CEO Update 244
NABH and Partners Push Federal Lawmakers to Address Medicaid DSH Cuts
NABH and its partner associations representing America’s hospitals and health systems on Sept. 5 sent a letter to congressional leaders urging them to address impending Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) program reductions.
The letter reminds House and Senate leaders: “If Congress does not act, hospitals are facing $8 billion in cuts that would be detrimental to our facilities and communities they serve.”
Unless Congress delays program cuts, Medicaid DSH payment reductions will begin Oct. 1, 2025.
CMS Provides Details on H.R. 1’s Rural Health Transformation Program
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted information about the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHT), for which H.R. 1 (the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) has provided $50 billion to be allocated to states over the next five fiscal years starting in 2026 and ending in 2030.
According to CMS, $10 billion in funding will be available each year, with 50% of it going to approved states. CMS will allocate the remaining 50% based on a variety of factors, including rural population, the proportion of rural health facilities in the state, the situation of certain hospitals in the states, and other factors that CMS said it will specify in the Notice of Funding Opportunity, or NOFO.
The CMS announcement said applications are due in “early November” and didn’t specify a date. The agency also said application instructions to apply for RHT funding will be included in the NOFO and released on www.grants.gov by mid-September. CMS will determine awards by Dec. 31, 2025.
CMS to Host Webinar on Medicaid & CHIP Policy for a Behavioral Health Coordinated System of Crisis Care
CMS will host a 90-minute webinar next week to discuss Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) policy related to a behavioral health coordinated system of crisis care.
The webinar is intended for state Medicaid staff and others involved in crisis-service initiatives in the states. Please share the information with anyone who might be interested.
Click here for registration information about the webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 10 starting at 2 p.m. ET.
KFF to Examine How States Will Implement Medicaid Work Requirements in Sept. 11 Webinar
The Kaiser Family Foundation next week will host a webinar to explore how states will implement the new Medicaid work requirements that this summer’s budget reconciliation package mandated.
The webinar will feature four panelists, including two state Medicaid directors, in an hourlong discussion that will address issues such as how much it will cost states and the federal government to implement work requirements; whether states will be able to meet the Dec. 31, 2026 implementation deadline; how states will use or improve “data matching” to automate verifying work activities, hours, and exemptions; and what states are looking for in forthcoming federal guidance.
Click here to register for the webinar that starts at Noon ET on Thursday, Sept. 11.
Reminder: Manatt to Host Webinar on Scaling Telehealth to Manage Healthcare Workforce Challenges
Research firm Manatt will host a webinar titled “Scaling Telehealth and Other Emerging Technologies to Mitigate the Health Care Workforce Crisis” next week.
The hourlong, interactive webinar will discuss developing a framework for considering how digital health can alleviate healthcare workforce challenges; how to adopt AI to enhance telehealth workflows; and why broader policy and industry changes are needed to attract, optimize, and retain healthcare professionals.
The webinar will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 10 starting at 2:30 p.m. ET. Click here to register and here to read a related white paper on the topic from Manatt and the Medical University of South Carolina.
ICYMI: NABH Welcomes Sarah Steverman, Ph.D., M.S.W. as Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, Quality, and Compliance
NABH on Aug. 25 welcomed Sarah M. Steverman, Ph.D., M.S.W. as the association’s new vice president of regulatory affairs, quality, and compliance.
Sarah comes to NABH from HHS’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), where she supported behavioral health policy research and coordination as a social science research analyst. Before joining ASPE, Sarah served as a social behavioral scientist administrator at the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s Prevention Research Branch, where she focused on prevention research in healthcare settings and research on policies and environmental strategies to prevent substance misuse.
Prior to her work in government service, Sarah worked at Abt Associates, where she specialized in behavioral health policy, research, and dissemination of evidence-based interventions. She has also served as a public health analyst at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and led policy efforts at Mental Health America and the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Sarah began her career working in direct service with individuals with co-occurring substance use and mental health conditions. She earned both her master’s and doctoral degrees at Catholic University of America.
At NABH, Sarah is responsible for developing regulatory solutions and policy recommendations that support and promote quality behavioral healthcare services nationwide. She will monitor legislation and regulations that affect the behavioral healthcare industry and provide strategic direction about essential programs and initiatives in the federal regulatory environment and will focus on advancing the association’s public policy priorities. Sarah will also manage the association’s Quality Committee and Behavioral Health Services within General Healthcare Systems Committee.
Fact of the Week
A new study published in Health Affairs show that fewer than one in three adolescents with past-year opioid use disorder received substance use treatment in 2022-2023.
For questions or comments about this CEO Update, please contact Jessica Zigmond.