The Indiana Public Health Association (IPHA) recognized AARP Indiana with the Public Health Impact award at its annual gathering and celebration November 30. Ambre Marr, State Legislative Director for AARP Indiana, accepted the award and is pictured here.

Health-related social needs (HRSN) are an individual’s unmet, adverse social conditions that contribute to poor health outcomes. These needs can drive lapses in coverage and access to care, higher downstream medical costs, worse health outcomes, and perpetuation of health inequities, particularly for children and adults at risk for poor health outcomes, and individuals in historically underserved communities. By addressing HRSN, state Medicaid agencies can help their enrollees stay connected to coverage and access needed health care services.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) supports states in addressing HRSN through coverage of clinically appropriate and evidence-based HRSN interventions, care delivery transformations including improvements in data sharing, and performance measurement to create accountability for HRSN screening and connecting to needed supports as part of successful care management.

In Indiana, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is known as Hoosier Healthwise package C. Children in package C normally pay a premium but have not done so since 2020. It is expected that premiums will be reinstated sometime in 2024. Also starting January 1, 2024, all states must begin offering 12 months continuous coverage for children including those in package C. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) stated that families who miss premium payments should not lose their children’s coverage however states may require a first month’s premium for enrollment. Stayed tuned for information on how Indiana will implement this new federal policy.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provided guidance earlier this year on Medicaid transportation policies. Indiana Family to Family shared two important highlights:

Open enrollment ends January 16, 2024 but December 15^th is the deadline to enroll for coverage starting January 1st. So far, nearly 4.6 million people have selected a plan during this open enrollment season including almost 68,000 Hoosiers. Fact Sheet – CMS Open Enrollment Snapshot 11/21/23

Out2Enroll released their 2024 Indiana Transgender Health Insurance Guide that shares Marketplace insurers’ gender affirming care coverage.

When bad weather strikes, Hoosiers can call 2-1-1 to find warming center locations and hours. 2-1-1 is asking community organizations to inform them of known warming centers and to share handouts and social media content to help inform the public.

Veterans meeting income and other guidelines may be eligible for the 2023 Operational Holiday Program. This program is designed to assist veterans and their families experiencing financial hardship. It offers $200 for holiday meals and $300 per dependent child.

Have you heard the term “trauma-informed care” and want to learn more? The Center for Health Care Strategies with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has a Trauma-Informed Care Implementation Resource Center with many resources including how to access your organizational capacity for this work.

It is important, but can be challenging, to include the lived experiences of communities in health care including Medicaid. The Center for Health Care Strategies offers a Community Member Engagement Resource Center with issue briefs, tools, podcasts, blogs, webinars, profiles of lived experiences and much more.