Webinar: Engaging Medicaid Members and Community-Based Organizations Through Beneficiary Advisory Councils

In 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule requiring states to establish or strengthen Beneficiary Advisory Councils (BACs) — groups of Medicaid members, families, and caregivers that provide input on a range of topics, including covered services, care coordination, eligibility, enrollment, and cultural competency. Over the past year, states have partnered with Medicaid members and community-based organizations (CBOs) to design and recruit BACs that reflect CMS’ vision for incorporating member perspectives into Medicaid program and policy decisions.

Through the Building State Capacity for Community-Informed Policymaking Learning and Action Series, the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) supported seven states in designing and implementing effective BACs, in partnership with CBOs. This webinar will share key lessons from the series, highlighting state experiences in developing BAC structures, recruitment strategies, charters and bylaws, and compensation policies. CHCS will lead a conversation with panelists from Maine and North Dakota — including state agency staff, a Medicaid member, and a CBO representative —who will share their insights from designing BACs and discuss their plans for sustaining and evolving member engagement over time.