By Verlon Johnson, Chief Government & Corporate Affairs Officer Key Takeaways from the National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD) 2023 Fall Conference The NAMD Fall 2023 Conference brought together state agencies, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) representatives, and industry leaders for insightful discussions on the future of Medicaid. This year’s conference focused on four different themes: PHE unwinding, long-term care, maternal health, and youth health. Additional conference insights and main discussion topics from some of the NAMD sessions include the following: Member Outreach and Leveraging Data Insights The importance of multi-modal outreach to members was a key topic of discussion, as consumer literacy and response rates are lower than expected. States are increasingly leveraging data insights to develop targeted outreach strategies, with over 40 states having published dashboards to track population needs, engagement rates, and areas for improvement. Churn rate, or more simply known as the rate of members dropping out or not finishing the enrollment process, is a frequent focus of many states. CMS representatives stressed this focus with the need to “avoid the churn” in the process, citing that 25-30% of the population accepts the current churn going through the process. Supporting Youth Health and Well-being Young adults who grew up with Medicaid shared their stories, highlighting the need for additional improvements in outreach and support tactics. The group emphasized “meeting members where they are,” not just physically but also in terms of digital presence, advocating for more social media engagement and content in multiple languages. Additional care coordinators were also suggested as a potential resource to help members navigate the Medicaid system more effectively, serving as a point of contact for various circumstances and helping as children on Medicaid aged up in the system. Importance of Strengthening Partnerships S