Helping States Build Better Programs for Dually Eligible Individuals
Strategy and Program Design • Administration and Operations • Communications
Altarum Medicare-Medicaid Services for States (AMMS) is a nonprofit organization that helps states create financially sustainable solutions to advance health, health equity, wellness, and independent living for dually eligible individuals. We enhance state capacity by providing exceptional national expertise around dual eligible and long-term services and supports (LTSS) policy and program administration. Our state-specific, data-driven approaches improve health equity and outcomes while efficiently managing Medicaid dollars.
Opportunities to Improve Individuals’ Experiences and Maximize Public Funding
AMMS partners with states to tailor solutions to the unique characteristics, needs, and preferences of their dually eligible populations. We understand that these populations are diverse in race, ethnicity, age, gender, disability, cognitive ability, physical and behavioral health status, and social circumstances which may require varied program approaches. Most access care and supports that are fragmented across the Medicare and Medicaid programs. There is a significant opportunity to enhance and better align these programs to improve individuals’ experiences, outcomes, and quality of life. States also have an opportunity to address the cost-shifting that occurs between the two programs and develop efforts to maximize Medicare service coverage.
A Partner to Expand State Capacity
Not many people have deep Medicare-Medicaid integration expertise, and there are few who have both policy and program administration experience. As a result, states are challenged to identify and hire the best people to advance Medicare-Medicaid integration. AMMS helps states gain and expand in-house capacity.
State Services
AMMS offers approaches tailored to each state. We meet states where they are along the continuum of knowledge, capacity, and expertise. We assess current situations and offer phased-in approaches to integration to achieve person-centered care—from gaining Medicare proficiency, to increasing coordination across the two programs, to implementing fully integrated programs. This includes hands-on training and assistance that leads to sustainable in-house dual eligible population and integration expertise.
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Supporting States to Build Better Programs for Dually Eligible Individuals
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Sarah Barth - JD
Executive Director, Medicare-Medicaid Services for States
Areas of Expertise- Strategy and Program Design
- Program Administration and Operations
- Communications and Stakeholder Engagement
Sarah leads Altarum Medicare-Medicaid Services for States (AMMS), a nonprofit organization that helps states create financially sustainable solutions to advance health, health equity, wellness, and independent living for dually eligible individuals. With over 25 years of experience in publicly financed healthcare, she brings national expertise around Medicare-Medicaid integration and long-term services and supports (LTSS) policy and program administration.
Sarah has worked extensively with states, CMS, providers, health plans, consumers, and advocacy organizations to design and implement Medicaid managed long-term services and supports (MLTSS) programs and Medicare-Medicaid integration initiatives. Prior to Altarum, her positions included being a principal at Health Management Associates, director for Integrated Care and LTSS at Center for Health Care Strategies, LTSS bureau chief for New Mexico Human Services Department, and director of special projects at the Massachusetts Office of Medicaid.
Sarah has a law degree from Suffolk University Law School and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.