Roundtable Discussion Highlights Innovations for Medicaid Plans on Social Care Management

Challenges to social care management and breakthrough programs underway to improve Medicaid managed care plans were discussed at a recent virtual roundtable.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES, December 8, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The challenges to social care management and breakthrough programs that are underway to improve Medicaid managed care plans were discussed at length with health plan professionals during a virtual roundtable on November 30.

Co-sponsored by Chicago-based CareAdvisors and the Illinois Association of Medicaid Health Plans (IAMHP), "Innovations for Medicaid Plans on Social Care Management" featured a panel that included: Harmony Harrington, vice president, of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, government, communications and community relations; Imani Lewis, vice president of quality improvement at Meridian Health; Chris Gay, chief executive officer of CareAdvisors; Judith Ruiz-Branch, director of external affairs at IAMHP; and Julie Faulhaber, MBA, a principal at Health Management Associates. The discussion was moderated by Nona Tepper, health plan reporter at Modern Healthcare.

“The time is right to bring this topic to the forefront,” CareAdvisors’ Chris Gay explained. “The pandemic has put a spotlight on the need for social care services for vulnerable members.”

“State officials have been working diligently to flatten the curve of the pandemic,” IAMHP’s Judith Ruiz-Branch added. "IAMHP and its member plans are working with HFS to find solutions, and Medicaid plans are developing unique approaches to not only addressing social determinants of health that contribute to poor healthcare outcomes, but the policies that have been put in place to create them. We look forward to continuing to prioritize this work far beyond the pandemic."

Harrington from BCBSIL outlined solutions focused on “whole-person healthcare,” developed through partnership and coalition building and a variety of engagement opportunities. “We work with the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, state and local public health departments, healthcare providers and non-profit organizations to help coordinate member care to improve health equity and social determinants of health, especially for our Medicaid members,” she said. “We do this through value-based care arrangements, through programs like our hospital health equity bonus payment program with providers, community support and enhanced care coordination. As part of that, we use data and software solutions focused on linking our members' social risk factors and matching them to social service providers.”

Lewis at Meridian spoke about building stronger and healthier communities by focusing on individual members, empowering people to create healthy habits that last a lifetime. She also prioritized “whole health,” delivering the full spectrum of care from physical health to emotional wellness, and spoke to the importance of active local involvement. “In order for us to achieve health equity, resources must be allocated based on the needs of those disproportionately impacted,” Lewis explained. “Instead of focusing on providing the same resources for everyone throughout the state of Illinois, we are looking at our membership based on different demographics to say, ‘What are the needs of specific people?’ We stratify our quality measures by specific demographics -- age, race, gender, geography -- and focus on those disproportionately impacted.”

A recording of the virtual session can be accessed by CLICKING HERE.

About CareAdvisors
CareAdvisors provides value-based social care solutions to some of the largest U.S. health systems and health plans. The CareAdvisors team previously built one of the largest navigation programs in the nation, helping more than one million Illinois residents enroll in social services and gain access to resources. More information can be found at care-advisors.com.

About Illinois Association of Medicaid Health Plans
As a member organization for the Medicaid managed care health plans, IAMHP works with the Illinois state government, legislators, advocacy groups and Medicaid patients to invest in and provide high-quality health care focused on cost-effective, individualized care that helps the residents of Illinois live longer and healthier lives. Visit iamhp.net for more information.

Maureen Daugherty
CareAdvisors
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