This week, our In Focus section reviews the Michigan Medicaid Managed Care Comprehensive Health Care Program (CHCP) request for proposals (RFP), which the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services released on October 30, 2023. CHCP covers 2.2 million Medicaid members and is worth approximately $15 billion.
MIHealthyLife
The rebid is part of MIHealthyLife, an initiative that the department launched in 2022 to strengthen Medicaid services through new Medicaid health plan contracts. At that time, Michigan Medicaid sought input from nearly 10,000 stakeholders in an effort to strengthen Medicaid managed care contracts and create a more equitable, coordinated, and person-centered system of care. Based on the feedback, the department designed the RFP with a focus on five strategic pillars:
• Serve the Whole Person, Coordinating Health and Health-Related Needs
• Give All Kids a Healthy Start
• Promote Health Equity and Reduce Racial and Ethnic Disparities
• Drive Innovation and Operational Excellence
• Engage Members, Families and Communities
RFP
Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) serve 10 regions, each consisting of multiple counties. MCOs will bid on one or more of the regions throughout the state. Each region requires at least two plans, with the exception of Region 1, a rural area that includes Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where members are enrolled in a single plan.
As part of the MIHealthyLife initiative, the RFP will include the following changes:
• Prioritizing health equity by requiring Medicaid health plans to achieve National Committee for Quality Assurance Health Equity Accreditation
• Addressing social determinants of health through investment in and engagement with community-based organizations
• Increasing childhood immunization rates, including greater provider participation in the Vaccines for Children program
• Adopting a more person-centered approach to mental health coverage
• Ensuring access to health care providers by strengthening network requirements
• Increasing Medicaid Health Plan accountability and clarifying expectations to advance state priorities
Timeline
Proposals are due January 16, 2024, and implementation is anticipated to begin October 1, 2024. Contracts will run through September 30, 2029, with three one-year optional periods.
Current Market
Michigan currently has nine plans, which serve more than 2.2 million Medicaid and expansion members. The table below provides a breakdown of the plan market share by enrollment.
