Great conversation with Sean Schreiber, COO of Alliance Health. He and Clay talked about navigating changes, opportunity for innovation versus uncertainty with funding advice, and he gives great advice! Run time: 8 mins
Category: Amazing Free Content
Medicaid Conversations: Interview with Joanne Borduas
Great conversation with Joanne Borduas, CEO of Community Health & Wellness Center. She and Clay talked about Medicaid changes, non-Medicaid care, and she gives great advice! Run time: 17 mins
Medicaid Conversations: Interview with Nicole McKinney
Great conversation with Dr. Nicole McKinney, CEO of Collaborative Health Network. She and Clay talked about Integrated Whole Person Care and Medicaid changes. Run time: 15 mins
Medicaid Conversations: Interview with George Kraehe
Great conversation with George Kraehe, Director of New Mexico Medicaid Fraud & Elder Abuse Division. He and Clay talked about what success in the division looks like, advice for MFCUs, and agency coordination. Run time: 15 mins
Medicaid Conversations: Interview with Antonio Ciaccia
Great conversation with Antonio Ciaccia, CEO at 46brooklyn Research & President of 3 Axis Advisors. He and Clay talked about PBMs, MFN, and 340B. Run time: 25 mins
STATE NEWS – Goliad County approves charity care policy for EMS services
Alternative Headline: Goliad adopts EMS charity policy
[MM Curator Summary]: Goliad County approved a charity ambulance care policy and partnered with Emergicon to maximize Medicaid reimbursements while protecting emergency access for uninsured patients.
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The Goliad County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a new charity care policy for ambulance services on Aug. 11, along with an agreement amendment with Emergicon, LLC, aimed at helping the county recover funds for uninsured patient care through the Texas Ambulance Supplemental Payment Program.
The policy allows Goliad County EMS to waive ambulance transport fees for patients who are unable to pay due to circumstances beyond their control. Patients with private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid or the ability to pay are not eligible for charity care under the policy.
As part of the plan, Goliad County EMS will work with Emergicon to handle ambulance billing, Medicaid and charity care reimbursements, and reporting requirements for the state-administered program. Emergicon will analyze billing data, prepare state and federal cost reports, and act as a liaison with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to help the county maximize reimbursements.
Under the agreement, Emergicon will also help the county qualify for the Medicaid Average Commercial Rate Supplemental Payment Program, which could increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for ambulance services.
The county will pay Emergicon a contingency fee based on the amount of new Medicaid and uninsured care revenue generated, ranging from 6% for more than $2 million in annual claims to 15% for less than $500,000.
Goliad County EMS Director Holli Gregory told the court the initiative is designed to ensure that uninsured and underinsured residents continue to have access to emergency transport while helping offset the cost burden on county taxpayers.
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TECH – Lungpacer Announces CMS NTAP Approval for AeroPace® System in FY2026 IPPS Final Rule
Alternative Headline: CMS approves AeroPace funding
[MM Curator Summary]: CMS granted NTAP status for Lungpacer’s AeroPace® System, providing hospitals up to $23,650.90 in Medicare reimbursement per patient.
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Lungpacer Medical Inc., a medical technology company focused on neurostimulation therapies for critically ill patients, today announced that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has granted New Technology Add-on Payment (NTAP) status for the AeroPace® System under the Fiscal Year 2026 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Final Rule, effective October 1, 2025.
“This … not only reduces financial barriers for hospital adoption but also brings us closer to delivering our technology to the patients who need it most."
The AeroPace® System is an FDA-designated breakthrough device that uses periodic neurostimulation to exercise the diaphragm, helping mechanically ventilated patients to breathe independently faster. Clinical evidence shows that patients treated with the AeroPace System strengthened their diaphragm by 50%, reduced their risk of being on the ventilator for 30 days by 35%, and reduced ventilator time by 3 days when compared to standard of care.
Under the FY2026 IPPS Final Rule, NTAP approval allows for up to 65% reimbursement of the additional cost associated with the technology. Specifically, hospitals will be eligible to receive up to $23,650.90 in additional Medicare reimbursement per case using the AeroPace System. The NTAP is intended to offset the cost of innovative therapies that provide substantial clinical improvement over existing options.
“New Technology Add-On Payment (NTAP) approval from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for the AeroPace System recognizes its clinical value and the potential impact of this groundbreaking therapy to improve patient outcomes,” said Doug Evans, president and CEO of Lungpacer. “This milestone not only reduces financial barriers for hospital adoption but also brings us closer to delivering our technology to the patients who need it most.”
The NTAP designation supports early adoption of technologies that demonstrate newness, cost-effectiveness, and meaningful clinical advancement. The inclusion of AeroPace in the NTAP program highlights its potential to address a critical gap in care for patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation. For more information, view the CMS IPPS Final Rule here:
https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2025-14681.pdf.
