As we step into 2025, the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) reflects gratefully on the incredible partners we worked with in 2024. Together, we made meaningful strides to improve health care for millions covered by Medicaid. Last year, we released a range of practical resources to advance innovation in the U.S. health care system. Explore some of our top content from 2024:
- Health Literacy Fact Sheets – This series defines health literacy, highlights its critical connection to health equity, and outlines ways to improve health literacy through written communications, patient-provider dialogue, and enhanced organizational practices.
- Understanding New Federal Guidance on Medicaid Coverage of Health-Related Social Needs Services – This Policy Cheat Sheet examines CMS’ late 2023 guidance on state options to cover health-related social needs services and supports and what these federal guidelines mean for Medicaid programs.
- Medicaid Opportunities to Support Youth Transitioning from Incarceration – This Policy Cheat Sheet outlines key details about federal legislation that will allow youth in correctional settings greater access to Medicaid-financed services and supports beginning in 2025.
- New State Options for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Data Collection – This Policy Cheat Sheet summarizes CMS’ options for states to collect sexual orientation and gender identity data. It also explores factors Medicaid agencies should consider as they develop their approach.
- New Federal Rules for Medicaid Advisory Committees and Beneficiary Advisory Councils – This Policy Cheat Sheet explores CMS’ requirements for creating new Medicaid member advisory bodies and shares information on how states can establish these structures.
- Building a Health Equity Focus into Value-Based Payment Design: Approaches for Medicaid Payers – This brief outlines key considerations for health care payers seeking to create payment models that reduce health disparities and positively impact the health outcomes of their Medicaid members.
- Braiding Medicaid Funds to Support Person-Centered Care: Lessons from Medi-Cal – This brief explores strategies for braiding funding to enhance integrated, person-centered care for Medicaid enrollees, featuring approaches from three social service organizations in California.
- Health-Related Social Needs in Medicaid: State Checklist for Screening – This tool outlines decision points for developing or improving social needs screening policies and provides state examples to help Medicaid agencies better meet members’ health-related social needs.
- Developing Primary Care Population-Based Payment Models in Medicaid: A Primer for States – This report highlights decisions states need to consider when developing a primary care population-based payment model — a value-based payment approach that pays providers upfront for the number of patients they serve.
- Building Healthy Futures: Addressing Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders During Pregnancy and Postpartum – This report outlines recommendations to support evidence-based, person-centered perinatal services for people with mental health and substance use disorders and highlights examples of innovative, community-rooted programs.
- Lessons from the Field: How Health Care and Homeless Service Providers Partner for Action – This brief highlights how pilot efforts in California supported innovative cross-sector collaborations to improve care delivery and services for people experiencing homelessness.
Top Webinar
Enhancing Medicaid Equity Through Health Literacy: Practical Strategies – This panel discussion gathered Medicaid stakeholders from state agencies, health plans, and the community level to understand opportunities to enhance health equity by addressing health literacy.
Most Listened To
The Critical Role of Medicaid in Addressing Maternal Health Disparities – This episode of the Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast examines how states are addressing maternal health disparities through data collection, community engagement, and community-informed decision-making.
Most Watched
Medicare Advantage Policy Basics – This training series can help Medicaid agency staff build their Medicare Advantage capacity through modules on contracting, payment policy and rate setting, supplemental benefits, and the Star Rating system.
Top Resource on the Better Care Playbook
New Ways to Finance Community Health Worker Services in Medicare – With CMS now providing Medicare reimbursement for community health worker (CHW) services, this Evidence Roundup explores the evidence for CHW programs that serve older adults and tools to support implementation.
