The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, a nonprofit grantmaking and research organization, today announced the launch of a new grant program, Supporting Health Coverage Enrollment Efforts, that will support organizations statewide that help eligible people secure and maintain MassHealth (Medicaid) or other insurance coverage.  The Foundation awarded a total of $600,000 to 10 community-based organizations located across the state.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, a nonprofit grantmaking and research organization, today announced the launch of a new grant program, Supporting Health Coverage Enrollment Efforts, that will support organizations statewide that help eligible people secure and maintain MassHealth (Medicaid) or other insurance coverage.  The Foundation awarded a total of $600,000 to 10 community-based organizations located across the state.

The two-year grant program arrives at a time when the health coverage enrollment environment has been strained by the unwinding of the pandemic-era continuous coverage requirement and subsequent MassHealth redetermination process.  The funding will primarily help expand Certified Application Counselor, or CAC, capacity in the Commonwealth.  CACs are trained individuals who help consumers as they look for health coverage options, including completing their eligibility and enrollment forms.

“We created this program to provide substantial and timely resources to the enrollment assistance system, enabling organizations with strong ties to their communities to strengthen their capacity to serve as a source of reliable support for health insurance enrollment,” said Audrey Shelto, President and CEO of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation.

The grant program prioritizes community-based organizations that primarily serve people who have been socially, economically, culturally or racially marginalized and areas of the state that are in need of stronger enrollment support.  The following organizations each received $60,000 in an initial year of funding:

• Agencia ALPHA, an immigrant-led, grassroots organization in Boston, which plans to add CACs to its team and expand its member outreach around MassHealth redeterminations and enrollment in health coverage.
• Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association of Greater Lowell, a nonprofit serving the Cambodian and other minority communities in the Lowell region, which will expand its existing CAC capacity and provide enrollment assistance services in additional languages.
• Community Action Committee of Cape Cod & Islands, a nonprofit that provides a variety of services to low-income residents, which plans to increase its presence in Falmouth, Hyannis, Sandwich and Nantucket.
• Developmental Evaluation and Adjustment Facilities (DEAF Inc.), a Watertown-based nonprofit that supports the underserved deaf community, which will become the first organization in the state to provide CAC services fully in American Sign Language (ASL).
• Ecu-Health Care, a nonprofit based in North Adams, which will provide extensive outreach, education and application enrollment assistance to uninsured and underinsured individuals across Northern Berkshire County.
• Enhance Asian Community on Health (EACH), a community-based organization, which will reach the Asian community in key geographic areas, including Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood and Malden, Newton, Quincy and Somerville.
• Hilltown Community Health Centers, located in Western Massachusetts, which will reach some of the most rural areas of the Commonwealth and will focus on unhoused individuals, immigrant populations, senior citizens and families needing assistance.
• Insurance Resource Center for Autism and Behavioral Health, a program of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center at UMass Chan Medical School in Worcester, which will expand CAC capacity in Vietnamese to meet the linguistic needs of their community.
• Massachusetts Senior Action Council, a statewide grassroots organization based in Quincy, which will fully integrate its recently added CAC services in order to support people over 65 with health coverage applications over the long term.
• True Alliance Center, an immigrant-led grassroots organization, which will further embed enrollment services in the rapidly growing Haitian community in Greater Boston.

About the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation

The mission of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation is to ensure equitable access to health care for all those in the Commonwealth who are economically, racially, culturally or socially marginalized.  The Foundation was established in 2001 with an initial endowment from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.  It operates separately from the company and is governed by its own Board of Directors.  For more information, visit www.bluecrossmafoundation.org.

This webinar featured a review key facts and data about MassHealth eligibility, costs, and recent reforms from our October 2023 edition of the MassHealth: The Basics – Facts and Trends chart pack. The goal of the webinar was to provide participants with basic background information about MassHealth, including what benefits MassHealth covers, who it serves, program spending, and a status update on the state’s latest delivery reform efforts.

Click here to view a recording of the webinar. 

MassHealth introduced Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in 2018 as an option for most of its members under age 65. As of June 2023, over 1.3 million members – more than half of MassHealth’s total membership – are enrolled in one of 17 MassHealth ACOs.

This report was developed as a resource for stakeholders to help explain the key elements of MassHealth ACOs, including the two types, who they serve, and the services they provide. It includes information on the following:

• The history, structure, key features, and payment model of the ACO program.
• Information on who is eligible for MassHealth ACOs, the enrollment process, and ACO enrollment as of June 2023.
• Details on enhanced services that are provided to certain ACO members.
• A review of what is known about how ACOs have performed to date.

