Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provides an at-a-glance summary of news from around the agency.
CMS Approves Alabama Mobile Crisis Services for Individuals with Medicaid
November 20: CMS approved a state plan amendment (SPA) to provide mobile crisis services for Alabama’s Medicaid program. Authorized under President Biden’s American Rescue Plan (ARP), mobile crisis intervention services provide rapid, critical services to people experiencing mental health or substance use crises by connecting them to a behavioral health specialist 24 hours per day, 365 days a year. This option helps states integrate these services into their Medicaid programs, a critical component in establishing a sustainable, public health-focused support network. With Alabama, 13 states plus the District of Columbia have a mobile crisis SPA approved by CMS.
CMS Releases First Biweekly National Snapshot for Federal Marketplace Open Enrollment
November 21: CMS released its first bi-weekly snapshot report on the 2024 Marketplace Open Enrollment data showing an increase in plan selections and enrollees in the first weeks of the open enrollment period, which runs from November 1, 2023, to January 15, 2024. The bi-weekly enrollment snapshots provide point-in-time estimates of current plan selections for new and returning consumers to HealthCare.gov and state-based Marketplaces. The updates include data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. As noted in this press release, data also showed strong Marketplace enrollment increases during 2023 prior to the start of the 2024 Open Enrollment Period, with approximately 1.5 million more people enrolled in Marketplace coverage nationwide from March to September 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. The Biden-Harris Administration encourages all families to visit HealthCare.gov and check out the health care coverage options and savings available to them. Because of continuing provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act, CMS expects nine out of 10 customers to be eligible for savings. People with current coverage through HealthCare.gov are also encouraged to return and shop to see if another plan better meets their needs at a lower cost. These efforts are part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s continued commitment to making health insurance available and affordable to everyone.
Medicare Annual Open Enrollment Period Ends December 7
The annual Medicare Open Enrollment period ends December 7, 2023, with coverage selections effective January 1, 2024. Until then, people with Medicare can compare coverage options, like Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage, choose health and drug plans for 2024, and learn about extra help available to those with limited income and resources to pay for Medicare drug coverage. Tools and resources are available at Medicare.gov.
Other Recent Releases:
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CMS, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, serves the public as a trusted partner and steward, dedicated to advancing health equity, expanding coverage, and improving health outcomes. The agency protects public health by administering the Medicare program and working in partnership with state governments to administer Medicaid, CHIP, and the Health Insurance Marketplace.
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