Kansas moved its Medicaid recipients at the start of this year onto a flat-fee managed care program called KanCare, in hopes the switch would lower costs or slow growth in spending for its Medicaid population.
This has been tried before in many states, including Kansas, but it is novel in that it places not only low-cost poor expecting mothers and healthy children in managed care, but also high-cost disabled and elderly recipients in need of long-term care, according to a report by Kaiser Health News and the Kansas Health Institute.
Although managed care historically has shown underwhelming savings results, some believe this is because managed care has usually focused on the cheaper patients with less savings potential. By adding more expensive beneficiaries to this flat monthly model, supporters like Kansas Republican Gov. Sam Brownback believe they'll be able to access more savings potential and see greater results, according to the report.
Inova Health System Buys Medicaid Health Plan
Payments Vary Widely Among Rhode Island Hospitals for Same Services
This has been tried before in many states, including Kansas, but it is novel in that it places not only low-cost poor expecting mothers and healthy children in managed care, but also high-cost disabled and elderly recipients in need of long-term care, according to a report by Kaiser Health News and the Kansas Health Institute.
Although managed care historically has shown underwhelming savings results, some believe this is because managed care has usually focused on the cheaper patients with less savings potential. By adding more expensive beneficiaries to this flat monthly model, supporters like Kansas Republican Gov. Sam Brownback believe they'll be able to access more savings potential and see greater results, according to the report.
More Articles on Medicaid Managed Care:
Health Insurers Project Exchange ParticipationInova Health System Buys Medicaid Health Plan
Payments Vary Widely Among Rhode Island Hospitals for Same Services