Posts tagged "COVID-19"

The Weekly Insight: June 30, 2020
June 30, 2020
Weekly Insights

Texas Insight provides timely reporting of healthcare issues and events as they occur within the legislative and regulatory branches of Texas state government. Health and Human Services Executive Council. The Council convened to hear…
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HHSC: STAR Kids Managed Care Advisory Committee
June 10, 2020
Regulatory

The STAR Kids Managed Care Advisory Committee, created by Senate Bill 7 of the 83rd Texas Legislature (Regular Session), advises HHSC on the establishment and implementation of the STAR Kids Medicaid managed care program. The STAR Kids Medicaid managed care program is legislatively mandated to provide services for children with disabilities who have Medicaid coverage to improve coordination and customization of care, access to care, health outcomes, cost containment and quality of care. The STAR Kids model must require a health home, care management, and provide comprehensive coordination of acute care and long-term service benefits.
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HHSC: Long-Term Care Facilities Council
June 1, 2020
Regulatory

The Long-term Care Facilities Council shall study and make recommendations regarding a more consistent survey and informal dispute resolution process for long-term care facilities, the Medicaid quality-based payment systems for…
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COVID-19 and State Fiscal Implications
May 19, 2020
Reporting & Analysis

This article is provided as courtesy of Billy Millwee with Millwee & Associates Consulting. Billy served as the Texas Medicaid Director and Deputy Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner for a number of years, and he and his firm have been engaged in Medicaid consulting on a national level since 2012. Overview Across the nation, states are facing significant budget challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As revenues decline, state expenditures are simultaneously increasing due to increasing demands on state services. In many cases, anticipated general fund revenues will be less than the costs to maintain state services. Despite these challenges, states must continue to balance their budgets.[1] There are three main budgetary impacts of COVID-19:

  1. Higher Direct Costs – States have already incurred and will continue to incur significant direct costs to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Key areas impacted include law enforcement, health systems, infrastructure, and education. For example, states may allocate funding to expand hospital and laboratory capacity, purchase and refurbish medical supplies, and fund state health programs to provide testing and treatment.
  2. Higher Indirect Costs – States will incur higher indirect costs from changes in the state’s economic conditions that are resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, as unemployment rises and income falls, more people will qualify for health and social service programs funded by state governments.
  3. Lower Revenues – States will face revenue implications driven by economic changes resulting from COVID-19.

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