Over the past few months, Congress and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have issued a wave of new health care-related requests for information (RFIs). These RFIs come at a time when the country is shifting to address deficiencies in the health care system COVID helped to expose.

CMS’ latest Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rule includes a health equity adjustment to quality performance, suggesting the federal agency recognizes inequities exist among ACOs serving safety-net populations, but is it the right approach?

In response to the clear need for a more robust infrastructure, in September 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will begin awarding nearly $4 billion in grants over a five year period to state and local governments to support strengthening the public health infrastructure, workforce, and data systems.

Thanks to tireless advocacy combined with impressive outcomes data, funding was allocated in the California state budget to support the continuation of the program. This is a prime example of how initial federal investments can ultimately lead to long-term sustainability of successful programs.

When Aurrera Health launched the ACEs Aware initiative on behalf of the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and the Office of the California Surgeon General (CA-OSG) in late 2019, we knew we were on the forefront of change.

States are leveraging American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars to support a multi-faceted policy approach to strengthening state health care infrastructure and the health workforce.

Pathways to Resilience will serve as a convenor of state leaders, policymakers, and administrators and offer a forum to collaborate and share best practices with colleagues across the country. We will draw on the wisdom of a Steering Committee of Governors’ First Spouses – chaired by Delaware First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney – who have committed to help champion this work.

Last year, Aurrera Health Group teamed up with the California Department of Health Care Services to provide early education and targeted technical assistance for providers on implementing Enhanced Care Management and Community Support services, two key parts of the CalAIM initiative. This experience revealed several promising practices for other states pursuing whole-person approaches to health care delivery.

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are a critical provider of health care, particularly for communities of color and Medicaid beneficiaries. It is vital that health centers are financially and operationally stable so they can continue to effectively provide patients with primary care, behavioral health, and dental services.

Since the fall of 2019, Aurrera Health Group has been working closely with the Office of the California Surgeon General (CA-OSG) and the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to launch the ACEs Aware initiative – a first-in-the-nation, statewide effort to promote screening for early detection of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and mitigate against the health and societal impacts of ACEs and toxic stress.