Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island is proud to help improve the health of people and communities. As part of that effort, we believe it is critical to participate in healthy debate and planning about the future of local care and its delivery systems. With this "furthering of the public conversation" in mind, we offer issue briefs that detail ways to improve the quality of health care in Rhode Island while controlling the corresponding costs. Some of our previous offerings include:

• Provider/Payer Collaboration - Identifies alternatives to the traditional, often adversarial relationship between practitioners and insurers;
• Medicaid Managed Care - Explores the results of improving care coordination for hard-to-serve Medicaid populations;
• RIte Care Buy-In - Outlines the elements necessary for a successful, state-sponsored "buy-in" program for small businesses and individuals;
• Health Disparities - Documents the growing problem of health disparities in the United States and the strengths of Rhode Island's community health centers in addressing these issues;
• Children's Behavioral Health - Offers solutions to Rhode Island's crisis in children's behavioral health care;
• Emergency Department Utilization - Examines why Rhode Island is above the national average in its use of Emergency Departments and how Neighborhood is working with its members and other public health entities to make sure people get care in the most appropriate setting;
• A Guide to RIte Care - Delivers an overview of Rhode Island's Medicaid managed care program and why it matters to Rhode Island employers; and
• Medicaid by the Numbers - Demystifies the Medicaid-the largest program providing medical and health-related services to America's poorest people--explaining how it started, whom it serves, and where it's headed.
• The Neighborhood Way: Managed Pharmacy Benefit - Describes our efforts to more effectively manage prescription drug costs while ensuring patients (our members) get the prescription drugs they need.
• New Documentation Requirements – Informs readers about the new federal documentation requirement for Medicaid recipients and identifies ways to limit the number of U.S. citizens who become uninsured due to the change.
• Optima Partnership - Explores the future of Medicaid/Medicare integration programs for special needs populations.

Please contact tboucher@nhpri.org should you require additional information. We are committed to ongoing dialogue and believe everyone has a part to play in strengthening Rhode Island's health care.