Podcast episode 14: Anne Dwyer

Welcome to the Pioneers in Health podcast. In this podcast, we share inspiring stories of pioneering leaders from our nation and from your backyard who are working to improve health.

In episode 14, we interview Anne Dwyer. Anne is an associate professor of the practice at the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy’s Center for Children and Families (CCF). Her research and policy work focus on Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

Prior to joining CCF, Anne served as senior health counsel for the U.S. Senate Finance Committee leading the Medicaid, CHIP and women’s health portfolio.

During her time with the committee, she was directly involved in major health legislation that included the reauthorization of CHIP, passage of the American Rescue Plan, and multiple year-end bills advancing Medicaid and children’s health.

Anne holds a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School and a Masters of Public Health from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

In this episode, she discusses how important Medicaid and CHIP are to the health of Kansans and all Americans. Medicaid, alongside CHIP, covers about half of all children across the country and serves as the largest payer of behavioral health services, which includes mental health and substance-use disorder services, she said.

Medicaid also is the largest payer for long-term care services and supports. In Kansas, she said 4 in 7 nursing home residents rely on the program.

Some policy experts predict President-elect Donald Trump will enact deep cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.

Anne, whose work is non-partisan, said any reductions to Medicaid at the federal or state level would impact many people.

“You’re really talking about changes to people’s health care, because so many individuals across the country through different parts of their life span really rely on the program,” she said. “That’s what it’s there for — for when you need it.”

In addition to affecting people’s health care, any cuts at the federal level also would negatively impact state budgets, she said, as state and federal dollars both support the program.

“It can have really devastating consequences for state budgets when they are trying to figure out, ‘OK, we have this population, we have children, we have low-income parents, we have people with disabilities, we have seniors in nursing homes, how are we going to cover their care if that financing isn’t there from the federal government?'” she said. “It makes it incredibly difficult for the state to meet the needs of their residents.”

She also discusses:

How cuts may be structured and their potential impact to the program

What legislative actions are being discussed to enact these potential cuts

The importance of educating people — and quickly — about the role Medicaid plays in helping to keep people healthy through all stages of life

And much more! Enjoy these additional facts and resources below regarding Medicaid in Kansas, and then listen to the episode to learn even more about Anne’s expertise and the role of Medicaid in health care.

Medicaid in Kansas:

More than 415,000 enrollees in Kansas’ Medicaid program, called KanCare

3 in 10 Kansas children are covered by Medicaid

31% of all Kansas births are covered and financed by Medicaid

Children’s Health Care Report Card: Learn about how children in Kansas are insured

Medicaid State Fact Sheet: U.S. and Kansas