This message contains images. If you don't see images, click here to view. Click here to advertise in this news brief.   Mobile version    RSS    Subscribe    Unsubscribe    Archive    Media Kit Sep. 6, 2012 Home   About   Policy & Advocacy   Education & Resources   Events           Democrats embrace Obama's healthcare law The Hill    Share    Democrats at the podium of the party's national convention are fully — and finally — embracing President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law, and liberal lawmakers are applauding the move. On opening night, speaker after speaker championed the 2010 Affordable Care Act, a trumpeting that was striking for a law that top Democrats largely had sidelined because of its lingering unpopularity with the public. As Obama seeks re-election, his allies have returned to heralding the law as a historic and courageous political achievement. More WellCare opens healthcare information, education, sales facility in Florida WellCare Health Plans via Pharmacy Choice    Share    WellCare Health Plans Inc., a provider of care services for government-sponsored healthcare programs, announced the opening of its newest Welcome Room in West Palm Beach, Fla. This Welcome Room is WellCare's eighth in Florida and one of 11 Welcome Rooms that WellCare operates throughout Florida, New York and Connecticut. WellCare's Welcome Rooms are neighborhood healthcare information, education and sales centers that are staffed by WellCare associates who are trained to answer questions about Medicare and Medicaid plans and eligibility. More LexisNexis acquires EDIWatch to address healthcare payer industry needs PRZOOM    Share    LexisNexis Risk Solutions announced that it has acquired EDIWatch Inc., a privately-held provider of fraud, waste and abuse technology solutions exclusively for the healthcare payer industry. "Combining EDIWatch with LexisNexis public records and related data, linking and predictive analytics capabilities provides a comprehensive end-to-end suite of solutions to address the range of payer needs in combating fraud, waste and abuse," said James Peck, CEO, LexisNexis Risk Solutions. More Improving Lives. Reducing Costs. Health Integrated, the leading innovation partner for health plans, provides evidence- based solutions to achieve health management goals for clinical outcomes, quality measures and cost containment. Our expertise with vulnerable populations and 360-degree view of the impact of bio-psycho-social risk factors on health makes us the perfect partner for Medicaid and Medicare plans. www.healthintegrated.com US court halts some cuts for Medicaid home care The New York Times    Share    Charles Strouchler has such severe multiple sclerosis that he has to be washed, fed, secured in a wheelchair during the day and turned in bed at night. For the past 15 years, he said, he has been able to live at home only because Medicaid pays for aides to take care of him around the clock. He received notice that his help was being cut to one live-in aide per day, who would sleep through the night, rather than two aides working for 12 hours each. Strouchler and others like him filed a class-action lawsuit challenging reductions in care. While not ruling on the merits of the case, a federal judge in Manhattan decided that the plaintiffs had a "substantial likelihood" of proving that New York City and New York State had violated federal law in cutting back on Medicaid-financed personal care for hundreds of New Yorkers since last year. More Survey: Majority of US specialists unable to take new Medicaid patients Jackson Healthcare via Star Global Tribune    Share    While at least 13 million Americans may soon join the Medicaid rolls, a majority of physicians in many specialties say they can no longer afford to accept new Medicaid patients because of declining reimbursements, according to a new national survey of physicians by Jackson Healthcare. According to the survey, 36 percent of physicians said they no longer are accepting new Medicaid patients. Currently, 26 percent of doctors don't see Medicaid patients. More HMS receives RAC contract from Commonwealth of Virginia Datamonitor via MobilityTechzone    Share    HMS, a subsidiary of HMS Holdings Corp., a provider of cost containment services, has received a contract from the Commonwealth of Virginia, department of medical assistance services, to serve as the Commonwealth's Medicaid recovery audit contractor. Under the terms of this contract, HMS will audit both in-state and out-of-state providers participating in the Virginia Medicaid program to identify underpayments and overpayments for all claims paid under the Medicaid and CHIP programs. More Health plans ready to vie for Florida Medicaid contracts The News Service of Florida via The News-Press    Share    With Florida gradually moving toward a statewide Medicaid managed-care system, 14 health plans are ready to compete for contracts to provide long-term care to seniors. The health plans met a deadline last week for submitting documents that will be used by the state Agency for Health Care Administration as it works to award contracts in 11 different regions of the state. Six companies — American Eldercare, Coventry Health Care of Florida, Humana, Sunshine State Health Plan, United Healthcare of Florida and WellCare — submitted documents to seek contracts in each region, according to AHCA. More Dual Eligible Value White Paper Read about increasing health plan revenues and member loyalty while improving Medicare Star Ratings with Altegra Health’s Medicare Savings Advantage®. Altegra Health is uniquely positioned to provide business, technology, and consulting solutions that improve healthcare organization performance by aligning proven revenue management solutions with our health plan and provider clients’ existing capabilities. MORE Maine sues for Medicaid waiver The Associated Press via Houston Chronicle    Share    The state of Maine is suing the federal government for failing to swiftly act on its Aug. 1 waiver request seeking to eliminate Medicaid coverage for more than 20,000 residents, demanding that the federal government either approve the waiver or pay the difference in coverage. The lawsuit was filed after the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services