Medicaid Links

Federal Government:

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
cms.hhs.gov/home/medicaid.asp?

Description: CMS is a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. CMS runs the Medicare and Medicaid programs. In conjunction with the Health Resources and Services Administration, CMS runs the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

Information Available: General Medicaid overview; state and federal health program contacts; state Medicaid manual; state Medicaid plans; state waivers and demonstration programs; letters to state officials; statistics and data; CMS publications; Medicaid policy and program information; Medicaid drug information; Medicaid eligibility policy.

Missouri Government:

Missouri Department of Social Services, Division of Medical Services (DMS)
www.dss.mo.gov/dms/index.htm

Description: DMS is the state agency responsible for the administration of the Missouri Medicaid Program. DMS purchases and monitors health care services for low income and vulnerable citizens of the State of Missouri.

Information Available: Description of MC+ for Kids; a printable guide explaining the various MC+ terms and codes; Missouri Medicaid Pharmacy Program; description of the various programs administered by DMS; an overview of the functional units within DMS; a history of the Missouri Medicaid Program; Missouri Medicaid Provider Bulletins and Manuals.

National Organizations:

The Finance Project-Welfare Information Network- (WIN)-Health Care and Medicaid
www.financeproject.org/index.cfm?page=24

Description: Under the umbrella of The Finance Project, WIN serves as a clearinghouse for information, policy analysis and technical assistance related to welfare, workforce development, and other human and community services.

Information Available: Announcements; publications; organizational links; federal and multi-state programs; state and local programs; service & technical assistance providers; general publications.

National Association of State Medicaid Directors (NASMD)
www.nasmd.org/home/home_news.asp

Description: NASMD is a bipartisan, professional, nonprofit organization of representatives of state Medicaid agencies. NASMD serves primarily as a focal point of communication between the states and the federal government. In addition, it provides an information network among the states on issues pertinent to the Medicaid program.

Information Available: News and updates; legislative memos; research notes; CHIP; publications; conferences

National Conference of State Legislatures
www.ncsl.org/programs/health/h-medicaid.htm

Description: Founded in 1975 as a bipartisan organization, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) serves the nation's lawmakers and staff. NCSL provides an open, national forum for lawmakers to communicate with one another and share ideas.

Information Available: Medicaid information including: recent legislative activity, case studies, meetings/web casts, reports, and links to other publications on Medicaid.

National Governor's Association
www.nga.org/cda/files/MAKINGMEDICAIDBETTER.pdf

Description: A paper titled: "Making Medicaid Better: Options to allow States to continue to participate and to bring the program up to date in today's health care marketplace."

Information Available: This paper outlines ways Medicaid can be improved to allow states the ability to re-structure eligibility, simplify program administration, and to cover more low-income uninsured individuals and families.

National Health Law Program (NHeLP)
www.healthlaw.org/library.cfm?fa=summarize&appView=Topic&folderid=23177&id=1347

Description: NHeLP is a national public interest law firm that seeks to improve health care for America's working and unemployed poor, minorities, the elderly, and people with disabilities. NHeLP serves community-based organizations, legal services programs, providers, and individuals who work to preserve the health care safety net for uninsured and underinsured people.

Information Available: Medicaid overview and alerts; Medicaid issues concerning access/enforcement, due process, litigation, policy, mental/behavioral health, provider participation, and SSI; Block Grant history; General Accounting Office reports.

Policy:

Families USA - Voice for Health Care Consumers
www.familiesusa.org/issues/medicaid/

Description: Families USA is a national nonprofit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the achievement of high-quality, affordable health and long-term care for all Americans.

Information Available: Health policy reports describing the problems facing health care consumers and outlining steps to solve them; a consumer clearinghouse for information about the health care system.

Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured
www.kff.org/medicaid/index.cfm

Description: The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured stands as the Kaiser Foundation's largest operating program and serves as the organizing vehicle for the Foundation's work on health care for low-income people. The Commission functions as a policy institute for analyzing health care coverage and access for the low-income population, and assessing options for reform.

Information Available: Publications on policy issues related to Medicaid.

Missouri Hospital Association
web.mhanet.com/asp/Governmental_Relations/Medicaid.asp

Description: Created in 1922, the Missouri Hospital Association has grown from 50 to 140 hospitals and health systems. As a not-for-profit membership association, MHA represents every acute-care hospital in the state, as well as most of the federal and state hospitals, rehabilitation and psychiatric care facilities, specialty hospitals and health systems. In addition to representation and advocacy on behalf of its members, the association offers continuing education programs on current health care topics and seeks to educate the public and the media, as well as legislative representatives, about health care issues.

Information Available: Basic Missouri Medicaid information, a series of publications titled "Myths and Facts about Medicaid," Missouri Medicaid enrollment by county, reports on Missouri's CHIP program, information on the MC+ Managed Care Program and Missouri's Children's Hospitals, as well as links to other Medicaid resources.

The Century Foundation-Medicaid Reform: The Basics
www.tcf.org/Publications/HealthCare/medicaidbasics.htm

Description: The Century Foundation seeks to show the public that significant improvements in American society are possible to achieve.

Information Available: A collection of available information on Medicaid in a series of pamphlets called "The Basics."

The Urban Institute
www.urban.org/

Description: The Urban Institute has nine policy research centers. Institute researchers identify and measure the extent of social problems; assess developing trends and solutions to those problems; evaluate existing social and economic programs and policy options; and offer conceptual clarification and technical assistance in the development of new strategies.

Information Available: Reports and analyses of Medicaid related issues.