Medicaid Council update

Friday’s Medicaid Oversight Council meeting focused on the success of the Intensive Care Management Program. The program provides the most fragile Medicaid consumers with team-based, patient-centered care starting with a comprehensive assessment of what consumers need, both health and other supports, strengths and barriers. The team supports the consumer in setting their own goals and helps develop a individualized care plan to meet those goals. The program, developed and run by Community Health Network, served 3,500 people from January through September of this year. The large majority came into the program through predictive modeling of plan data and ED or hospital discharge planning, however members can be referred by caregivers, CHN staff, providers, agencies, screenings, or themselves. Most ICM consumers have multiple chronic conditions, with cardiac, gastrointestinal and behavioral health conditions most common. Early results find that the program has reduced inpatient admissions by 43% and ED use by 6%. Over 90% of members are satisfied with the services and would recommend it to others.

The Council also heard about DPH’s successful WIC program that provides over 54,000 CT low income children and mothers with healthy food and nutritional support to encourage long term healthy eating habits.