Covering Kids & Families of Indiana Newsletter |
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Help Spread the Word!
Residents can call 2-1-1 to find local warming
centers during upcoming winter weather
With extreme cold expected this weekend, warming centers will be open across the state for those in need of a safe and warm place to stay. Indiana 211 is the resource for updated locations and hours of warmings centers across the state, as many of the traditional locations people may seek shelter could be closed due to the holidays. Hoosiers may call 2-1-1 to reach a Community Navigator 24/7 for assistance.
Indiana 211 asks for help spreading the word to make sure Hoosiers know they can call 2-1-1 to find their nearest warming center. Click HERE for a social media graphics, a flyer and sample social media messaging. Please share the information on your social media channels to make sure the public is aware that help is available. You can also repost or retweet posts made from IN211’s official social channels.
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Federal Spending Package Impacts Health Programs
An omnibus spending package announced by Congress includes numerous changes to federal health policy, including impact to Medicare, Medicaid and Medicaid expansion programs like the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Proposed changes in the legislation as it left the Senate Appropriations Committee include:
- Medicaid and HIP redetermination processes, which were halted due to the federal public health emergency (PHE), could begin April 1, 2023, regardless of federal PHE status at that time.
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A phase-down of the Medicaid enhanced FMAP rate in 2023 starting at 5% April - June to 2.5% June - September and 1.5% September - December for states states that follow federal requirements for redeterminations.
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The option for states to grant 12 months of postpartum coverage through Medicaid would become permanent. More than two dozen states, including Indiana, implemented this coverage enhancement during the pandemic.
- CHIP funding would continue through fiscal year 2029, and children enrolled in CHIP or Medicaid would be granted 12 months of continuous coverage.
- Telehealth flexibilities that were created to increase access during the pandemic would be continued for at least 2 years.
Other funding initiatives in the bill include addressing the needs of rural hospitals, supporting the mental health of new and expectant mothers and allowing physicians to more easily prescribe medication for the treatment of substance use disorders. The Georgetown Center for Children and Families (CCF) provides additional insights in their "Say Ahhh!" health policy blog.
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Nurse-Family Partnership Expansion
The Indiana Department of Health has announced how $10 million in funding, appropriated through Senate Enrolled Act 2 of the 2022 Special Session, will be used to increase the number of families served by the Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) program's existing service areas and allow for expansion to new areas of the state.
The NFP program, designed to promote healthy pregnancies and early childhoods, connects specially educated nurses with expectant parents early in their pregnancies and up to the child’s second birthday. Theses nurses help address health and socioeconomic factors to improve infant and maternal health, also helping to connect families with other resources and organizations.
“Nurse-Family Partnership is an important partner in Indiana’s efforts to improve infant and maternal health, and we are grateful to our state legislators for investing in this work so that we can expand these vital services statewide,” said State Health Commissioner Kristina Box, MD, a long-time advocate for the program.
Grant recipients of the new funding include:
- Healthier Moms and Babies, in the Northeast region - $1.1 million
- Goodwill Industries of Michiana, in the Northwest region - $2.9 million
- IU Health Bloomington, to expand their current capacity - $210,064
- Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana, in the Southeast/Southwest/Western regions of the state - $5.1 million
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PHE Unwinding Resources
The Georgetown University Health Policy Institute Center for Children and Families (CCF) added additional content to their special unwinding resources page including:
- A presentation that includes unwinding tips and recommendations for states, including a recommendation for navigators to have an expedited channel for help with difficult cases
- Fact sheets for physicians
- The 50 state unwinding tracker now has links to specific unwinding documents
Both the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Urban Institute released information on unwinding messaging. Some key takeaways include:
- Only one-third of consumers had "heard something" regarding redetermination rules during the Public Health Emergency.
- Only half of consumers believe the Marketplace has plans they can afford or plans as good as Medicaid.
- Marketplace messages that focus on savings, reducing healthcare costs and comprehensive coverage are seen as motivational.
- A 2020 study by Kaiser Family Foundation found that 3 in 10 who lost Medicaid or had a child lose Medicaid in the last two years said it was because they could not complete the redetermination process.
- About a third projected to lose Medicaid coverage could be eligible for Marketplace coverage, but may need assistance to avoid gaps in coverage or to becoming uninsured.
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Clarification on HIP Lock Out Periods
In the last edition of News & Views on 12/8/2022, we shared that HIP members over 100% federal poverty level will no longer be "locked out" of the program for nonpayment of POWER Account contributions. HIP members have always had a 60 day grace period to make payments, but in the past, if enrollment was ended for nonpayment, the consumer had to wait 6 months to reapply for HIP. With the dissolution of the six month lock out period, if a consumer does not pay past due contributions during the 60 day grace period, the consumer can reapply immediately.
