Due to increased attention on the power of preventive health as well as value-based care, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched the 6|18 Initiative to increase coverage, access, utilization, and quality by aligning evidence-based preventive practices with emerging value-based payment and delivery models. It focuses on six high-burden and high-cost health conditions — tobacco use, high blood pressure, inappropriate antibiotic use, asthma, unintended pregnancies, and type 2 diabetes — and “18” evidence-based interventions that address the six conditions.

This guide can help Medicaid-public health teams assess cross-agency relationships and describe accomplishments to date; evaluate priorities for ongoing 6|18-related work; and strategize opportunities to sustain broad Medicaid-public health partnership around improving health and controlling costs (within and beyond 6|18).