The Medicaid Toolkit

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The Medicaid Toolkit is a collection of information about the Medicaid program for legislators and legislative staff. States legislatures play a key role in Medicaid financing, regulation, oversight and innovation. This toolkit provides information on all aspects of the program from the fundamentals to in-depth policy information on current topics.

Medicaid 101

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Introduction to Medicaid
An introduction to the Medicaid program and what makes it different from the Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicare.

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Medicaid Eligibility and Enrollment
An introduction to Medicaid eligibility criteria, different eligibility pathways, and the populations enrolled in Medicaid.

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Medicaid Expansion
A map of the states that have expanded Medicaid to cover childless adults without disabilities.
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Medicaid Managed Care 101
A brief on managed care, the predominant Medicaid delivery system.

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Medicaid Delivery Systems 101
A brief explainer of the systems states use to administer the Medicaid program.
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Medicaid Financing 101
A brief explainer of how the Medicaid program is financed, including mechanisms to finance the state and territorial share.
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Medicaid Flexibilities 101
A brief explainer of how states and territories can exercise flexibility in the structure and administration of the Medicaid program.
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Improving Medicaid Costs, Quality and Access

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10 State Strategies to Improve Medicaid
As Medicaid consumes a larger share of state budgets, policymakers seek ways to improve outcomes, reduce costs and make sure their state’s program is managed as efficiently and effectively as possible.

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Value-Based Care in the States
A multi-part series introducing value-based care concepts and provide state strategies and examples to adopt value-based care in the Medicaid program, in the commercial market, and in multi-payer arrangements and more.

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Medicaid Managed Care Brief Series
Provides state legislators and legislative staff with more information about Medicaid managed care, including what it is, how states exercise oversight and review quality, and how states can use unique flexibilities in managed care to address beneficiary needs, including social drivers of health.

Database

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Health Care Costs, Coverage and Delivery Database
Explore NCSL's interactive PowerBI database. We provide up-to-date information on enacted state legislation related to health costs, coverage and delivery.
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Medicaid Hot Topics

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Connecting Recently Released Prisoners to Health Care – How to Leverage Medicaid
Lacking access to health care is among the challenges faced by people released from correctional facilities. States have a wide variety of strategies to connect released prisoners to benefits and programs.

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Leveraging ARPA Funds to Improve Health Care in the Home and Community
This webinar will explore state strategies to support HCBS through ARPA spending plans.
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Behavioral Health Policy Series
Explore our four-part series looking at how state legislative actions attempt to increase access to mental and behavioral health-related services.

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Getting Value Over Volume in Health Care, Payment Systems
In health care systems across the country, many states are interested in payment and service delivery models that incentivize value rather than volume. But what do these systems look like?
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Understanding Medicaid’s Role in Graduate Medical Education
As physician shortages continue to grow across the country, states are exploring ways to increase the supply of doctors. While medical school enrollment has grown 33% since 2002, the number of residencies available for medical school graduates has not kept pace.
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Expanded Medical Training Could Help Hospitals in Rural, Underserved Areas
Research shows that creating more graduate medical education opportunities might address physician shortages in these areas.
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State Legislatures Address Medicaid Coverage and Payments in the 2024 Legislative Session
With more than 250 bills enacted in 2024, state legislatures prioritized coverage and payment for services to address maternal health, behavioral health, and individuals with disabilities, with emerging focus on social drivers and reentry.

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Toolkit The Medicaid Toolkit

Medicaid 101

Improving Medicaid Costs, Quality and Access

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Medicaid Hot Topics

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