On Tuesday, May 30, 2017, the Department of Medicaid, with the assistance of the Department of Aging, convened a workgroup meeting for the implementation of the Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) program.
The meeting was the second time the workgroup convened and was used to update stakeholders on the current endeavors in preparation of the program’s rollout. Both departments highlighted their continued commitment to working with stakeholders during the rollout of the MLTSS program, emphasizing their belief that MLTSS will be helpful in improving the quality of life for the individuals the program serves. Stakeholders were given nearly half of the meeting to ask questions on implementation and the rollout.
The Department of Medicaid began the meeting with a presentation highlighting the goals of the MLTSS program, which include:
- Improving the health, safety and well-being of Medicaid recipients through care coordination;
- Expanding community LTSS options and streamlining and standardizing the way people access them;
- Creating a system in which health care providers are incentivized to keep individuals healthy and eliminating gaps in service delivery;
- Strengthening the focus on quality measurement, including both quality of life and quality of care in order to achieve better outcomes;
- Ensuring the transparency, accountability, effectiveness, and efficiency of the program, as well as long-term sustainability of the system.
Many of these goals highlight improving provider options through the managed care space, which can be done by recruiting providers, working with quality providers, and by having managed care plans pay those high quality providers more than the standard fee-for-service rates.
The Department of Medicaid touched on some of the benefits they see in the managed care model, including:
- Care management leading to better health outcomes;
- Expanded access to care and provider networks (plans must have enough providers on their panels);
- Dedicated points of contact for members:Use of health and wellness programs.
- Toll-free member services call center;
- Toll-free nurse advice line, available 24/7;
- Use of health and wellness programs.
The MLTSS benefits package not only include benefits available through the traditional Medicaid program, but allows plans to offer additional benefits including:
- Acute and primary care benefits
- Behavioral health services
- Specialized recovery services
- Long-term services and supports
- Prescription drugs
- Dental services
- Vision services
- Managed Care Plans may elect to include additional “value-added” benefits (additional dental, vision and additional transportation)
The Department of Medicaid discussed its desire to streamline waivers into a single package, allowing for one waiver for all members and ages. The department is currently working to identify what the services it would include and standardizing the comprehensive assessment that is a part of the waiver process.
Other topics that were covered in the Department of Medicaid’s presentation include the populations served by managed care, an upcoming Request for Application (RFA), and future contract procurement plans. Additional MLTSS-specific information can be found in an updated department fact sheet, located on the department’s website, or here.
The Department of Aging finished the presentations by outlining next steps for stakeholder engagement opportunities, which includes regional meetings.
Questions were focused around the ninety day notices that will be sent out, the future of MyCare, rates, and technology issues. Answers from the departments were generally open to additional stakeholder input with discussion of the future stakeholder meetings located around the state.