This week, our In Focus reviews the Louisiana Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) request for proposals (RFP), released by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) on February 25, 2019. Selected MCOs will manage health care services for more than 1.5 million Medicaid enrollees statewide, starting January 2020.
Medicare
HMA Input, Analysis Identify California Provider Shortage
A team of HMA colleagues, including Carrie Cochran, Helen DuPlessis, Jon Freedman, Kelly Krinn, Nora Leibowitz and Ryan Mooney conducted impact assessments of recommendations developed by the California Future Health Workforce Commission.
Evolving Integrated Managed Care Models for Medicare-Medicaid Dual Eligible Beneficiaries: Key Considerations for Health Plans
This week we are providing a brief recap of our January 8th webinar Evolving Integrated Managed Care Models for Medicare-Medicaid Dual Eligible Beneficiaries: Key Considerations for Health Plans presented by Principals Sarah Barth, JD and Ellen Breslin, MPP.
CMS Issues Medicare Advantage Advance Notice Part II and Draft Call Letter
On January 30, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued Part II of the Advance Notice of Methodological Changes for Calendar Year (CY) 2020 for Medicare Advantage (MA) Capitation Rates, Part C and Part D Payment Policies and 2020 Draft Call Letter. The Advance Notice and Call Letter includes proposed updates to MA payment rates and guidance to plan sponsors as they prepare their bids for CY 2020. Comments are due by 6:00 PM EST on Friday, March 1, 2019. The final Announcement and Call Letter will be published on April 1, 2019.
HMA Expands Medicare Services, Team of Experts
Health Management Associates (HMA), a leading independent national healthcare consulting firm, is expanding its Medicare services and expert team of consultants.
Specializing in publicly funded healthcare, HMA has long been recognized as a leader in Medicaid consulting services. As Medicare continues to evolve and serve as a catalyst for payment and delivery system innovations, HMA is significantly expanding the depth and breadth of the firm’s expertise of the nation’s single largest health program.
Medicaid Managed Care Enrollment Update – Q4 2018
This week, our In Focus section reviews recent Medicaid enrollment trends in capitated, risk-based managed care in 29 states.[1] Many state Medicaid agencies post monthly enrollment figures by health plan for their Medicaid managed care population to their websites. This data allows for the timeliest analysis of enrollment trends across states and managed care organizations. All 29 states highlighted in this review have released monthly Medicaid managed care enrollment data into the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2018. This report reflects the most recent data posted. HMA has made the following observations related to the enrollment data shown on Table 1 (below):
Highlights From This Week’s HMA Conference On The Rapidly Changing World Of Medicaid
This week, our In Focus section provides a recap of the third annual HMA Conference, The Rapidly Changing World of Medicaid: Opportunities and Pitfalls for Payers, Providers and States, held this Monday, October 1, and Tuesday, October 2, in Chicago, Illinois. More than 450 leading executives representing managed care organizations, providers, state and federal government, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders in the health care field gathered to address the opportunities and challenges facing health plans, states, and providers as they strive to provide the best possible care to Medicaid beneficiaries and other vulnerable populations at a time of significant uncertainty and change. Conference participants heard from keynote speakers, engaged in panel discussions and connected during informal networking opportunities. Below is a summary of highlights from this year’s conference.
Companion Medicaid and Medicare Advantage Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans
This week, our In Focus section reviews Medicare-Medicaid integration opportunities through Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs). States are motivated to expand their capacity to address the needs of dually eligible beneficiaries through integrated care. They are increasingly requiring health plans that operate Medicaid managed long-term services and supports (MLTSS) programs to become Medicare Advantage (MA) D-SNPs. A few states require D-SNPs to be Medicaid MLTSS health plans.[1]
Dual Eligible Financial Alignment Demonstration Enrollment Update
This week, our In Focus section reviews publicly available data on enrollment in capitated financial and administrative alignment demonstrations (“Duals Demonstrations”) for beneficiaries dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid (duals) in nine states: California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Texas. Each of these states has begun either voluntary or passive enrollment of duals into fully integrated plans providing both Medicaid and Medicare benefits (“Medicare-Medicaid Plans,” or “MMPs”) under three-way contracts between the state, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the MMP. As of August 2018, nearly 369,000 duals were enrolled in an MMP. Enrollment dropped by 6.7 percent from August of the previous year after Virginia’s dual demonstration ended in December.
Benefit Options for the Medicaid Expansion Population: Alternative Benefit Plans and the Medically Frail
This week, our In Focus section highlights HMA Medicaid Market Solutions (MMS) which is supporting state flexibility in designing and implementing initiatives, including Section 1115 Demonstration Waivers, promoting member engagement, and personal responsibility. Over the coming weeks, HMA MMS will present a series of articles providing an in-depth look at the facets of these new Medicaid models.