State Title V and Medicaid programs provide services for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) to support their physical, behavioral, and developmental care. States are also advancing health equity goals to address disparate outcomes experienced by people of color. With evidence of existing inequities laid bare by…

The policy brief, designed for advocates and policymakers, summarizes the findings of the full report. 

Children with medically complex conditions (CMC) rely on a variety of services both in and outside of the health care system. Comprehensive care planning, assuring access, and coordinating these services for CMC is critical for their well-being. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) created a state plan option…

Transportation is essential for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) to regularly access health care and support chronic health conditions that require ongoing treatment. However, CYSHCN are significantly more likely to delay care due to transportation barriers than children and youth without a special health care need.

The federal Advancing Care for Exceptional (ACE) Kids Act became law in 2019 and aims to provide access to a high quality, well-coordinated system of care for children with medical complexity (CMC) and their families. This policy brief describes the background on the need for the ACE Kids legislation and…

This brief presents evidence on the cost effectiveness of comprehensive service delivery models to improve care for children with medical complexity (CMC) and describes the unique challenges in cost effectiveness evaluations for this population. It also points to Medicaid policy opportunities that provide financial support for a developmental period, whether…

Care coordination can help children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) and their families navigate the health care system while avoiding unnecessary costs and duplicative services. States have longstanding efforts to finance care coordination services for CYSHCN and their families through Medicaid, the state Title V Maternal and…

State Title V and Medicaid programs provide services for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) to support their physical, behavioral, and developmental care. States are also advancing health equity goals to address disparate outcomes experienced by people of color. With evidence of existing inequities laid bare by…

Forty-seven states use some form of managed care to serve children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) enrolled in Medicaid. State Title V programs, which are required to use 30 percent of their funds for programs for CYSHCN and their families, may also serve these same children. By…

States are increasingly interested in care coordination as a strategy for improving systems of care for children with medical complexity (CMC) and their families. The Section 2703 Medicaid Health Home State Option and the new Advancing Care for Exceptional (ACE) Kids Act Health Home State Option present opportunities to enhance…