07/16/2026
Community health workers (CHWs) are essential to bridge the gap between health and social care and expand access to primary care and community-based services. Yet reliance on grants, pilots, and public health funding can make CHW programs difficult to sustain. While Medicare and Medicaid coverage present major opportunities to sustain CHWs, many
CHW employers — including health care providers and community-based organizations — face challenges accessing these reimbursement options.
This blog post outlines opportunities for New York policymakers, managed care organizations (MCOs), and other CHW stakeholders to strengthen and expand use of the Medicaid CHW benefit. It draws on lessons from a CHCS initiative that helped health care providers and community-based organizations build capacity to use Medicaid and Medicare funding for CHW services.
While focused on New York, these insights may also be relevant for other states, MCOs, and CHW providers.
This blog post outlines opportunities for New York policymakers, managed care organizations, and other CHW stakeholders to strengthen and expand use of the Medicaid CHW benefit.