informed the state that it needed more time to review the state's request. More Kansas launches KanCare website to aid Medicaid transition Wichita Business Journal    Share    The state of Kansas has launched a new website that will serve as starting point for Medicaid patients and service providers. The site, www.kancare.ks.gov, will be used to facilitate the state's transition to KanCare, a plan to manage Medicaid care in the state through contracts with three private health plans, with the goals of reducing Medicaid spending and giving more people access to the program. Gov. Sam Brownback launched the KanCare effort last November following a public input process that spanned nearly a year. More LIBERTY Dental Plan A national leader in providing dental benefits for Medicaid, CHIP and Medicare programs; • Nationwide Network • Comprehensive Dental Disease Management • Predictable Costs with Quality Programs Inaccurate or incomplete data wastes time and money. LexisNexis® data hygiene services make it easy to maintain updated member contact information and reduce undeliverable and returned mail. LEARN MORE WellCare to present at Morgan Stanley global healthcare conference WellCare Health Plans via Barron's    Share    WellCare Health Plans Inc. announced that Alec Cunningham, chief executive officer, will present at the Morgan Stanley Global Healthcare Conference. The presentation will occur at 10:20 a.m. EDT on Sept. 11. The presentation will be webcast live. In addition, a replay of the webcast will be available beginning about an hour following the conclusion of the live broadcast and for 30 days thereafter. Both the live presentation and the replay will be available via the company's website at www.wellcare.com. More Insights webinar: Evolving Toward a New Model of Care | 11 a.m. EDT Sept. 10 Daiichi Sankyo Inc.    Share    This presentation reviews the challenges that PCPs face, case studies where PCMH has been undertaken and barriers/challenges associated with its implementation. More Improve HEDIS Scores with CareCall. Want to improve your HEDIS scores by enhancing wellness outreach efforts? Specializing in managed care for over 20 years, CareCall can provide cost-effective solutions for targeted wellness outreach initiatives. Call Today to learn more! 1-866-730-0426 www.carecall.com Free webinar from MHPA partner Verizon: Fraud Waste and Abuse — The Next Generation | 2 p.m. EDT Sept. 12 MHPA    Share    Understanding the patterns of fraud, where to find it, how to detect and when to act. The old pay-and-chase model of fraud management is inefficient and costly. Connie Schweyen, Debra Faulkner, MBA, MHA; and David Botsko, Ph.D., CFE, managing principals at Verizon Connected Healthcare, will show you how to catch crime before it happens and how a near real-time fraud management solution can ensure near-time results. More Free webinar by MHPA partner Baxter: Importance of Coordinated Care in the Management of Members with Hemophilia | 11 a.m. EDT Sept. 18 MHPA    Share    This webinar is focused on coordinating care in hemophilia, improving outcomes and reducing costs. Best practice coordination of care includes the plan's relationship with the patient, specialty pharmacy and hemophilia treatment centers. A managed Medicaid plan will discuss management of hemophilia patients through working with the state as well as outcomes associated with care through a specialty pharmacy. A hemophilia physician will discuss the uniqueness of coordinated care through the hemophilia treatment center and demonstrated outcomes. More The Experience and Technology to Help Fight Fraud Verizon’s Fraud Management services for healthcare automate prepayment fraud detection and monitor 100% of claims in near-real time - providing you the insight, actionable information, and expertise to manage risk, protect critical data, and combat fraudulent activity head-on. MORE Reaching, Retaining and Serving Dual Eligible Beneficiaries | Sept. 19-20 | Scottsdale, Ariz. Healthcare Education Associates    Share    Explore effective marketing, outreach and engagement for Medicare/Medicaid dual eligibles. Healthcare Education Associates and the Risk Adjustment Initiative & Society for Education are pleased to present the Reaching, Retaining and Serving Dual Eligible Beneficiaries Summit, slated for Sept. 19-20 in Scottsdale, Ariz. This groundbreaking two-day intensive event designed to tackle the unique challenges of marketing and outreach to the dual eligible population, will feature MHPA President and CEO Thomas Johnson as a guest speaker. MHPA members get 15 percent off registration by using Priority Code: HMP122. Call Theresa Powers at 704-341-2437 or register online here. MHPA's 2012 Annual Meeting | Oct 24-26 | Washington, DC MHPA    Share    Register now for the MHPA 2012 Annual Meeting, "A Pivotal Time for Medicaid Health Plans," Oct. 25-26, and the Pre-Conference "Developments in the States," Oct. 24. More details on the agenda, speaker lineup, lodging info and travel discounts here. Register online now from your PC or PDA. Free webinar by MHPA partner LexisNexis: Why Identity Management Matters to Medicaid | 1 p.m. EST Nov. 8 MHPA    Share    As a Medicaid Plan you should not just be addressing the "what" of identity management — the technical side — but, more important, the question of "who?" How do we know who the person on the other end is who they say they are and what risks they may pose for the environments and systems they are attempting to enter? More Insights webinar: Reduce Outsourcing Risk | 11 a.m. EST Dec. 20 MHPA    Share    Details here. MHPA on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook MHPA    Share    Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook to get industry-related news and the latest MHPA announcements.   MHPA's Industry NewsBrief Colby Horton, Vice President of Publishing, 469.420.2601 Download media kit Elizabeth Zavala, Content Editor, 469.420.2676    Contribute news This edition of MHPA's Industry NewsBrief was sent to ##Email##. To unsubscribe, click here. Did someone forward this edition to you? Subscribe here -- it's free! Recent issues Sept. 6, 2012 Sept. 4, 2012 Aug. 30, 2012 Aug. 28, 2012 7701 Las Colinas Ridge, Ste. 800, Irving, TX 75063