Medicaid Leadership Exchange

Reflections on Leadership from Long-Serving Medicaid Directors Jul 11, 2025

Running a state Medicaid program means steering policy, budgets, and teams that shape health care for millions of people in the United States. Yet few directors remain at the helm of Medicaid programs long enough to witness — and drive — decades of change. This episode of the Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast features two of... Read more »

The post Reflections on Leadership from Long-Serving Medicaid Directors appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Listening, Learning, Leading: Stakeholder-Driven Change in Medicaid Jun 23, 2025

Discusses how collaborating with stakeholders and understanding their perspectives can spark meaningful change within Medicaid programs.

The post Listening, Learning, Leading: Stakeholder-Driven Change in Medicaid appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

How Wide-Ranging Experiences Strengthen Medicaid Leadership Jun 12, 2025

Features three Medicaid leaders whose unique backgrounds — in nursing, technology, and politics — have helped shape their roles as trusted advisors to Medicaid directors.

The post How Wide-Ranging Experiences Strengthen Medicaid Leadership appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Stronger Together: North Dakota Medicaid and Families Partnering for Impact May 15, 2025

Explores North Dakota’s Cross-Disability Advisory Council, a unique partnership between agency staff and parents working together to improve programs for children with disabilities and their families.

The post Stronger Together: North Dakota Medicaid and Families Partnering for Impact appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Creating Supportive Partnerships Between Medicaid and Tribal Communities Jul 12, 2024

Highlights the importance of respect in building partnerships with tribes and acknowledges how the rich histories of these communities impacts their needs, health, and well-being.

The post Creating Supportive Partnerships Between Medicaid and Tribal Communities appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

How Medicaid Can Better Support Families of Children with Special Health Care Needs Jun 28, 2024

Supporting families of children with special health care needs is critical to ensuring their health and well-being, and helping them stay together as a family. This episode of the Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast explores how Medicaid agencies can better serve children with special health care needs and their families. The episode emphasizes the importance of... Read more »

The post How Medicaid Can Better Support Families of Children with Special Health Care Needs appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Navigating Medicaid: Insights from a Parent Advocate Jun 14, 2024

Navigating Medicaid can be daunting, especially when an individual or family member has complex needs. This challenge is compounded when siloed state agencies have poor communication, which can prevent individuals and families from receiving coordinated services that meet their needs. This episode of the Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast shares the story of Mark Butler, parent... Read more »

The post Navigating Medicaid: Insights from a Parent Advocate appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

How Can States Better Serve Dually Eligible Populations? May 31, 2024

Explores the importance of integrating benefits for dually eligible populations to create more person-centered care and services for members.

The post How Can States Better Serve Dually Eligible Populations? appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

The Critical Role of Medicaid in Addressing Maternal Health Disparities May 17, 2024

Highlights the lack of adequate maternal care in rural communities across the country, and spotlights the work of Virginia and Mississippi Medicaid to address existing disparities.

The post The Critical Role of Medicaid in Addressing Maternal Health Disparities appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

The Impact of Medicaid on the Rural Health Care Landscape May 03, 2024

Highlights the importance of Medicaid to the millions of people living in rural communities across the country. It delves into the unique challenges faced by Medicaid directors in predominantly rural states and breaks down the common misconceptions surrounding rural America.

The post The Impact of Medicaid on the Rural Health Care Landscape appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Achieving Better Outcomes for Priority Populations: What to Expect in Season 5 of the Medicaid Leadership Exchange May 03, 2024

Listen in to this season 5 overview of the Medicaid Leadership Exchange to learn how the season will explore access-related challenges faced by Medicaid members across the nation and the work Medicaid agencies are doing to ensure high-quality, equitable care. The season will focus on priority populations — centering both Medicaid members and the people... Read more »

The post Achieving Better Outcomes for Priority Populations: What to Expect in Season 5 of the Medicaid Leadership Exchange appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Improving Aging Supports Through Collaboration Jul 31, 2023

Medicaid leaders from Michigan and Indiana discuss strategies to support the LTSS workforce, including their efforts to co-design solutions with Medicaid members.

The post Improving Aging Supports Through Collaboration appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

The Intersection of Housing and Health Jul 11, 2023

Representatives from Wisconsin and Arizona share the innovative solutions their state Medicaid programs are developing in partnership with the housing sector to tackle homelessness.

The post The Intersection of Housing and Health appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Aligning Medicaid and Behavioral Health in Virginia Jul 05, 2023

Explores how involving cross-agency teams at the beginning of efforts to design, implement, or improve programs can streamline processes across agencies and for enrollees.

