As the legislative branch agency charged with providing policy and data analysis and making recommendations to Congress on a wide array of issues affecting Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) has been examining barriers to link justice-involved individuals to Medicaid coverage and services upon release.
Supported by MACPAC, MODRN University of Kentucky researchers and AcademyHealth are exploring the needs and capacity for states to facilitate activation of benefits and continuity of care during the state prison release process. These activities could include integrating information technology platforms between Medicaid and corrections, linking corrections staff and inmates to Medicaid case managers or care coordinators, as well as other eligibility determination and enrollment mechanisms (presumptive eligibility, state plan amendment, 1115 waivers, and case workers located in corrections). Study findings will result in both academic research reports and a policy report that will be shared with study partners and policymakers.