Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 17, 2026
Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care
Published on: February 16, 2011
Social Work's Role in Medicaid Reform: A Qualitative Study
Sara S Bachman1, Madeline Wachman1, Leticia Manning1
1Sara S. Bachman and Madeline Wachman are with the Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health, Boston University, Boston, MA. Sara S. Bachman is also a guest editor for this supplement issue. Leticia Manning is with the US Public Health Service, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Division of Services for Children with Special Health Needs, Rockville, MD. Alexander M. Cohen is with the Health Integration Program, Cambridge Health Alliance, Outpatient Psychiatry, Cambridge, MA. Robert W. Seifert is with the Center for Health Law and Economics, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Shrewsbury. David K. Jones is with the Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston. Therese Fitzgerald is with Health Care Research, Analytics & Insights, Massachusetts Medical Society, Waltham. Rachel Nuzum is with the Federal and State Health Policy Initiative, The Commonwealth Fund, New York, NY. Patricia Riley is with the National Academy for State Health Policy, Portland, ME.
Social workers are vital to Medicaid reform, yet their systems-level involvement is limited. Increased training and visibility are needed to enhance their impact on population health and reduce health inequities.
Area of Science:
- Health Policy
- Social Work Practice
- Healthcare Systems
Background:
- Medicaid reform presents opportunities for social work.
- Social workers possess skills crucial for population health and reducing health inequities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically analyze the role of social work in Medicaid reform.
- To identify barriers and opportunities for social work involvement in health system transformation.
Main Methods:
- Conducted semistructured interviews with 46 stakeholders across 10 US states.
- Utilized snowball and purposive sampling for participant identification.
- Employed qualitative methods for data analysis in 2016.
Main Results:
- Social work engages in Medicaid reform via clinical practice (care coordination, case management).
- A significant gap exists between practice-level and systems-level social work involvement.
- Barriers include lack of visibility, unclear roles, insufficient resources, and inadequate training in health policy and payment models.
Conclusions:
- Social workers offer valuable expertise for building effective health systems.
- There is substantial potential for social work to expand its role in Medicaid reform, particularly at the systems level.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Methods of Documentation VI: Case Management Model
For example, a patient with a chronic...
01:29Documentation in Long-Term and Home Healthcare Setting
Long-Term Care Facilities
01:18Introduction To Health Care Delivery System
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) advocates for a patient-centered, effective, safe, timely, equitable, and effective healthcare system. The National Priorities...
01:22Standards of Care I
01:26Methods Of Healthcare Delivery System
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is...
01:26Modeling in Therapy
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in...