News

Medicaid Introduces New Care Coordination Delivery System

10/1/2019



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019
CONTACT: MELANIE CLEVELAND – (334) 353-9363 – melanie.cleveland@medicaid.alabama.gov


MONTGOMERY — Alabama Medicaid Agency Commissioner Stephanie Azar announced on Tuesday that the Alabama Medicaid Agency (Medicaid) is implementing a new statewide program to provide comprehensive care coordination while ensuring appropriate utilization of services for approximately 750,000 Alabama Medicaid recipients.

“As we begin to embark on a new care coordination program, the Alabama Coordinated Health Network offers Medicaid recipients better quality of care by taking a more comprehensive approach to their health care,” Governor Kay Ivey said. “Medicaid collaborated with stakeholders throughout the state to begin the Alabama Coordinated Health Networks. This initiative provides the best quality of care for the Medicaid population, which supports my overall goal of providing access to quality health care for all Alabamians.”

The new Alabama Coordinated Health Network does not change Medicaid benefits, but creates a coordinated effort linking patients, providers and community resources in seven regions to improve the quality of care for Medicaid recipients.

Commissioner Azar said, “Medicaid is excited to implement the Alabama Coordinated Health Network program, which goes live today. Medicaid has been working toward transforming the program to focus on quality of care and appropriate utilization of services for many months. There are seven Alabama Coordinated Health Networks that will be incentivized for ensuring that Medicaid recipients receive the right care, at the right place, at the right time. Medicaid is implementing this new delivery system while redirecting current expenditures to make this program a reality. Not only will it enhance the care the recipients will receive, it is expected to bend the cost curve for the program in future years.”

In this new program, networks and providers are incentivized to achieve quality goals in the areas of childhood obesity, infant mortality rates and substance use disorders.

“These are very serious issues which affect many Alabamians and certainly affect the health of Medicaid recipients,” Azar said. “Since Medicaid covers over one million of the citizens in the state, improving the health of this population will benefit all of Alabama.”

Medicaid recipients and potential recipients can learn more about the ACHN program by visiting the following link:

Providers may learn more about the ACHN program by visiting the following link: https://medicaid.alabama.gov/content/5.0_Managed_Care/5.1_ACHN/5.1.3_ACHN_Providers.aspx


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