How States Can Improve Medicaid Encounter Data

Manatt Health’s , , and co‑authored an article for Health Affairs examining how states can strengthen Medicaid encounter data to meet rising federal expectations for program oversight, accountability and operational efficiency.

As federal scrutiny of Medicaid operations increases and fiscal constraints intensify, states must rethink how encounter data is collected, validated and used. The article outlines how encounter data has emerged as a critical asset for Medicaid rate setting, eligibility verification and program integrity—and how states can leverage it to meet new federal requirements under H.R. 1 and strengthen accountability.

The authors detail actionable strategies states can use to improve data quality, align incentives with managed care plans and build a modern Medicaid data ecosystem capable of supporting data‑driven decision making.

“Encounter data is no longer just a reporting requirement—it is a core operational asset that states must be able to trust and use confidently to manage their Medicaid programs,” wrote the authors.

Read the full Health Affairs article .