The post Aligning Medicaid and Behavioral Health in Virginia appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Mapping Members’ Experience of Early Childhood Systems Jun 15, 2023

Explores how a cross-agency team in Alaska embarked on a journey mapping process to better understand the experiences of pregnant people impacted by substance use disorder to improve maternal health and reduce infant out-of-home placement.

The post Mapping Members’ Experience of Early Childhood Systems appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Medicaid Finds New Partner in Justice Jun 05, 2023

Explores how coordinating reentry and support services with community partners can improve the lives of people impacted by the justice system, and potentially help reduce rates of recidivism.

The post Medicaid Finds New Partner in Justice appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

How Do Members Experience Medicaid? May 09, 2023

Explores the importance of member experience advisory councils, and how implementing these groups can help programs streamline operations, foster inclusivity and equality, and promote perspectives that can improve Medicaid for community members.

The post How Do Members Experience Medicaid? appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Aligning for the Good of Medicaid Members May 04, 2023

Offers insight into atypical cross-sector partnerships that offer great potential to align for better outcomes, such as state budget offices and legislators.

The post Aligning for the Good of Medicaid Members appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Unwinding Pandemic-Era Medicaid Policies Requires Teamwork Jul 29, 2022

This episode explores the complexities of rethinking policies created during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

The post Unwinding Pandemic-Era Medicaid Policies Requires Teamwork appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Big Stakes in Home- and Community-Based Services Jul 15, 2022

This episode explores how Medicaid leaders can use the recent spotlight on home- and community-based services to drive improvements in care and delivery.

The post Big Stakes in Home- and Community-Based Services appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Inside Medicaid’s Workforce Recovery Jul 01, 2022

Medicaid, like nearly every other sector, is facing staff burnout following two-plus years of the pandemic. Recruiting Medicaid staff, however, presents unique challenges since it can be highly technical work. This new episode of the Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast explores the inner workings of Medicaid’s workforce recovery and the opportunity to build a more diverse,... Read more »

The post Inside Medicaid’s Workforce Recovery appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Medicaid’s Ongoing Equity Commitment Jun 17, 2022

Medicaid leaders explore what a commitment to equity means for Medicaid and how to put it into action.

The post Medicaid’s Ongoing Equity Commitment appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Meeting the Behavioral Health Needs of Children Jun 03, 2022

Three Medicaid leaders discuss the behavioral health needs of children and opportunities for Medicaid to better support those needs.

The post Meeting the Behavioral Health Needs of Children appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Leading Medicaid Out of Emergency and Into Its Future May 20, 2022

Three former Medicaid directors explore what they would prioritize now and into the future when the public health emergency unwinds — and where blind spots may lie.

The post Leading Medicaid Out of Emergency and Into Its Future appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Talking about Anti-Racism and Health Equity: A Conversation with Tekisha Everette, Jim Jones, and Lisa Lee Jul 26, 2021

Critical conversations about health equity can be productive when there is a shared and agreed-upon language amongst Medicaid agencies. In this episode of the Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast, Tekisha Everette, executive director, Health Equity Solutions, Lisa Lee, commissioner, at the Kentucky Department of Medicaid Services, and Jim Jones, Medicaid Director, at the Wisconsin Department of... Read more »

The post Talking about Anti-Racism and Health Equity: A Conversation with Tekisha Everette, Jim Jones, and Lisa Lee appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Implementing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts to Better Support Staff of Color Jul 26, 2021

The past year has seen many sectors of health care increasingly pursue diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts as health equity become a more prominent topic. In this episode of the Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast, Ivory Banks, chief of staff at the Department of Medical Assistance Services, Commonwealth of Virginia, and Marlia Mattke, assistant administrator at... Read more »

The post Implementing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts to Better Support Staff of Color appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Using Data to Empower Medicaid to Support Health Equity Jul 12, 2021

Effective data measurement is critical for Medicaid programs seeking to advance health equity and better understand different experiences of populations served by the program. In this episode of the Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast, Ben Shaffer, Medicaid Director at the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services, and Kelly Cunningham, Interim Medicaid Administrator at... Read more »

The post Using Data to Empower Medicaid to Support Health Equity appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Building Health Equity into Medicaid Budgeting Jun 21, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic, ensuing recession, and amplification of issues related to health equity have forced state Medicaid agencies to evaluate their budgets and investments to better serve Medicaid enrollees. In this episode of the Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast, Tracy Johnson, Medicaid director at the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, and Caprice Knapp,... Read more »

The post Building Health Equity into Medicaid Budgeting appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Addressing Barriers to Care for Rural Medicaid Enrollees in Maine and Texas Jun 07, 2021

