Child and Family Health Policy Insights: CCF Blog Analysis

The Center for Children and Families (CCF) at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy offers extensive insights into health policy issues affecting children and families. The CCF blog, “Say Ahhh!,” covers topics such as Medicaid, CHIP, health equity, maternal and early childhood health, and more.

One recent article discusses the positive momentum in Medicaid coverage for doula services. This coverage aims to address maternal and infant health crises by providing support during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum periods, particularly for low-income families. The article notes that as of now, 43 states and D.C. have taken steps to include doula care in Medicaid coverage​ (Center For Children and Families)​.

Another post highlights the new rule allowing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) grantees to access Marketplace coverage starting in November 2024. This change will enable DACA recipients to purchase qualified health plans with financial assistance, which is expected to cover an additional 100,000 uninsured individuals. However, the rule does not extend to Medicaid and CHIP, which remains a significant gap in coverage​ (Center For Children and Families)​.

The Center for Children and Families (CCF) at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy is a rich resource for information on health policy issues impacting children and families, especially those with low and moderate incomes. Their blog, “Say Ahhh!,” features a range of topics, from Medicaid and CHIP to maternal and early childhood health.

Key Topics and Articles:

1. Medicaid and Doula Services:
   • Doula services are gaining momentum as states incorporate these services into Medicaid to improve maternal and infant health outcomes. Doulas provide non-clinical support during the perinatal period, which can reduce adverse birth outcomes and improve perinatal mental health. States like Washington have increased reimbursement rates for doulas to $3,500 per birth, the highest in the country, highlighting the importance of sufficient reimbursement to encourage more doulas to become Medicaid providers​ (Center For Children and Families)​.
2. Marketplace Coverage for DACA Grantees:
   • A recent rule allows DACA grantees to access Marketplace coverage starting in November 2024. This rule enables them to purchase qualified health plans with financial help, potentially covering an additional 100,000 uninsured individuals. However, this rule does not extend to Medicaid and CHIP, maintaining a gap in coverage for DACA recipients​ (Center For Children and Families)​.
3. State Medicaid Enrollment and Coverage:
   • Articles discuss the impact of the unwinding of continuous Medicaid coverage, with significant declines in child Medicaid enrollment. This situation underscores the need for states to take action to prevent children from losing coverage​ (Center For Children and Families)​.
4. Behavioral Health Integration:
   • CMS has introduced new state opportunities to address behavioral, physical, and health-related social needs through the “Innovation in Behavioral Health” model. This initiative aims to integrate care for individuals covered by Medicaid and Medicare, addressing comprehensive health needs​ (Center For Children and Families)​.
5. Child and Family Health Policy:
   • The blog frequently covers changes and challenges in health policy, such as the impact of federal and state regulations on health coverage, and innovative strategies to improve access to care for vulnerable populations​ (Center For Children and Families)​​ (Center For Children and Families)​.

Additional Key Topics and Articles:

1. Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility and Enrollment:
   • The blog discusses the variability in state performance regarding Medicaid and CHIP eligibility and enrollment, particularly during the unwinding of continuous enrollment protections put in place during the pandemic. This includes detailed analyses of state policies and their impacts on children and families​ (Center For Children and Families)​​ (Center For Children and Families)​.
2. Behavioral Health Initiatives:
   • The CMS has introduced new opportunities for states to advance behavioral health care integration. This initiative aims to test new approaches for addressing behavioral, physical, and health-related social needs of individuals covered by Medicaid and Medicare. These models seek to improve overall health outcomes by integrating various aspects of care​ (Center For Children and Families)​.
3. Impact of Policy Changes on Health Coverage:
   • Articles often examine how changes in federal and state policies affect health coverage for children and families. For example, discussions on the implications of the federal poverty level adjustments and how these changes impact eligibility for various health programs​ (Center For Children and Families)​.
4. Innovations in Maternal and Child Health:
   • The blog covers innovations and state-level initiatives to improve maternal and early childhood health. This includes state efforts to expand Medicaid coverage for doula services and the outcomes associated with these initiatives, such as reduced adverse birth outcomes and improved maternal mental health​ (Center For Children and Families)​.
5. Health Equity and Access:
   • CCF emphasizes the importance of health equity, particularly in how policies and programs are designed to ensure all children and families have access to affordable and high-quality health care. This includes addressing disparities in health outcomes among different racial and socioeconomic groups​ (Center For Children and Families)​.
6. State-Specific Health Policy Developments:
   • The blog provides updates on state-specific health policy developments, such as new legislation, budget allocations, and innovative programs aimed at improving health coverage and care for children and families. For instance, discussions on how states like Washington are increasing doula reimbursement rates to promote better maternal health​ (Center For Children and Families)​.

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To stay updated with the latest posts and insights from the Center for Children and Families, you can subscribe to their updates here​ (Center For Children and Families)​.

These topics highlight the comprehensive efforts and detailed research conducted by CCF to improve health policies and outcomes for children and families in the U.S. For more in-depth articles and the latest updates, visiting the CCF blog directly is recommended.