provide examples of Medicaid VBP approaches in maternal and infant health
- Arkansas: Perinatal bundled payment
- Louisiana: Pay-for-Performance on the use of progesterone to prevent preterm births
This is the last webinar of a series of VBP-focused national learning webinars the Medicaid IAP is hosting in October/November.
Register Now: State Measurement Strategies that Drive Physical and Mental Health Integration (October 30, 2017)
As part of CMS’s Medicaid Innovation Accelerator Program (IAP), we are sharing lessons learned from working with state Medicaid agencies on physical and mental health integration via a national webinar series. All state Medicaid agencies and interested stakeholders are invited to join the second webinar on Monday, October 30, 2017, 3:00 -4:30 PM ET. This webinar will feature Dr. Harold Pincus from Columbia University along with a state Medicaid representative from Colorado who will share their expertise and experiences with measuring physical/mental health integration. Speakers will discuss their measurement approaches, as well as concrete state strategies to measure integration, both in how providers are delivering care, and in health outcomes. The measurement strategies presented on this webinar will be applicable to a variety of states interested in developing or strengthening their measurement approaches to support, track, and sustain their integration efforts.
Upcoming Calls and Webinars
Value-Based/Pay for Performance Rate Methodologies in a FFS Environment Training
This training will highlight promising practices and strategies for developing value-based/pay for performance rate methodologies in a FFS environment. Lewis & Ellis with assistance from Navigant Consulting is currently the training lead through the Rate Review Multi-Award Contract overseen by the Division of Long Term Services & Supports (DLTSS). Lewis & Ellis and Navigant Consulting will present the training and Ralph Lollar, DLTSS Division Director, and the DLTSS Team will support the training and lead the Q&A Session.
Tuesday, October 17, 2017, 10:30-12pm ET
Audio Option #1: Dial: 1-844-396-8222 Participant Code: 902 215 180
Audio Option #2 and Webinar