Posted by Michael Wonder on 02 Oct 2018
Better data will serve as the foundation in modernising the Medicaid program
2 October 2018 - Between 2013 and 2016, Federal spending on Medicaid grew by over $100 billion. The program is often the first or second largest line item in state budgets.
Just recently, CMS’ independent Office of the Actuary released their Medicaid financial report, confirming what we have already known for quite some time – that our healthcare spending, particularly in Medicaid – is forecast to continue growing, averaging 5.7% annually over the next 10 years to reach over $1 trillion by 2026.
Yet as program costs have continued to rise, we have failed to deliver a level of transparency and accountability for achieving positive outcomes commiserate with our significant investment. But this is finally beginning to change. Over the last several years, CMS has collaborated with states to improve how we collect and use data to modernise and measure the Medicaid and CHIP program. Through strong data and systems, CMS and states can drive toward better health outcomes and improve program integrity, performance, and financial management in Medicaid and CHIP.
