Health Update: Redeterminations webinar in Spanish; DPH survey; Doula policy
08/29/23
Hello all, and happy Tuesday.
We're writing with a brief update on a few things:
Spanish Language Webinar on MassHealth Redeterminations:
The MA Health Care Training Forum is hosting a public webinar in Spanish tomorrow, August 30, about the MassHealth renewal process and other coverage options available through the Health Connector. Click here to register.
HCFA's MassHealth 1115 Amendment Sign-on Letter:
Earlier this month, MassHealth released an 1115 waiver amendment for public comment. MassHealth is accepting written comments until September 9th. With help from partner organizations, HCFA drafted this sign-on letter. The letter expresses overall support for the waiver amendment, with commentary on each of the amendment’s components. Please complete this Google form by Friday, September 1st to sign on to the letter. You can reach out to Hannah Frigand at hfrigand@hcfama.org with any questions or concerns.
MassHealth Coverage of Doula Services:
MassHealth held its hearing on their proposed regulations regarding doula coverage last Friday, August 25. Read coverage by the Boston Globe here. The Doula Bill, An Act relative to Medicaid coverage for doula services (H.1240/S.782) is scheduled for a legislative hearing on September 20, 2023 (rescheduled from September 26). The bill would provide the infrastructure necessary for MassHealth's doula coverage program to succeed by investing in the growth and diversification of the doula workforce, creating a doula advisory committee to work with MassHealth on sustainability of the program, and give patients the right to have their doulas present in the labor and delivery room. Please email Kate at ksymmonds@mlri.org if you or your organization is interested in testifying (in person, or in writing) in support of this bill, or sign up here.
DPH Health Equity Survey:
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is seeking responses to its Community Health Equity Survey.
The survey will be open through early Fall 2023. Anyone aged 14 and older can take the survey. It takes approximately 15-30 minutes to complete and is available in 11 languages: Arabic, Cape Verdean Creole, Chinese (simplified or traditional), English, Haitian Creole, Khmer, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese. The survey will also be available in ASL later this summer.
The Community Health Equity Survey will help communities improve conditions that impact health, particularly those most impacted by health inequities. The survey was developed in collaboration with community members and partners across Massachusetts, and it reflects what residents want to know about how their communities experience housing, mental health, safety, and other drivers of health. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health and its partners will use the data to allocate funding, improve programming, and develop policies that address health inequities. Results will be publicly available online soon after the survey closes in Fall 2023.
MLRI's Redeterminations Website:
Don't forget to check out MLRI's new website on MassHealth redeterminations, designed for both consumers and advocates: Masshealth Project.org. Check out our calendar of upcoming redetermination-related webinars and renewal events, as well as our flyers and guides for both consumers and advocates regarding how to keep MassHealth coverage or find alternative affordable coverage. Let us know if there's anything else you'd like to see on that website.