This UPDATED (October 2023) edition of the MassHealth: The Basics chart pack provides new data on MassHealth enrollment and spending from the most recent state fiscal years available. The chart pack features a high-level overview of the delivery systems that serve MassHealth members. It also highlights MassHealth’s latest reform efforts, which include initiatives to advance health equity and to improve timely access to behavioral health care.

The chart pack provides comprehensive yet accessible data and explanations of program updates to help policymakers, administrators, advocates, and academics better understand the complex MassHealth program. It is made available in PDF and PowerPoint formats to facilitate its use in presentations.

Problem Management Plus (PM+) is a community-based, low-intensity mental health intervention that can be delivered by trained non-clinical workers for adults experiencing mild to moderate mental health distress and practical problems of daily living. PM+ fills a gap in the behavioral health services system by providing early intervention and potential prevention of more acute behavioral health service needs. By helping to build the capacity of the workforce, PM+ holds promise for improving access to community-based mental health supports. Earlier this year, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation (Foundation) launched its Advancing Community-Driven Mental Health (ACDMH) grant program which leverages the evidence-based PM+ intervention to enhance access to mental health supports among five community-based organizations in Massachusetts.

To help broaden the understanding of community-based mental health supports the Foundation hosted a webinar on Tuesday, November 7^th from 1-2:30 PM on the topic of PM+. The webinar focused on how this evidence-based intervention – which was originally developed by the World Health Organization to address mental health treatment gaps in low- and middle-income countries – is now being implemented in the United States. The webinar provided an overview of the key components of PM+ and describe lessons learned based on the experience with implementing the intervention in the United States. It featured several guest speakers, including the leaders from three U.S. sites that have recently implemented PM+, and included a brief overview of the Foundation’s ACDMH initiative.

Featured Speakers:

• Adam Brown, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology (Clinical) and Vice Provost for Research, The New School
• Piper Derenoncourt, LICSW, Assistant Director, Mental Health Equity Programs, The Family Van
• Jerome Galea, PhD, MSW, LCSW, Associate Professor of Social Work, University of South Florida
• Giuseppe Raviola, MD, MPH, Director, Mental Health, Partners In Health
• Rainelle Walker-White, Associate Director, Health Equity Programs, The Family Van

Click here to view a recording of the webinar.

The economic burden of health inequities experienced by communities of color in Massachusetts totals nearly $6 billion annually and has broad implications for individuals, families, businesses and public and private stakeholders across the state, according to a study released today by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation.

The economic burden of health inequities experienced by communities of color in Massachusetts totals nearly $6 billion annually and has broad implications for individuals, families, businesses and public and private stakeholders across the state, according to a study released today by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation.

The study, commissioned by the Foundation in collaboration with the Health Equity Compact, and leveraging a national research model, is the first of its kind to quantify in economic terms the cost of health inequities for individuals and families, health care providers, employers, public and private sector payers, and the overall Massachusetts economy.

Researchers estimated the annual economic burden associated with health inequities experienced by Black, Hispanic/Latino and Asian populations in Massachusetts totals $5.9 billion – a figure associated with a combination of avoidable medical spending and lost labor productivity due to poor health, and the cost of premature death.  The study warned the burden is growing and will nearly double to $11.2 billion annually by 2050.

“The staggering economic toll of health disparities documented in this report, on top of the tragic human toll,  makes clear that now is the time to shift from awareness of the problem to action on solutions,” said Audrey Shelto, President and CEO of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation.  “Our Commonwealth led the way in expanding health insurance coverage and improving access, and we have a shared responsibility to act similarly to achieve health equity and eliminate health disparities.”

The study findings are being shared at today’s Health Equity Trends Summit in Boston, a convening of leaders for a public discussion on actions to accelerate and achieve breakthrough health equity reform across the Commonwealth.  The event is hosted by the Health Equity Compact, a coalition of more than 70 leaders of color in health care, labor, business, academia and philanthropy advocating to advance health equity in Massachusetts.

“Addressing health inequities and resulting disparities has been a massive challenge, partially because we have lacked the data to comprehend the scale and magnitude of the problem, especially in terms of the human and financial toll.  Without a true understanding of the scope of what we’re up against, it has been difficult to secure the necessary commitments and generate the urgency required to address these gaps,” said Michael Curry, Co-Founder of the Health Equity Compact and President & CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers.  “The Health Equity Compact is using the report’s findings to underscore this notion that Massachusetts will ‘pay now or pay greater later’ and to out the unacceptable cost being paid by communities of color, and inevitably by businesses.  Now, our charge is to take this data and act.  If not now, then when?”

