Oct 31 MACPAC Meeting to Discuss Dual-Eligible Populations, Medicaid Data

The Medicaid and CHIP Payment Access Commission’s (MACPAC) monthly meeting, occuring this week, will have two topics relevant to disability supports: 1) an update on pending changes to the Medicaid dataset policy-makers rely upon for their decisions and 2) discussion of the integration of populations eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare. Please see below for the full MACPAC announcement.

“The October 2019 meeting of the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) will be held Thursday, October 31 from 10:00am–3:45pm and Friday, November 1 from 9:00am–11:30am at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center’s Horizon Ballroom.

The Commission devotes its Thursday morning discussions to integration of care for beneficiaries who are dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare. Panelists Amber Christ, directing attorney at Justice in Aging; Griffin Myers, chief medical officer at Oak Street Health; and Michael Monson, senior vice president for Medicaid and complex care at Centene, present beneficiary, provider, and health plan perspectives with a question and answer session to follow.

After lunch, MACPAC staff briefs the Commission on challenges states face as they prepare for mandatory reporting of quality measures for children enrolled in Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and behavioral health measures for adults enrolled in Medicaid. Immediately following that session, the Commission reviews a new MACPAC-commissioned study on whether new buprenorphine prescribing authority for nurse practitioners and physician assistants has improved access to treatment for individuals with opioid use disorder, including those covered by Medicaid.

After a brief break, MACPAC staff updates the Commission on the status of the Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS). The final Thursday session discusses disproportionate share hospital (DSH) allotments as required in MACPAC’s annual March reports to Congress.

MACPAC’s Friday agenda opens with a session on improving Medicaid policies related to third-party liability; specifically, coordination of benefits with TRICARE, the health coverage program for active duty military and their dependents. There are close to 1 million Medicaid beneficiaries with TRICARE coverage but Medicaid’s ability to collect from TRICARE is limited. The final session of the October meeting addresses Medicaid and maternal health.

Go to the MACPAC website for the full agenda and meeting information, along with MACPAC’s October 2019 Report to Congress: Utilization Management of Medication-Assisted Treatment in Medicaid. Also in October, the Commission commented on a proposed Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration rule related to confidentiality of patient records, and we posted a state policy compendium of Medicaid fee-for-service nursing facility payment policies. Follow us on Twitter @macpacgov to stay up to date on new publications, data updates, and meeting announcements.

Public comments: MACPAC will accept public comments during the morning and afternoon sessions, and on a continuing basis through our website. As always, we welcome your feedback and suggestions.

Directions: The Ronald Reagan building is easily accessible by rail. The Federal Triangle metro station (orange/blue lines) is on site. The Metro Center metro station (red line) is two blocks away. For additional information on the DC metro system, including bus routes, please go to https://www.wmata.com/. The Ronald Reagan building has two entrances to its underground parking lot: on Pennsylvania Avenue NW and on 14th Street NW. Visit its website for current rates.

For more information about the meeting, contact Kathryn Ceja, MACPAC’s communications director.”