In “Maintaining Telehealth Access to Medicaid-Covered Pediatric Services After the End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency,” an issue brief prepared in partnership with the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health and Manatt Health, provides a brief overview of the pediatric telehealth response to COVID. The issue brief outlines the temporary state policy changes that created improved access to services and also notes opportunities for permanent policy changes that would maintain broad access to pediatric telehealth services under Medicaid after the PHE.

This action follows recently approved section 1115 demonstration initiatives in Arizona, Massachusetts and Oregon, with the amendment to the Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me (ARHOME) demonstration aiming to drive better health and wellbeing outcomes by providing medically necessary support services for young people, pregnant and postpartum women and those dealing with mental illness and substance use diagnoses.

The demonstration seeks to address health-related social needs among targeted populations through intensive care coordination and other person-centered supports provided by what the state is terming as Life360 HOMEs. The state will work with local hospitals and community partners to advance three types of Life360 HOMEs:

During the federal public health emergency (PHE), some consumers may have turned down Medicare when they became eligible because they had HIP coverage. In October 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a final rule that will help these consumers when the PHE ends.

A Medicare special enrollment period (SEP) will coordinate with the termination of Medicaid coverage after January 1, 2023, allowing people who missed a Medicare enrollment period to enroll in Medicare after the termination of their Medicaid eligibility. They should be able to choose Medicare coverage going forward or retroactively to the loss of Medicaid coverage. The State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) has counselors that can assist consumers in reviewing their options.

Young Invincibles released their Marketplace toolkit in English and Spanish for the 10^th annual open enrollment of the federal Marketplace. The toolkit includes information on the top messages to encourage consumers to enroll.

Certified Designated Organizations (CDOs) with the federal Marketplace may find if their staff did not complete their Certified Application Counselor (CAC) training by October 31^st that their CAC numbers are expired. To fix this situation, CDOs need to decertify the expired CAC record and add them back to the rooster on the CDO Organizational Maintenance site. For additional assistance, contact CACQuestions@cms.hhs.gov.

Similar to previous open enrollments, Marketplace has a designated call center line for Assisters. When calling, you should have your access code (typically your main phone number) ready. Your agency’s main contact should have received an email about this the last week in October. For additional assistance, contact CACQuestions@cms.hhs.gov.

The Indiana School Health Network (ISHN) is inviting school health professionals and advocates to submit proposals to present a session at the 2023 Indiana School Health Network Conference on June 14-15, 2023. The conference will be in person and will be held at the Embassy Suites Plainfield Hotel. This year's theme is "School Health: Connecting the Pieces."

For more information or questions on submitting a proposal, please contact Sarah Thompson at sthompson@ckfindiana.org.

In a recent blog post for the Commonwealth Fund, child behavioral health expert Laura Conrad notes that policy support is needed for schools beyond programmatic funding. Many schools, for instance are not well-versed on navigating the complexities of Medicaid and health care billing. Many schools also counselors and administrative resources necessary to comply with paperwork requirements.

The Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs Military Relief Fund’s Operation Holiday Program assists veterans and their families experiencing financial hardship. Assistance can include $200 per household for a holiday meal and $300 per dependent child. Gross household income must be less than 200% federal poverty limit (FPL). The program runs through December 30^th.