The Massachusetts Medicaid Policy Institute (MMPI)—a program of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation—is an independent and nonpartisan source of information and analysis about the Massachusetts Medicaid program, “MassHealth.” MMPI’s mission is to promote the development of effective Medicaid policy solutions through research and policy analysis. MMPI promotes broad understanding of MassHealth and its interrelatedness with other health care programs for low income people, and seeks to create a rigorous and thoughtful public discussion of the program’s successes and the challenges ahead. It collaborates with a wide spectrum of policy makers, legislators, researchers, providers, advocacy groups, consumer organizations, business and other stakeholders.
In recognition of 50 years of the Medicaid program, MMPI produced an interactive timeline of key milestones in the program's Massachusetts history. Click here to access the timeline.
Recent Items From MMPI
What to Know About One Care: A High-Level Overview of its Upcoming Transition
This report provides an overview of the One Care program as it exists today and describes the program’s upcoming transition to a new federal authority, including MassHealth’s plans to preserve as many of One Care’s key features as possible.
Strategies for Meaningfully Engaging MassHealth Members to Inform Program and Policy Decisions
This report aims to inform MassHealth’s efforts to strengthen its overall member engagement strategy.
What is the Actual State Cost of MassHealth in State Fiscal Year 2025?
This brief looks beyond the budget totals to help stakeholders better understand the actual state cost of MassHealth by accounting for the state and federal partnership that finances this program.
Long-Term Services & Supports (LTSS) in Massachusetts: A Primer on LTSS Coverage, Access, and Affordability
This primer provides a landscape assessment of long-term services and supports (LTSS) in Massachusetts, including a summary of LTSS payers and programs, utilization and spending, workforce capacity, and quality.
Holding on to Home: A Primer on MassHealth Estate Recovery
These materials are intended to educate stakeholders about MassHealth’s estate recovery program.
MassHealth Matters to Massachusetts – Updated Infographic
This infographic highlights key facts about MassHealth’s impact on residents, the health care system, and the state’s economy.
What to Know Now About MassHealth ACOs
This report was developed as a resource for stakeholders to help explain the basics of MassHealth Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and includes updated information on the two types of ACOs, who they serve, and the services they provide.
MassHealth: The Basics – Facts and Trends (October 2023)
This UPDATED edition of the chart pack provides new data on MassHealth enrollment and spending from the most recent state fiscal years available, as well as a summary of MassHealth’s latest reform efforts.
Reducing Coverage Loss: A 2023 Update on the End of the Federal Continuous Coverage Requirement in MassHealth
This issue brief aims to educate stakeholders and policymakers about the end of the federal continuous coverage requirement, effective March 31, 2023.
The MassHealth Demonstration Extension 2022–2027: Building on Success, Focusing on Equity
This report describes the approved MassHealth Demonstration extension, what it means for MassHealth coverage moving forward, and implications for members, providers, and Massachusetts.
MassHealth Matters to Massachusetts – Infographic
This infographic highlights key facts about MassHealth’s impact on residents, the health care system, and the state’s economy.
MassHealth: The Basics – Facts and Trends (October 2022)
This UPDATED edition of the chart pack provides new data on MassHealth enrollment and spending from the most recent state fiscal years available, as well as an overview and status update on the state’s delivery system reform efforts.
The MassHealth Proposed Demonstration Extension 2022–2027: Building on Success, Focusing on Equity
This report describes the proposed MassHealth Demonstration extension, what it means for MassHealth coverage moving forward, and implications for members, providers, and other stakeholders.
The End of the Federal Continuous Coverage Requirement in MassHealth: Key Strategies for Reducing Coverage Loss
This issue brief aims to educate stakeholders and policymakers about an upcoming federal policy change that could impact coverage for many MassHealth members: the end of the continuous coverage requirement in Medicaid when the federal COVID-19 public heal
What is the Actual State Cost of MassHealth in State Fiscal Year 2022?
This brief looks beyond the budget totals to help stakeholders better understand the actual state cost of MassHealth by accounting for the state and federal partnership that finances this program.
Value-Based Payment to Support Children’s Health and Wellness: Shifting the Focus from Short-Term to Life Course Impact
This report seeks to inform the work of Massachusetts policymakers and stakeholders to better incorporate children’s health needs and experiences within the payment models in the MassHealth ACO Program.
SFY2021 Budget for MassHealth and Other Health Reform Programs
This budget brief highlights the state fiscal year (SFY) 2021 budget for MassHealth and other health reform programs.
