In this episode, we are joined by Samantha Olds Frey, CEO at Illinois Association of Medicaid Health Plans, to discuss her background, what she's seeing with Medicaid redeterminations and what health plans need to know, the big healthcare trends she's following right now, and the advice she has for aspiring healthcare leaders.
Summary
Samantha Olds Frey, CEO at Illinois Association of Medicaid Health Plans, Talks Medicaid Redeterminations, Healthcare Trends, and Leadership Advice
Background
Samantha Olds Fry is the CEO of the Illinois Association of Medicaid Health Plans. She has spent her entire career focused on Illinois and Medicaid, and what motivates her everyday is the promise of impacting so many people's lives positively.
Medicaid Redeterminations
Right now she is seeing that Medicaid redeterminations are getting ready to gear up in about a month. This process verifies eligibility for those enrolled in the program and there are issues such as making sure the addresses of Medicaid members are correct, the response rate to paperwork, retroactivity of claims, and HEDIS scores. There is also the financial impact of members no longer eligible for the program or losing coverage due to paperwork. Samantha discusses the impact of Medicaid redeterminations on a variety of stakeholders, including health plans and safety net providers. Safety net providers are especially vulnerable because they will have to serve patients without the revenue associated with Medicaid coverage. Providers can help their patients by reminding them to update their address and redetermination date, as well as providing resources to assist them in updating their information.
Healthcare Trends
Samantha is also following other healthcare trends such as social determinants of health, value-based care, and workforce shortages. To support communities, health plans have engaged in innovative partnerships, such as paying for housing, which has resulted in positive outcomes for those individuals.
Leadership Advice
Samantha advised aspiring healthcare leaders to stay curious and compassionate in order to keep their passion alive. She also talked about the importance of partnerships when it comes to addressing health needs, especially with community-based organizations.
Note: This is an AI generated transcript, not edited by a staff writer and is solely intended for educational purposes. If you have any questions/concerns, reach out to podcasts@beckershealthcare.com
This episode aired on 04/11/2023 and can be listened here.
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