Mathematica Joins State Health Policy Community to Explore Innovative Public Health Solutions at NASHP

Mathematica experts will join the state health community at the National Academy for State Health Policy’s 36th annual conference on August 14–16, 2023, in Boston, Massachusetts. The conference convenes state health leaders from all 50 states and Washington, DC to examine today’s most pressing health policy challenges. A team of Mathematica experts will present at sessions and be available in the exhibit area to discuss solutions and partnerships that are helping advance public health in states across the nation.

“Our team looks forward to exchanging insights with state health agency leaders from throughout the country,” said Bailey Orshan, state health director at Mathematica. “We provide an independent perspective to our state partners that pairs our strong advisory services and evaluation expertise with a proven track record in analytics for data-driven decision making.”

Working at the intersection of data science, social science, and technology, Mathematica collaborates with state health officials to address urgent challenges; promote equity; and transform health care quality, delivery, and financing. Some examples include:

• A hospital cost tool, created in collaboration with NASHP, that provides state policymakers, employers, and researchers with analytical insights into how much hospitals spend on patient care, and how such costs relate to the hospital charges (list prices) and actual prices paid by health plans.
• The California Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI). Through this transformative $4.4 billion effort, the California Department of Health and Human Services (CalHHS) seeks to reimagine and transform the behavioral health care ecosystem in California so that screening, support, and services for emerging and existing behavioral health needs are equitable and accessible to all children and youth ages 25 and younger, regardless of payer. Mathematica is conducting a multifaceted evaluation of CYBHI to assess the initiative’s progress in achieving its goals and help CalHHS identify opportunities to improve policy, strengthen systems of care, and address inequities in care delivery.
• The 50-State Assessment of Public Health Data Exchange Policies and Capabilities. Mathematica is working with The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, and the American Immunization Registry Association to assess the policies and practices of data exchange for public health in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and New York City. This work will inform Pew’s efforts to improve reporting of public health data and will be the basis for research publications on state laws and regulations, data systems, and processes for electronic case reporting, electronic lab reporting, syndromic surveillance, and immunization information systems. This research will also serve as a resource for public health agencies and policymakers.
• Home and Community Based Services - Program Evaluation and Analysis for Iowans with Behavioral Health, Disability, and Aging Needs. Mathematica is helping the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services understand how Iowans access and use services through Medicaid and other programs. We have offered recommendations and technical assistance to build on successes in Iowa and improve service delivery throughout the state.
• A project in North Carolina to provide analytic tools for quality monitoring and performance improvement designed to track the effectiveness of Transitions to Community Living services.

Visit us in the exhibit space 1 to speak with our experts and learn more about how we help states via data analysis and evidence-based solutions.