During the Public Health Emergency unwinding (return to normal operations) expected in 2023, HIP members who fail to complete redetermination will have 90 days to complete the redetermination and regain their coverage without having to reapply (if eligible).
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News from the Indiana School Health Network |
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ISHN Conference Exhibitor Opportunity
The Indiana School Health Network and its lead agency, Covering Kids & Families of Indiana, invite you to join us for the 15th Annual School Health Conference as an exhibitor. If you've exhibited with us in the past, we hope to see you again!
Since 2008, the Indiana School Health Network (ISHN) has been connecting the pieces in school health annually by assembling key stakeholders, thought leaders and subject matter experts. This conference provides people who are passionate about school health with an opportunity to expand their knowledge, increase their skills, and collaborate with others who truly want to make a positive impact on school health in Indiana.
The ISHN conference is attended by over 500 school professionals, including educators, school nurses, social workers, school administrators, public health nurses, managed care professionals, federally qualified health center and school based health center leadership, providers and school health experts from across the region.
Exhibitors provide attendees with valuable information and resources, and their organizations have the opportunity to raise awareness, connect to and collaborate with conference attendees.
Deadline to Register as an Exhibitor is May 1, 2023
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ISHN Conference Call for Proposals
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."
All sessions are 60 minutes long, including Q&A and evaluation. Proposals will be selected based on the speaker's knowledge and expertise on the subject. Proposals of interest include but are not limited to the following:
- Policies, practices, or programs that promote cross-sector collaboration
- Managing health & behavioral health conditions that affect educational achievement, especially proposals on chronic diseases, suicide and substance use disorder
- Role of school-based health centers in school health
- Emerging trends in early childhood education and health
- Promising practices advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Neuroscience-based tools to transform challenging childhood behaviors
- Care of children with special health care needs in school
- Best practices addressing ethics and boundaries
- Policies and legislation that advance school health outcomes for all students
- Effective Navigator outreach and enrollment practices for healthcare coverage
- Innovative Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Model implementation
Special consideration will be given to proposals focused on alignment and coordination of services and resources, social justice in education, social-emotional learning and social influencers of health and education.
Deadline for submission is January 13, 2023
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Value of Expanding School-Based Medicaid Services
An article by Mathematica discusses how school-based Medicaid services can help deliver services to children facing a variety of disparities and other barriers to accessing care. Despite the need, the article's authors note there is a shortage of school nurses and those working in schools are responsible for large amounts of students, often working at multiple schools. Seeking federal reimbursement for the Medicaid services provided in school and using the funds to pay for more school-based providers is put forth as one possible solution.
The CMS recently released a bulletin affirming the importance of school-based health services to children on Medicaid and CHIP, committed to providing additional guidance and resources, including the release of updated Technical Assistance and Administrative Claiming Guides, the creation of a technical assistance (TA) center, and $50 million in grants in conjunction with the Department of Education to support state Medicaid agencies and schools implementing or enhancing school-based services.
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Youth Housing Insecurity
The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE), the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority and the Coalition for Homeless Intervention and Prevention created a regional program to improve resources available to youth living with housing insecurity, eliminate barriers to accessing resources, and help bridge systems that promote safe and sustainable housing.
In the 2018-2019 school year, IDOE recognized over 16,380 public school students experiencing housing insecurity. Fourteen regional support systems navigators will work closely with McKinney Vento school liaisons and community partners to support youth and young adults.
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Indiana Census Data
The United States Census Bureau has compiled a page of essential Indiana facts and population trends found in comparing 2010 and 2020 data including age, housing availability, race and ethnicity and other demographics.
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Online & On-Demand Navigator Pre-Certification & Continuing Education Courses
Covering Kids & Families of Indiana invites you to view our online and on-demand Navigator Pre-Certification & Continuing Education Courses. Each course is approved by the Indiana Department of Insurance. The Pre-Certification Course is for those hoping to become a certified Indiana Navigator, and the Continuing Education Course is for current Indiana Navigators. There is no charge for these courses.
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Enrollment Trends
Total Membership increased again in September. With 2,129,817 members, there were 16,158, or 0.76%, more members in October 2022 than in September 2022. October was the ninth month in a row where Total Membership was over 2 million.
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© 2022 Covering Kids & Families of Indiana | All Rights Reserved |
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