Health equity

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a report detailing their efforts to address health care disparities faced by individuals living in rural, tribal, and geographically isolated communities. This report outlines CMS’ six key priorities for advancing health equity in these communities: (1) applying a community-informed geographic lens to CMS programs and policies, (2) increasing the collection and use of standardized data to improve health care, (3) strengthening and supporting Health Care Professionals, (4) optimizing medical and communication technology, and (6) driving innovation and value-based care....

USAging has released the AAA National Survey Chartbook for 2022, funded by the U.S. Administration for Community Living, offering comprehensive insights into how Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) address housing, social engagement, and health equity needs among older adults. This triennial survey provides crucial data on trends, workforce, funding, partnerships, and service adaptations within the Aging Network. Additionally, USAging offers a Chartbook Toolkit, including state-level reports, data briefs, sample communication materials, and presentation slides, empowering AAAs to benchmark their services, advocate for funding, and share their impact on older adults' well-being.

A new article from the Centers for Health Care Strategies explores a new effort to improve and align care across California Medicaid. The article explores racial disparities in access to and quality of LTSS, integration of dually eligible individuals, and more.

The Center for Health Care Strategies has released a summary of its top 10 resources from 2022 that outline opportunities to strengthen the U.S health care system, particularly for Medicaid beneficiaries.

The AHRQ Academy has released a new guide on health equity and behavioral health integration designed to help practices reduce health disparities and advance health equity by promoting belonging, dignity and justice for providers and patients from marginalized groups. The AHRQ Academy aims to support the integration of behavioral health into primary and ambulatory care settings with a focus on providing care for patients using substances, particularly opioids, and for those with mental health conditions. This guide provides tools and resources for addressing economic and social inequities, bias, discrimination and racism.

This brief highlights key lessons to inform data-sharing partnerships between community-based organizations, state agencies, and individuals with lived expertise. Lessons draw from the experiences of participants in Learning and Action in Policy and Partnerships, a national initiative supporting community-based data-sharing efforts led by Data Across Sectors for Health in partnership with the Center for Health Care Strategies through support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The Advancing Health Equity Learning Collaborative is seeking applicants for the next cohort of the collaborative, which will include five teams comprised of Medicaid agencies, managed care organizations, and health care provider organizations or systems. The learning collaborative will help teams develop shared equity priorities, uncover the drivers of disparities in their member populations, and create payment models to support equity-focused care transformation.

Late yesterday CMS released a State Medicaid Director Letter (SMDL 22-003) providing guidance for the first-ever HCBS Quality Measure Set, the first of two planned guidance documents from CMS. The HCBS Quality Measure Set is included in the SMD, starting on page 14. The list of measures includes the NQF number (if applicable), measure steward, and data collection method, as well as information on whether each measure addresses section 1915(c) waiver assurances and/or can be used to assess access, LTSS rebalancing, and/or community integration and HCBS settings requirements.

To best meet the health-related needs of Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries, and address equity within these programs and services, Medicaid leaders should reflect the varied populations they serve. Medicaid leaders are more likely to relate to the needs and challenges of their members when they share the identities of enrollees. This blog post and infographic from CHCS highlight key strategies for diversifying the Medicaid leadership pipeline, drawing from a CHCS report developed with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The Aging and Disability Business Institute is now accepting nominations for the The John A. Hartford Foundation 2022 Business Innovation Award. Each year, this award recognizes community-based organizations (CBOs) that have created innovative solutions to improving the well-being of older adults and people with disabilities through strategic partnerships with health care entities. The Institute is looking for nominations of CBOs that have contracts with health care entities related to advance care planning, caregiving, COVID-19 response, dementia care, and those that address health equity.