Most States propose programs to improve care for dual-eligible beneficiaries

Thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia have submitted letters of intent to the CMS proposing Medicare-Medicaid demonstration projects to improve health outcomes for so-called dual-eligible beneficiaries. The state plans came in response to a July request by the CMS Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office for proposals that improve the care of the estimated 9 million beneficiaries eligible to participate in both Medicare and Medicaid, with states allowed to receive a share of any of the savings that result. “These innovative initiatives vary regionally and in their approach, ranging from using health homes that provide total care management to expanding existing programs to meet all of an individual's needs by incorporating behavioral health and long-term supports and services, as well as making current coordinated-care models available to new populations, such as individuals with long-term care needs or those with serious and persistent mental illness,” Bello wrote. The CMS will refine the states' proposals over the fall, said a CMS spokesman, and aim to implement them in 2012. Click HERE for the full article.