About Lungpacer Medical, AeroPace and AeroNova
Lungpacer Medical is dedicated to developing minimally invasive technologies designed to reduce ventilator-induced injury and help patients wean off mechanical ventilation and breathe on their own. Lungpacer’s neurostimulation AeroPace System is used to stimulate the nerves that activate and exercise the diaphragm twice daily to strengthen the diaphragm and facilitate weaning from MV. The AeroPace System received premarket approval (PMA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2024 to improve weaning success – increase weaning, reduce ventilator days, and reduce reintubation – in patients ages 18 years or older on mechanical ventilation ≥ 96 hours and who have not weaned.
Lungpacer’s second product, currently in the investigational phase, the AeroNova®System, utilizes continual diaphragm neurostimulation in conjunction with mechanical ventilation at reduced positive pressures and is designed to mitigate multi-organ ventilator-induced injury in patients on mechanical ventilation. AeroPace and AeroNova have the potential to help the nearly 2.5 million US patients who require mechanical ventilation every year, accounting for up to $96 billion annually in direct care costs.
Learn more at Lungpacer.com and connect on LinkedIn.
Contact: me***@*******er.com
The AeroPace System is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration to improve weaning success – increase weaning, reduce ventilator days, and reduce reintubation – in patients ages 18 years or older on MV at least 96 hours and who have not weaned. The AeroPace System is not approved in any other country.
CAUTION: The AeroNova System is limited by Federal law (United States) to investigational use. Used exclusively for clinical investigations.
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TECH – Nava launches nationwide effort to build open-source solution for implementing H.R. 1
Alternative Headline: Nava builds Medicaid tech solution
[MM Curator Summary]: Nava is launching an open-source Medicaid work requirement system to give states flexible, cost-effective technology.
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Our software solution will provide states with modern, flexible technology to implement Medicaid work requirements while achieving human-centered outcomes and avoiding vendor lock-in.
, /PRNewswire/ — Nava Public Benefit Corporation is announcing an ambitious new effort to build an open-source software solution that supports states in meeting the requirements outlined in H.R. 1, the recent federal legislation that could affect millions of Americans’ benefit eligibility. Backed by a decade of experience helping agencies deliver on tight, high-stakes deadlines, Nava will offer:
- A modular, open-source, and production-hardened architecture and set of templates that jumpstart development
- A suite of software and infrastructure tools to build, operate, and maintain digital service applications quickly and safely
- Regular demo days to work in the open, report on progress, and share lessons learned from states
- Philanthropic opportunities to augment or help offset implementation costs
Nava is a public benefit corporation working to make government services simple and effective. We’re committed to helping our government partners achieve human-centered outcomes, which is why we are developing this modular, open-source solution that enables states to replace components and modules seamlessly over time, without sacrificing delivery speed. States will be able to re-use the resulting code and technology stack, which is designed to reduce the cost, time, and risk of implementation.
"States shouldn’t have to rely on slow, expensive updates to aging systems," said Rohan Bhobe, CEO and co-founder of Nava. "We view the passage of H.R. 1 as a challenge to embrace a new way of working that delivers radically more effectively and efficiently. An open, modular architecture gives states the ability to evolve with legislative changes, user needs, and technology advancements."
Our approach stands in stark contrast to traditional industry models that lock agencies into inflexible technology dependent on consulting companies fielding large teams of relatively junior staff or offshore labor. Instead, our open-source solution reduces unnecessary costs, increases states’ long-term roadmap control, and avoids the pitfalls of traditional procurements.
This new solution builds on Nava’s experience working and iterating in the open with agencies like the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and states across the nation. We’re also drawing from our experience building the Nava platform — a set of modular, open-source templates that distills our cloud engineering best practices and helps our government partners jumpstart projects in days, not months.
Nava is inviting state technology leaders, policymakers, and civic technologists to shape this community-driven effort. Together, we’ll define requirements, co-create solutions, and deploy modern, effective systems that enhance outcomes for users and agencies.
To learn more about Nava’s open-source initiative or to participate in shaping the future of state technology, visit our Medicaid page.
NOTE: This content is not written by or endorsed by "KTVI", its advertisers, or Nexstar Media Inc.
For inquiries or corrections to Press Releases, please reach out to Cision.
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TECH – MiHIN Responds to CMS Health Tech Ecosystem Initiative with Strategic Optimism and Renewed Commitment to Community-Based Interoperability
Alternative Headline: MiHIN backs federal data push
[MM Curator Summary]: MiHIN supports the new CMS interoperability framework while emphasizing equity, governance, and community trust.
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, /PRNewswire/ — The Michigan Health Information Network Shared Services (MiHIN), Michigan’s state-designated health information exchange, has issued a public statement in response to the newly announced CMS Health Tech Ecosystem and Interoperability Framework. This federal initiative, introduced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the White House, is designed to accelerate patient access to digital health data and drive national interoperability across the healthcare system.
The federal initiative has drawn support from national health data networks, major technology companies, and interoperability platforms. While expressing enthusiasm for the vision, MiHIN emphasized the importance of community-rooted governance, equity-driven exchange, and local trust as foundational to meaningful digital transformation.
