Health Policy News October

Hello readers!

In this month’s edition of Health Policy News, our subject matter experts highlight opportunities in advancing oral health coverage. We also share information about recent guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services related to Medicaid Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) requirements. Finally, we share more insights from recent conferences our team members have attended.

As a reminder, on November 21st at 2:00 EST, PCG subject matter experts will be presenting on the importance of behavioral health continuum assessments and best practices in completing them. For registration information, see the link below;

Strategic Planning for Success: The Vital Role of Behavioral Health Assessments 

State Policy Opportunities in Oral Health

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently announced new policies intended to expand access to dental services though Marketplace plans, creating an opportunity for states to impact oral health and health care more broadly. States are also increasingly recognizing Medicaid dental benefits as an opportunity to improve population health. Oral health sits upstream of chronic disease, impacting maternal health, behavioral health, rural health, and vulnerable populations more generally. Dental services are also a valuable avenue to advance prevention strategies for opioid use disorder. To read more about how states can promote overall health and equity through oral health coverage, click here.  

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CMS Publishes EPSDT Strategies and Best Practices for States  

On September 26, 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published a State Health Official (SHO) letter regarding best practices for states to comply with the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) requirements. The SHO outlines guidance and best practices states can use to ensure adherence to EPSDT requirements and promote better health outcomes for children and youth enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP. To read about the strategies promoted by CMS and best practices in states around the country, click here.

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Conference Round Up

PCG staff shares insights from additional conferences in another round up this month. PCG was invited to attend the 2024 NAMI Partner Summit As part of PCG’s close partnership with NAMI through our PCG Cares initiatives and commitment to behavioral health improvements. This event focused on NAMI’s advocacy efforts, research priorities, and provided a deep dive into the policy updates that NAMI has been actively involved in shaping. Also, this month, members of the PCG team attended the 2024 Health Law and Policy Symposium of the University of New Hampshire Institute for Health Policy and Practice in September. The event brought together state regulators, policy experts and advocates, providers, and insurers to hear from state and national experts about needs and opportunities to improve healthcare access, affordability and equity. While speakers focused on the New Hampshire landscape, the information is certainly meaningful for states across the country. To learn more about the key takeaways, click here. 

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