Projects
Catalyzing State Medicaid Leadership on Climate Change Mitigation
2023
Project Overview
Objective
To inspire, inform, catalyze, and equip state Medicaid agencies to take a leading role in reducing harmful greenhouse gases produced by the health system.
Project Motivation
State Medicaid agencies are well positioned to reduce the health system’s harmful greenhouse gas emissions but face challenges in taking effective action. This project explores innovative ways payors can lower the health risks the health system generates while improving equity and sustainability.
Prepared For
The Commonwealth Fund
Climate change is a top threat to health and health systems alike. Yet, the U.S. health system is also a top producer of the harmful greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change—conflicting with its core mission to protect the public’s health.
State Medicaid agencies are well positioned to reduce the U.S. health system’s harmful greenhouse gas emissions, and some are beginning to consider how they can do so. Now, the Commonwealth Fund is seeking to better understand the efforts these pioneering state agencies are exploring so it can then raise awareness among other states of the opportunities, benefits, and efficiencies they can achieve by reducing emissions and related health risks.
Mathematica is working with the Commonwealth Fund to inspire, inform, catalyze, and equip state Medicaid agencies to become leaders in reducing the harmful greenhouse gases the health system generates. To do so, Mathematica will:
- Identify states that are poised to lead on reducing greenhouse gas emissions within the health system
- Explore policies and initiatives these states have considered or enacted to lower emissions and make the health system more sustainable
- Highlight promising practices, innovative ideas, and insights to equip state Medicaid agencies to take action toward decreasing the risks and harm caused by the health system’s greenhouse gas emissions
Evidence & Insights From This Project
Publication
Reducing the Health System’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Key Messages to Catalyze Climate Action
This video shares sample messaging that state Medicaid agency staff can use to help their peers and partners understand the opportunity Medicaid has to become a pioneer in fostering the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and pave the way for a more sustainable and resilient health system.
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