Chief Medical Director Dr. Ryan Van Ramshorst and Senior Associate Medical Director Dr. Lisa Glenn for the HHSC Medicaid and CHIP Services Division have been selected to represent Texas as part of the National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD) Medicaid Forward initiative.
NAMD is leading a series of executive working groups with Medicaid leaders from across the United States to address key areas of the health care system that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The long-term services and supports group, in which Glenn is participating, is the latest to convene.
The association previously held a behavioral health executive working group as well as a children’s health executive working group, which Van Ramshorst participated in earlier this year. The children’s health group recently released its report on improving the post-pandemic trajectory for the nation’s children (PDF).
“As one of the largest Medicaid programs in the nation, Texas has much to share with and learn from other Medicaid agencies and stakeholder groups,” Van Ramshorst said. “Through participation in working groups such as the NAMD Medicaid Forward initiative, we are able to help articulate a vision for improving Medicaid for Americans as a whole but also take back home innovative strategies to address complex issues.”
Van Ramshorst and Glenn said they appreciate the opportunity to share their clinical perspectives.
“We are able to reflect on our years of direct patient care and apply that knowledge to programmatic and policy challenges,” Van Ramshorst said. “We have been able to bring that perspective to these NAMD executive working groups as well. We are extremely fortunate to represent HHSC on these national working groups and to demonstrate the importance of clinician leadership in crafting health policy.”
The long-term services and supports (LTSS) working group will also develop a report on how Medicaid can address long-term care issues that the pandemic has revealed. The project will support Medicaid programs in strengthening and reimagining the nation’s long-term care system as we emerge from the pandemic and focus on opportunities across the full continuum of care — from home and community-based services to institutional settings.
“The goal is to use the disruption caused by the pandemic to craft a better way forward instead of returning to the status quo,” Glenn said. “The paper produced will explore the issues around LTSS, priorities to focus on to address barriers and practical solutions that are implementable by state Medicaid agencies.”
Glenn, who has been involved with long-term care throughout her career, said she is looking forward to applying that knowledge while serving on the working group.
“Texas is a leader in shifting expenditures from institutional care to home and community-based care where most people desire to reside, and I hope to use those lessons in this group.”