News

Group picture of new CHRT team members

CHRT welcomes new staff with expertise in integration, communication and graphic design, program evaluation, and administration

The Center for Health and Research Transformation is happy to welcome new staff with backgrounds in integration, graphic design, program evaluation, administration, and communication. Sharon Kim – Associate Director Sharon Kim is an associate director at CHRT. She supports CHRT’s growing work focused on health equity and the integration of clinical and social services through interventions powered by information and …

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Affordable Care Act
10th Anniversary balloons

Concentrate, In The Media: Reflecting on the Washtenaw Health Initiative’s 10 year anniversary

A new article in On the Ground Ypsilanti reflects on ten years of Washtenaw Health Initiative (WHI) accomplishments. The Washtenaw Health Initiative is a voluntary collaboration to improve the health of low-income, uninsured, under-insured, and underrepresented people in Washtenaw County. Co-sponsored by Michigan Medicine and the St. Joseph Mercy Health System and supported by the Center for Health and Research Transformation (CHRT), the Washtenaw Health …

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food

We’re launching a community integrated health network for senior services in Southeast Michigan and beyond

The Center for Health and Research Transformation at the University of Michigan has recently received grants from the federal Administration for Community Living and the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation to expand and enhance a local collaborative that provides medically tailored meals, and referrals to home and community-based services, to vulnerable seniors and individuals with disabilities.

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Man speaks with psychiatrist

In The Media, State of Reform: Nancy Baum on Medicaid funding for Certified Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC)

State of Reform quoted Nancy Baum, health policy director for the Center for Health and Research Transformation (CHRT), in an article by Patrick Jones on funding for Certified Community Behavioral  Health Clinics (CCBHCs). Published on October 19, 2021, the article reports on a press conference announcing that thirteen Michigan CCBHCs will be fully funded by Medicaid in the same way …

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connection

Here’s to administration: How a wonky thing like backbone support is improving one county’s homeless response system

“When the typical homeless client is entering a shelter, they’re probably having the worst day of their life,” says Andrew Kraemer,  Washtenaw County Continuum of Care (CoC) data and evaluation specialist.  One new strategy that organizations in Washtenaw County are using to help clients on that worst day is diversion.  Housing Access for Washtenaw County (HAWC) and the Shelter Association …

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Melissa Riba

Insurance companies are no longer waiving cost-sharing for COVID hospitalizations. Seems fair to me.

By Melissa Riba, director of research and evaluation, Center for Health and Research Transformation (CHRT) In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, insurers stopped charging their members for COVID-related hospitalizations.  Partly, that was just common sense. Charging copays and deductibles in the middle of a global pandemic–when people were sick and worried and losing their jobs–would have discouraged people …

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Rainbow-colored people

New Health Equity Project aims to significantly reduce health disparities for vulnerable residents in five Michigan counties

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has pledged to provide a $9 million Medicaid match to launch a new Health Equity Project in five Michigan counties.   The Health Equity Project aims to help these counties reduce health disparities associated with pressing social needs such as housing instability, food insecurity, transportation, health system complexity, and other socioeconomic factors …

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hospital billing statement for covid

Bridge Magazine, In The Media: Melissa Riba quoted in Bridge Michigan on reinstituted copays and deductibles for COVID-19 patient cost-sharing

Bridge Michigan’s Robin Erb and Makayla Coffee quote Melissa Riba, director of research and evaluation at the Center for Health and Research Transformation (CHRT), in “Costs rising for Michigan COVID care with return of deductibles, copays.” The story discusses an upcoming shift in patient cost burden for COVID-related illnesses—costs that have largely been waived by Michigan’s largest insurers for more …

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4 new staff and inters

Welcome new staff and interns

CHRT is pleased to introduce its newest hires in finance, data use, and programming. New finance team members will enhance our organization’s ability to conduct financial planning, ensure compliance, and improve operational procedures. New programmatic staff members bring expertise in health information technology, data use, public policy, mental health and substance use disorders, and more.  Gudrun Bossman Gudrun Bossmann is …

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