This brief looks at inpatient and other institutional encounters among individuals enrolled in Medicaid prior to expansion in 2014, using enrollment and claims data from the Medicaid Analytic Extract Files. All Medicaid-covered individuals, institutionalized and living in community, are included. Read more

ATLANTA, June 1, 2018 – A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that while the uninsured rate among currently employed workers in 17 states declined significantly from 2013 to 2014, there was variation among different occupations. In 2014, more than 25 percent of workers in four occupational groups – several most frequently found in rural areas – reported having no health insurance: construction and extraction (29.1 percent); farming, fishing, and forestry (34.6 percent); food preparation and serving related (35.5 percent); and building and grounds cleaning and maintenance (37.0 percent). Read more

This brief examines the characteristics of Medicaid enrollees prior to Medicaid expansion in 2014, using enrollment and claims data from the Medicaid Analytic Extract Files. This sample allowed for a detailed examination of Medicaid populations in the pre-Medicaid expansion. Read more

Successful awardees will receive up to $200,000 for one-year to develop plans to implement opioid use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery interventions designed to reduce opioid overdoses among rural populations. The initiative will focus on the 220 counties identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as being at risk (PDF – 158 KB), as well as other high risk rural communities. The lead applicant must be part of a group including at least three other partners that have committed to forming a consortium or are part of an established consortium.

This initiative is part of a three-year Rural Communities Opioid Response initiative by HRSA aimed at supporting treatment for and prevention of substance use disorder. Read more

ASTHO’s newly launched Center for Population Health Strategies shares proven and cost-effective population health improvement approaches with state and territorial health officials and their leadership teams. There is growing recognition in the United States that health and wellness are significantly affected by factors outside of the traditional healthcare and public health delivery systems. To maximize opportunities to improve population health, leaders from both spheres can focus on aligning partners whose work touches on the factors that impact community and individual health: built environment, social connection, behavioral health patterns, and clinical interventions. Public health leaders have the expertise and tools necessary to drive this collective alignment. ASTHO will foster this leadership through the Center for Population Health Strategies. Read more

LiveHealthyPA is a “communications hub.” Learn how LiveHealthyPA improves health outcomes for Pennsylvanians by connecting communities, schools, organizations and health teams together. It raises awareness of healthy behaviors, shares data and resources, and offers a platform for idea generation and information exchange for groups to address health needs across the State. Read more

On June 14, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced their new State Opioid Response Grant program. Under this new grant, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) is eligible to receive $53.3 Million.

The purpose of this grant program is to support evidence-based projects that:

-Increase access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder;
-Target areas in which there are significant geographic or demographic gaps in treating opioid use disorder; and
-Support expanded prevention efforts and recovery support services.

The nonprofit Feeding America has issued its annual report on food insecurity, defined as the inability to reliably access a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. Researchers looked at county-level data for a “better understanding of variations in local need to help communities develop more targeted strategies to reach people struggling with hunger.” The findings report that 79 percent of counties with the highest rates of food insecurity are rural. Read more

In March of this year, the U.S. General Services Administration announced actions to address fraudulent activity in its System for Award Management (SAM), which manages federally-funded grants. At that time, GSA asked that all new organizations registering at SAM.gov submit an original notarized letter confirming identification of a grant recipient. This requirement now applies to both new and existing entities registered with SAM.gov. (Look for the small, red type toward the top of SAM’s home page.) Read more

St. Luke’s University Health Network now offers an online price-checker tool that allows patients not only to find out what procedures will cost ahead of time, but also to get discounts by paying upfront in cash. Read more