Because communities of color have been disproportionately affected by health inequities historically, the report focused on the economic burden experienced by Black, Hispanic/Latino and Asian populations in Massachusetts.  The study analyzed costs associated with health inequities across all major racial and ethnic groups in Massachusetts, noting that the White population is also not at optimal health and the gap between that goal and their current level of health contributes to a total economic burden estimated at $23.5 billion annually.

The study’s lead researchers, Darrell Gaskin, Ph.D., and Thomas LaVeist, Ph.D., customized their research models for Massachusetts.  Their models were pioneered more than 15 years ago, and were recently updated through a grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

It has long been documented that communities of color face poorer health access, quality and outcomes. This report quantifies the economic burden in Massachusetts that reaches beyond the health and health care system to individuals and families, public and private sector stakeholders, and the overall Massachusetts economy in order to help make the case for this urgent call for action.

The study, titled The Time is Now: The $5.9 billion Case for Massachusetts Health Equity Reform, is available online at the following link:

https://www.bluecrossmafoundation.org/publication/time-now-59-billion-case-massachusetts-health-equity-reform

About the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation

The mission of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation is to ensure equitable access to health care for all those in the Commonwealth who are economically, racially, culturally or socially marginalized.  The Foundation was established in 2001 with an initial endowment from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.  It operates separately from the company and is governed by its own Board of Directors.  For more information, visit www.bluecrossmafoundation.org.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation today announced the Massachusetts Institute for Community Health Leadership (MICHL) 2023-2024 class, a group of 18 health professionals who will gather and collectively work to advance their individual leadership capabilities, enhance their organizations’ influence in public and private health settings, and contribute to building a more equitable health care system.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation today announced the Massachusetts Institute for Community Health Leadership (MICHL) 2023-2024 class, a group of 18 health professionals who will gather and collectively work to advance their individual leadership capabilities, enhance their organizations’ influence in public and private health settings, and contribute to building a more equitable health care system.

MICHL has helped develop more than 190 emerging leaders since it started in 2005.  The current cohort of participants will be guided by a new program director, Sharon Bueno Washington, an organizational development consultant with more than 30 years of experience in the public and private sectors, with clients from more than 35 countries.

“MICHL is an immersive, highly collaborative learning experience where an already talented group of individuals gather to advance their skills and expertise in becoming the health care leaders of tomorrow,” said Audrey Shelto, President and CEO of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation.  “The program will continue to place an emphasis on structural racism and how effective leadership can make a difference in reducing disparities and inequities in our health care system.”

The 18-day educational and experiential program is presented over the course of nine months, beginning this month and closing with a graduation celebration next May.  The Foundation underwrites the majority of costs associated with the program, which provides ongoing learning and networking opportunities after the initial nine-month program experience.

MICHL brings together emerging leaders who currently direct or manage programs at a variety of health care organizations across Massachusetts for a series of classroom, peer-to-peer and professional learning opportunities.  The 2023-24 MICHL participants are:

• Lola Akintobi, Community Engagement Consultant, Community Catalyst
• Leena Aurora, Manager of Health Equity, Population Health, Boston Medical Center
• Gretta Buckley, Manager of Value Based Contract Operations, Community Care Cooperative (C3)
• Divya Chaturvedi, Executive Director, Found in Translation
• Ana Cristina Luna, Chief of Behavioral Health, NEW Health Center
• Karen Duby, Vice President of Behavioral Health, Open Sky Community Services
• Heather Fineberg, Program Manager, Caring & Social Justice, Combined Jewish Philanthropies
• Claudia Fontes, Behavioral Health Integrated Program Manager, Brockton Neighborhood Health Center
• Timothy Hesselton, Project Director, Boston Public Health Commission
• Emily Hildebrant, Quality Improvement Manager, Duffy Health Center
• Jessica Isom, Psychiatrist, Codman Square Health Center
• Yemisrach Kibret, Community Advocate/Educator, Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee
• Debbie Lay, Project Manager, Boston Children’s Hospital
• Maile Panerio-Langer, Senior Manager, Parent, Child and Family Policy, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
• Sarah Primeau, Director of Programs, Health Leads
• Christian Tejeda, Research Project Coordinator, Brigham & Women’s Hospital
• Samantha Veseskis Kramer, Director of Performance Analytics and Data Integrity, Vinfen
• Phyllis Williams-Thompson, Director of Local Public Health Workforce Development, Mass. Department of Public Health

MICHL was developed in 2005 by Michael McCormack, who recently retired and transitioned the program leadership to Bueno Washington.  She had previously served as co-director with McCormack since 2018.  Daniel Michaud Weinstock will now serve as co-director of the program.

