Health Policy Challenges Ahead

1. Health Policy Challenges Ahead Ryan Sullivan Michigan Consumers for Healthcare

2. MEDICAID • Medicaid Expansion implementation • Gathering data • Working with responsible departments to create a positive consumer experience and decrease consumer wait times • Monitoring the consumer and provider experiences • Participating in policy discussion at the national level regarding waivers to come • Better enrollment process (e.g. SNAP)

3. Essential Health Benefits • 2014-15 opportunity to review Essential Health Benefits and determine how the states’ benchmarks are working • Whether we include add’l benefits, such as adult dental • This is a long, complex process that depends on the Sec’y of HHS, our state’s insurance regulator (DIFS), and CONSUMERS and their ADVOCATES!

4. CHIP Reauthorization • CHIP (MIChild) will be a target for cuts, yet despite ACA reforms, it is still a crucial part of the insurance landscape for working families • CHIP helps address some of the unintended consequences of the ACA for working families to ensure their children remain covered at affordable prices

5. Dual Eligibility • Work is underway to improve quality of care for the Duals population (people who are eligible to receive both Medicaid and Medicare benefits) • Complex projects are underway to reform the way these programs work together and CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT will be crucial

6. Health Care Costs • New models of care and ways to lower costs • Consumer advocates have a unique role to play in teaching newly covered individuals (e.g. when and where to access care) • Improving transparency • RATE REVIEW (STAY WITH ME, PLEASE!)

7. Improving Care, Safety • Improving the quality of care, reducing medical errors and unnecessary procedures • Understanding the nexus between quality care, lowering costs, and

8. Consumer Behavior • Empowering consumers and helping them learn were to go for help • Educating consumers about their new coverage: where, when, how? • Health literacy

9. WHAT DO YOU SEE AHEAD?