MassHealth Impact Series
This series of issue briefs describes MassHealth’s impact on the health and finances of its members and communities, as well as on the wide variety of stakeholders/sectors outside of the traditional health care realm that benefit from the program.
The MassHealth Accountable Care Organization Program: Uncovering Opportunities to Drive Future Success
This report describes the results of a qualitative analysis of the MassHealth ACO program over its first two years of operation & is intended to help stakeholders better understand the successes & challenges in the program to date.
A Primer on the Dual Eligible Population in Massachusetts
This educational primer was developed to build a deeper understanding of the dual eligible population in Massachusetts.
MassHealth: The Basics – Facts and Trends (October 2020)
This UPDATED edition of the chart pack provides new data on enrollment & spending, as well as an overview & updates on the state's delivery system reform efforts.
The Final Public Charge Admissibility Rule: Implications for Massachusetts
This report describes the expected effects of the revised public charge rule on MassHealth and SNAP enrollment, and its downstream effects on the health of MA residents.
UPDATED! MassHealth and ConnectorCare Enrollment Tracker
Highlights the most recent monthly enrollment data available for MassHealth & ConnectorCare —the two most prominent sources of publicly financed health insurance in MA.
What to Know About ACOs: The Latest on MassHealth Accountable Care Organizations
This brief builds upon a July 2018 publication on the MassHealth ACO program. It explains the basics of MassHealth ACOs and provides updates on the program.
MassHealth: The Basics – Facts and Trends (July 2019)
This UPDATED edition of the chart pack provides new data on MassHealth enrollment & spending, as well as an overview & updates on the state's delivery system reform efforts.
What is the Actual State Cost of MassHealth in 2019?
This brief seeks to help stakeholders better understand the actual state cost of MassHealth when factoring in the state & federal partnership that finances this program.
Faces of MassHealth: Portrait of a Diverse Population
This collection of materials aims to paint a meaningful picture of the more than 1.8 million MA residents with diverse backgrounds & circumstances enrolled in MassHealth.
The Proposed Public Charge Rule: An Overview and Implications in Massachusetts
This brief describes the potential impact in Massachusetts of the proposed Public Charge Rule, released by the Department of Homeland Security in October 2018.
Addressing Major Drivers of MassHealth Per-Enrollee Spending Growth: An Analytic Review and Policy Options
This report seeks to inform the discussion of MassHealth sustainability through an analysis of MassHealth data and a review of policy options to address spending growth.
What to Know About ACOs: An Introduction to MassHealth Accountable Care Organizations
This brief explains the key elements of MassHealth ACOs, including: the three types of ACOs, who they serve, and the services they provide.
REVISED - Integrating MassHealth Long-Term Services and Supports: Considerations for ACOs and MCOs
This brief prioritizes issues for consideration as ACOs and MCOs prepare to integrate and fully manage comprehensive long-term services and supports.
CHIP Reauthorization Update: Congressional Inaction Puts States in Limbo
This brief provides an update on the status of federal reauthorization for CHIP and a summary of its potential impact on the program in Massachusetts.
MassHealth: The Basics (September 2017)
UPDATED (September 2017) chart pack with summary data on MassHealth enrollment and spending.
The Importance of CHIP Reauthorization for Massachusetts
This report describes the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in Massachusetts and its role as part of MassHealth.
REVISED - A Guidebook to Social Services for MassHealth ACOs
This guidebook is designed to help health care administrators and providers better understand the types of social services available in Massachusetts.
MassHealth: The Basics – Enrollment Update (March 2017)
This chart pack provides updated MassHealth enrollment data as of March 2017.
Proposals to Cap State Medicaid Funding: Massachusetts Considerations
This chart pack provides an overview of proposals to cap federal Medicaid funding and the considerations for Massachusetts.
Estimating Cost Reductions Associated with the Community Support Program for People Experiencing Chronic Homelessness
This report presents the results of a study analyzing the impact of CSPECH on the utilization and cost of health services.
The MassHealth Waiver 2016–2022: Delivering Reform
This issue brief summarizes the key elements of the most recent MassHealth 1115 waiver extension.
MassHealth: The Basics – Enrollment Update (September 2016)
UPDATED chart pack with summary data on MassHealth enrollment as of September 2016.
FY2017 General Appropriations Act Budget for MassHealth (Medicaid) and Health Reform Programs
This brief highlights the FY2017 budget for MassHealth (Medicaid) and other subsidized health coverage programs.
Medicaid
MMPI produces independent, nonpartisan research and analysis about the Massachusetts Medicaid program.