INITIATIVES
If you would like more information on any of these efforts, please contact us!
Focus Area 1: Strengthening Organizational Capacity in New England’s State Health and Human Services Agencies
HHS/Medicaid Training and Leadership Development Initiative
State HHS Agencies can face challenges when they need resources for smaller projects or targeted training. In order to address this need, NESCSO works with seven organizations from whom the NESCSO Member States can access technical assistance and training resources. These organizations were selected through a competitive process by a committee of representatives from each Member State. The organizations are on a pre-qualified list. NESCSO will fund and coordinate contracting efforts on behalf of the Member States. The organizations are:
- Berry Dunn
- Cadence with William James College
- Center for Health Care Strategies
- Commonwealth Medicine
- Deloitte
- Michael Nardone
- Mostly Medicaid
NEW: NESCSO HHS Training and Leadership Development Initiative: Vermont Agency of Human Services
Learning Communities
NESCSO recognizes that government employees working in State HHS agencies have considerable knowledge and expertise. We build on these strengths by providing forums for people working in similar areas to exchange information and collaborate on projects. Each of our Learning Communities was formed at the request of the Member States and leverages the power of peer-to-peer learning. Examples of the administrative support NESCSO provides the Learning Communities includes scheduling and hosting meetings, providing project management resources and facilitating access to guest speakers and travel to conferences. These Learning Communities are not limited to New England and are open to all States.
Medicaid Quality
This community focuses on the measures State Medicaid agencies use to determine the quality of care provided through Medicaid and the effectiveness of program initiatives.
Contact: NESCSO at info@nescso.org
Medicaid Pharmacy
This community focuses on pharmacy issues related to benefit coverage, drug affordability, and compliance with federal regulations. Examples of recent activities include a forum on Benefit Design and Coverage of Gene and Cell Therapies, a multi-state survey of pharmacy dispensing fees, and a regional analysis of hepatitis C medication uptake.
Access the recent white paper: Effective Medicaid Pharmacy Program White Paper
Contact: NESCSO at info@nescso.org
State Regulatory and Policy Responses to Hospital and Market Changes
This Learning Community explores issues related to States’ current and potential future actions to monitor and oversee healthcare market activities such as consolidations and ensure that access, cost, and quality are not negatively impacted. Four workgroups have formed to explore the various tools available to State agencies to respond to changes in healthcare markets.
Market Oversight | Workgroup Manager: Gerry Goulet
Primary Care Investment | Workgroup Manager: To be determined
Access the recent regional report: NESCSO – New England States’ All-Payer Report on Primary Care Payments (2020-12-22)
Data | Workgroup Manager: Amy Costello and Molly Umana
Contact: NESCSO at info@nescso.org
Focus Area 2: Supporting State HHS Agencies’ Effective Procurement and Implementation of Information Technology
Annual Medicaid Enterprise Systems Conference (MESC)
The MESC brings together almost 2,000 representatives from state, territorial, and federal governments and the private sector who are committed to the role technology plays in supporting and enhancing Medicaid programs. With over 150 Exhibitor Booths and almost 100 education sessions, the MESC provides useful and timely information such as best practices in financing Medicaid technology, innovative solutions, and federal policy initiatives.
The 2023 MESC was held in Denver, CO with record breaking attendance. The MESC 2024 will be hosted in Louisville, KY, Augusut 12 to 15 and is anticipated to increase in size, scope and impact to state efforrts throughout the country.
For more information, please visit www.mesconference.org
CMS Systems Technical Advisory Group
The Systems Technical Advisory Group (S-TAG) is a monthly meeting for State Medicaid agencies and the Centers for Medicaid and CHIP Services – Data and Systems Group to exchange information on how federal policy on Medicaid-funded information technology impacts states. Since 2016, NESCSO has provided administrative support to the S-TAG, growing State participation from 10 to include all 50 States and the territories. NESCSO works closely with the federal and state S-TAG Advisory Council to ensure the monthly agendas are relevant and valuable.
For more Info on S-TAG click here.
Focus Area 3: Multi-state Procurement
Multi-State Initiative for Electronic Asset Verification Services
In 2016, NESCSO worked with Vermont to develop a multi-state collaboration to competitively procure electronic asset verification services. Using the NESCSO-Vermont agreement and NESCSO’s subcontract with Public Consulting Group, an additional six states were able to join the initiative. The participating States enjoy reduced volume-based discounts and value-added project management services. This collaborative is open to any interested State.
For more information contact: Michele Allan, Director of Finance and Operations at michele.allan@nescso.org
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MAGI in the Cloud (MiTC)
NESCSO offers States access to MiTC, an open-sourced tool that supports Medicaid eligibility determination using the Modified Adjusted Gross-Income (MAGI) methodology. This tool can also be used to monitor the accuracy of existing State Medicaid MAGI-based eligibility determinations. This initiative is open to any interested state.
For more information contact: David Huffman, Executive Director at david.huffman@nescso.org
Focus Area 4: Regional Data Sharing
Hepatitis C Virus Study in a New England Medicaid Population
NESCSO supports UMASS Medical School/Commonwealth Medicine’s study, Uptake of Direct Acting Antivirals for Hepatitis C Virus in a New England Medicaid Population, 2014-2017 by facilitating access to and convening representatives from the Medicaid programs in Massachusetts, New Hampshire , Connecticut, and Rhode Island. The study examines trends in direct acting antiviral uptake to treat hepatitis C virus in a Medicaid population. It Identifies the effect of new drug approvals and Medicaid policy changes on the uptake of medications.
Click here to access the AHRQ poster and the HCV Treatment Uptake Newsletter, September 2020
Primary Care Investment Report
In 2017, NESCSO formed a Primary Care Investment Workgroup (“Workgroup”) which includes representatives from all six New England states – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The Workgroup’s main goal has been to advance a “Vision for Patient Centered Primary Care” by exploring opportunities for sharing state strategies and activities. In 2020, NESCSO engaged Onpoint Health Data to develop a primary care investment report. Click here to access the report: NESCSO – New England States’ All-Payer Report on Primary Care Payments (2020-12-22)