The announcement from Dr. Isabell Pacheco, incoming CEO of MiHIN, reads, "We welcome this bold national vision as both a validation of our work and a challenge to step forward with even greater clarity. This is more than a pledge—it’s a race. And it’s one we intend to approach with thoughtful urgency, strong partnerships, and a continued focus on serving the real-world needs of our communities."
The CMS Health Tech Ecosystem outlines a voluntary framework focused on fast healthcare interoperability resource-based APIs, digital health applications, and patient-directed data sharing. More than 60 organizations, including large-scale health data and technology firms, have pledged their support. At the same time, national networks like Civitas have framed the movement as "a movement, not a mandate," highlighting the importance of equity, inclusion, and public trust. MiHIN emphasized that health information exchanges like theirs remain essential to:
- Supporting Medicaid, behavioral health, and public health agencies
- Navigating complex consent and governance across communities
- Delivering accurate, timely, and secure health data where it matters most, including directly to the patient
"We believe the future of interoperability must be built collaboratively," Dr. Pacheco added. "Healthcare innovation can—and should—be balanced with the lived experience and trusted infrastructure of Health Information Exchanges. We’re not here to compete with our communities. We’re here to serve them—and that role remains as vital as ever."
MiHIN will continue to evaluate opportunities and value-added partnerships to align with the CMS initiative as implementation details emerge. MiHIN remains focused on shaping a healthcare ecosystem where interoperability supports trust, health equity, and lasting transformation.
About Michigan Health Information Network Shared Services (MiHIN): Michigan Health Information Network Shared Services (MiHIN) is the state-designated entity for health information exchange in Michigan, dedicated to improving the healthcare experience, improving quality, and decreasing cost for Michigan’s people by making valuable data available at the point of care. For more information, visit www.mihin.org.
For inquiries or corrections to Press Releases, please reach out to Cision.
TECH – Hixny Makes Healthcare Encounter Alerts Available Immediately to Providers Statewide Through the Statewide Health Information for New York
Alternative Headline: Hixny expands patient alerts
[MM Curator Summary]: Hixny will now provide statewide patient encounter alerts in New York under a new SHIN-NY contract.
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, /PRNewswire/ — Hixny has been awarded a contract by the Statewide Health Information Network for New York (SHIN-NY) to make patient encounter alerts available to healthcare providers and health insurers statewide, effective immediately. The alerts system is the next iteration of an existing service that has proven reliable to thousands of Hixny’s existing health information exchange (HIE) users over several years.
SHIN-NY Statewide Encounter Alerts powered by Hixny works independently from HIE connections, so alert recipients are not required to be Hixny data contributors or participants. Simply put, providers can choose to receive notifications from Hixny even if they have designated another HIE as their primary connection to state data. Patients are also not required to provide any additional consent for providers to receive the alerts.
"We are pleased the SHIN-NY awarded Hixny’s encounter alert system the contract to expand across New York state," said Mark McKinney, Hixny’s CEO. "For more than 25 years, we’ve worked collaboratively to make it easier for the healthcare community to deliver evidence-based, knowledge-driven patient care. This rollout of our proven alert capability is a step forward in improving transitions of care statewide."
Why Choose SHIN-NY Statewide Encounter Alerting Services – Powered by Hixny?
Hixny’s alert system keeps existing workflows intact, letting providers decide where alerts are delivered. This includes the ability to alert through all commonly used electronic health records systems (EHRs) like Athena, eCW, EPIC, Cerner, MEDENT, Meditech, and NextGen. This is not an exhaustive list of supported EHRs.
Hixny’s solution also reduces extraneous alerting, allowing providers to choose to receive alerts for all—or a subset of—their patient panel admitted to and/or discharged from the ER or inpatient care.
Finally, the alerts are built to national leading security standards and applicable statewide.
Reflects Shift in Structure of SHIN-NY
Until recently, all community HIEs (also called qualified entities [QEs] or regional health information organizations [RHIOs]) certified to provide SHIN-NY services received funding from the state to provide the same set of core services to their participants. Moving forward, certain services will be offered to all SHIN-NY participants across New York State by a more limited number of HIEs. Patient encounter alerts is one of those services and Hixny was one of the HIEs selected to provide them.
Providers who accept patients using Medicaid are able to receive all alerts through Hixny for free. Those who do not accept Medicaid payment will be charged a nominal system access fee. A slightly different pay structure exists for health insurers, who can receive alerts through Hixny for their Medicaid members for free, and will pay a nominal fee to receive alerts for all non-Medicaid members. To enroll for alerts, contact Bryan Cudmore, Hixny’s Vice President of Account Management at bc******@***ny.org.
About Hixny
Hixny is a nonprofit electronic health information exchange (HIE). Its nationally recognized technology has led the way in security and data integration, changing the vision of patient records exchange from one limited to data points to one that breaks down traditional healthcare industry silos and puts meaningful, actionable information in the hands of healthcare teams, payers, and public health officials in real-time. The result is increased quality of care with decreased workflow complexity and cost. Hixny serves New York State as a qualified entity (QE) of the Statewide Health Information Network for New York (SHIN-NY).
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