Bueno Washington has been an adjunct professor and a member of the coaching team supporting doctoral students at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health and with Harvard’s Graduate School of Education.  She is a certified executive coach and a trained mediator, with extensive group and process facilitation experience.

“We are excited to have Sharon leading the program into the future with tremendous energy, a broad worldview, and deep expertise in executive coaching and leadership development,” Shelto said.

For more information about MICHL, please visit:

https://www.bluecrossmafoundation.org/programs/massachusetts-institute-community-health-leadership

About the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation

The mission of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation is to ensure equitable access to health care for all those in the Commonwealth who are economically, racially, culturally or socially marginalized.  The Foundation was established in 2001 with an initial endowment from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.  It operates separately from the company and is governed by its own Board of Directors.  For more information, visit www.bluecrossmafoundation.org.

Massachusetts administers much of MassHealth through an 1115 Demonstration waiver, approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which it has extended several times since it was originally approved in 1995. On September 28, 2022, CMS approved Massachusetts’ request for a five-year extension of its Demonstration, which is in effect from October 1, 2022 through December 31, 2027. While the latest approved Demonstration largely aims to continue and improve upon the programs and initiatives that were part of the previous Demonstration, an area of specific focus within this extension is advancing health equity within the MassHealth program. As part of this, MassHealth seeks to promote health equity by both building on current program elements and introducing new strategies such as investing in certain populations that experience persistent health disparities and creating incentives for ACOs and hospitals to measure and reduce health disparities.

This report and accompanying infographic describe the approved MassHealth Demonstration extension, what it means for MassHealth coverage moving forward, and implications for members, providers, and Massachusetts.

Racial and ethnic disparities in health care access, quality, and outcomes have been well documented in Massachusetts and across the country. Solutions for reducing inequities in health require investments of time and resources for which there will always be competing priorities. In understanding the value of these investments, it is critical to recognize that in addition to the human toll, they represent a significant economic burden to individuals and families, health care providers, employers, public and private sector payers, and the overall Massachusetts economy. This study, commissioned by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation in collaboration with the Health Equity Compact, aims to quantify that economic burden.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of two new directors who bring extensive knowledge and experience in clinical care delivery, behavioral health integration and health policy to the Board of Directors.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of two new directors who bring extensive knowledge and experience in clinical care delivery, behavioral health integration and health policy to the Board of Directors.

The new board members are Denise De Las Nueces, M.D., the Chief Medical Officer at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, and Carlos F. Cappas, PsyD, Chief Behavioral Health Officer at Lynn Community Health Center.

“Doctors De Las Nueces and Cappas bring an abundance of community health care experience as well as clinical expertise to our Board,” said Andrew Dreyfus, Chair of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation.  “The perspective they have gained serving marginalized communities will enrich the Board and further support the Foundation’s mission of driving health policy solutions through groundbreaking research and impactful grantmaking.”

De Las Nueces is a board-certified internal medicine physician and addiction medicine specialist who joined the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program more than a decade ago.  She also serves as an assistant professor of medicine at the Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine at Boston University.

De Las Nueces earned a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Columbia University and her Doctor of Medicine from Harvard Medical School.  Following her residency training at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, she received a Commonwealth Fund Mongan Fellowship in Minority Health Policy and earned a Master of Public Health degree in health policy from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Cappas has implemented behavioral health integration programs at community health centers and led initiatives focused on integrated care and population health in adult and pediatric primary care settings.  Since joining Lynn Community Health Center in 2019, he has advanced behavioral health services through clinical and operational integration, telehealth expansion and workforce development.

Cappas received his doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Ponce Health Sciences University in Puerto Rico and is a graduate of the UMass Medical School’s Fellowship in Clinical Health Psychology in Primary Care.  He also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from UMass Boston.  Cappas is a board trustee for Casa Esperanza and advisory board member for the Center for Integrated Primary Care at UMass Chan Medical School.

“I look forward to working with our new directors, along with the rest of the Board, as we continue our mission of making health care more accessible to everyone in Massachusetts,” said Audrey Shelto, the Foundation’s President and CEO.  “Our organization is proud to be led by a diverse group of experts from the fields of health care, human services, business, government and higher education.”

About the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation

The mission of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation is to ensure equitable access to health care for all those in the Commonwealth who are economically, racially, culturally or socially marginalized.  The Foundation was established in 2001 with an initial endowment from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.  It operates separately from the company and is governed by its own Board of Directors.  For more information, visit www.bluecrossmafoundation.org.