People who live in rural areas often experience health disparities caused by barriers to health care, such as lack of transportation, a shortage of providers, and closures of rural hospitals. In this episode of the Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast, Michelle Probert, director at the Office of MaineCare Services, and Stephanie Stephens, associate commissioner of the... Read more »

The post Addressing Barriers to Care for Rural Medicaid Enrollees in Maine and Texas appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Vaccine Equity Strategies: Perspectives from Georgia and West Virginia May 03, 2021

As COVID-19 vaccines become broadly available in the U.S., state Medicaid leaders face ongoing challenges around equitable vaccine distribution and access for Medicaid enrollees, particularly for individuals from historically marginalized communities. In this episode of the Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast, Lynnette Rhodes, executive director of medical assistance plans at the Georgia Department of Community Health,... Read more »

The post Vaccine Equity Strategies: Perspectives from Georgia and West Virginia appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Moving the Needle on Maternal and Infant Mortality: A Conversation with New Jersey, Ohio, and Virginia Mar 18, 2020

The heartbreaking statistics on maternal and infant mortality have motivated Medicaid and public health agencies across the country to partner in developing strategies that increase the likelihood of healthy outcomes before, during, and following birth. In this Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast, staff from New Jersey, Ohio, and Virginia Medicaid, and the Association of State and... Read more »

The post Moving the Needle on Maternal and Infant Mortality: A Conversation with New Jersey, Ohio, and Virginia appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Creating Meaningful Consumer Engagement in Medicaid: Perspectives from Colorado and Washington State Feb 18, 2020

Medicaid programs serve millions of Americans across the country. One important component of serving consumers well is ensuring that they have a voice in program design and operations. In this Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast, MaryAnne Lindeblad, BSN, MPH, Washington State Medicaid director, and Tracy Johnson, PhD, Colorado Medicaid director, discuss the strategies and challenges they... Read more »

The post Creating Meaningful Consumer Engagement in Medicaid: Perspectives from Colorado and Washington State appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Staying on Mission in Wisconsin Medicaid: Strategies for Engaging Staff Jan 21, 2020

Holding a leadership role in a Medicaid agency means that the days are busy and often pulled in multiple directions. In this dynamic environment, it can be challenging to find the time to focus on staff, their bandwidth, and their understanding of the agency’s vision. Making a commitment to staff morale and finding time for... Read more »

The post Staying on Mission in Wisconsin Medicaid: Strategies for Engaging Staff appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Ensuring Strategic Program Sustainability in Medicaid Dec 18, 2019

Medicaid often represents one of the largest portions of a state budget and is a critical resource for individuals and families when state economies are struggling. With growing speculation about the timing of the next recession, planning for financial sustainability is on the minds of many Medicaid leaders. In this Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast, Connecticut’s... Read more »

The post Ensuring Strategic Program Sustainability in Medicaid appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Developing Cross-Agency Collaboration to Better Serve Children in Foster Care Nov 20, 2019

Nearly all children in foster care are eligible for Medicaid. Building strong relationships between state Medicaid and child welfare agencies can help ensure that the needs of children and families in the child welfare system are met. In this Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast, West Virginia Medicaid director Cindy Beane and Kentucky Medicaid director Carol Steckel... Read more »

The post Developing Cross-Agency Collaboration to Better Serve Children in Foster Care appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Facilitating Cross-Agency Collaboration Involving Medicaid May 02, 2019

It’s been a long time since Medicaid agencies simply paid claims for services delivered. In many states, Medicaid is a key driver of broader delivery system and payment reforms, and often works in partnership with other agencies to innovate the way states address social determinants of health and gaps in health equity. Join Gretchen Hammer,... Read more »

The post Facilitating Cross-Agency Collaboration Involving Medicaid appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Developing Medicaid Agency Executive Teams May 02, 2019

A highly-functioning executive team is an invaluable asset to a Medicaid director. But highly-functioning teams don’t just happen by magic. It takes effort and a conscious commitment to identify the right mix of skills, expertise, responsibilities, and personalities. Join Gretchen Hammer, MPH, former Colorado Medicaid director and senior strategic advisor for the National Association of... Read more »

The post Developing Medicaid Agency Executive Teams appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

The Art & Science of Setting the Leadership Frame May 02, 2019

Medicaid is an ever-evolving terrain, requiring program leaders to adapt, while simultaneously maintaining predictability for agency staff. One way to walk that tightrope is to build authentic relationships, establishing trust internally and externally. Join this conversation with Gretchen Hammer, former Colorado Medicaid director and senior strategic advisor for the National Association of Medicaid Directors, and... Read more »

The post The Art & Science of Setting the Leadership Frame appeared first on Center for Health Care Strategies.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Medicaid Leadership Exchange

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected