Mathematica Provides Insights on Equitable Health Care Access and Outcomes at the National Association of Medicaid Directors Annual Conference

Members of the Medicaid community will convene this week in Washington, DC for the annual National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD) conference. Federal and state program officers, policymakers, and consultants will discuss how to best drive positive change and informed policy decisions. Experts from Mathematica will be available at Booth 30 and for meet and greets throughout the conference to discuss ways we can collaborate with state Medicaid programs to improve systems and advance equity.

“Mathematica’s focus on maternal health, early childhood development, and long-term services and supports is aligned with the themes of this year’s gathering,” said Joshua Baker, vice president of state health and Medicaid. “We look forward to sharing our insights with our friends and colleagues this week and are proud to work with states to strengthen service access, improve quality, and support NAMD’s mission-driven community. A spotlight will remain on the national unwinding of pandemic-era eligibility rules, but with state and federal agencies midway through unwinding operations, we can refocus attention on joint problem-solving and long-term system improvements.”

Mathematica has used its experience with Medicaid to help states meet challenges in unwinding pandemic operations through its Medicaid Learning Collaboratives and Expert Roundtable. These projects help identify and implement eligibility redetermination best practices that will help ensure that those who are eligible can remain enrolled in Medicaid.

“We are excited to continue partnering with states to drive innovation in long-term services and supports,” said Carey Appold, vice president of Medicaid services. “Building resilience in LTSS delivery systems means Medicaid members with disabilities can count on readily receiving care.”

Mathematica maintains far-reaching partnerships with federal and state Medicaid programs. The company’s Money Follows the Person project explores factors affecting nursing facility discharges to the community, while the LTSS Expenditure Reports project examines Medicaid data across states to understand national and state progress in shifting LTSS systems away from institutional care toward home and community-based services (HCBS). At the state level, Mathematica supports California in identifying gaps in access and strategies to expand access to both Medicaid and non-Medicaid HCBS for older adults and adults with disabilities. Mathematica is also partnering with Iowa to redesign its community-based services and with North Carolina to drive quality assurance and performance improvement for the state’s Transitions to Community Living.

“Mathematica’s deep expertise in Medicaid is evident on our Medicaid demonstrations project,” said Maggie Samra, senior director of federal Medicaid practice. “Mathematica’s staff work with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and states to implement and support oversight of novel strategies that promise to help the Medicaid program address longstanding health disparities. For example, states are designing strategies to smooth reentry to the community for previously incarcerated individuals and bringing creative energy to address health-related social needs in their demonstrations.”

Jonathan Morse, managing director of health advisory services, added, “With our cutting-edge expertise and unwavering commitment to excellence, Mathematica is well-positioned to help state Medicaid programs foster continued innovation and improvement, supporting their efforts to turn crises into opportunity.”