NYS Governor Cuomo Picks Members for Medicaid Redesign Team; No Consumer Representation
Some Focus on Workforce and Safety Net Sustainability
NYAPRS Summary February 5, 2020
Governor Cuomo announced his selections for members of the newly reconstituted Medicaid Redesign Team who are being tasked to find $2.5 billion in Medicaid savings during the 2020-21 fiscal year. See the official announcement at https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-members-medicaid-redesign-team-ii.
The group is charged with helping to bring down a $2.5 billion in recurring savings, while ensuring “zero impact on local governments and zero impact on beneficiaries; finding industry efficiencies and/or additional industry revenue; and rooting out waste, fraud and abuse.”
According to Crain’s, “that largely leaves solutions that will make health care services more efficient—or less costly,” leaving the possibility of changes in reimbursement and possible cuts to Medicaid providers.
On the positive side, the group is also charged to look for ways to:
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“improve care management for beneficiaries with complex health conditions
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ensure the availability of a stable and appropriately skilled workforce, especially with respect to meeting the needs of an aging population and
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strengthen the sustainability of safety net providers serving vulnerable populations;
Relating to that latter point, our coalition will continue efforts to win inclusion of a 3% increase for each of the next 5 years for the broader human services sector as part of the “3-for-5” campaign.
MRT II is comprised of representatives from 3 hospitals, 2 health plans, 2 provider organizations, 2 labor unions, 1 Performing Provider System, Suffolk County government, 1 disability advocate who has been associated with the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program, 1 top finance staff from the Assembly and 1 from the Senate, 1 from the Governor’s office, 4 state agency commissioners and the senior vice Chancellor (and former state budget director) of the State University of NY. See below for more details.
We are greatly disappointed that there are no consumer advocates on the panel, and will be calling on the administration to take immediate corrective action here. Previously Medicaid Matters NY and NYAPRS were represented on MRT I.
Other groups that were not returned included City University of New York, New York State Nurses Association, Visiting Nurse Service of NY, the Medical Society, Community Health Care Association of New York State, New York State Public Health and Health Planning Council, the Community Health Foundation of Western and Central New York and United Cerebral Palsy of New York City.
Mental health issues will be primarily carried by OMH Commissioner Ann Sullivan and NYAPRS member Services for the Underserved Donna Colonna.
The Team will commence its work immediately, holding its first public meeting next Tuesday, February 11th. It will submit its report with findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature in March for consideration in the Fiscal Year 2021 Enacted Budget.
In addition, the MRT II will hold public hearings and solicit ideas and recommendations from the public and health care stakeholders through public hearings and online. Recommendations and proposals may be submitted online beginning February 11th.
According to a press release from the Governor, “the MRT II recommendations should address:
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The drivers of greater-than-projected costs and growth in the Medicaid program;
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Models of healthcare delivery to improve care management for beneficiaries with complex health conditions;
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Existing regulations, laws and programs that hinder the modernization or achieving efficiencies in the Medicaid program and for the healthcare industry;
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Ways to ensure the availability of a stable and appropriately skilled workforce, especially with respect to meeting the needs of an aging population;
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Strengthening the sustainability of safety net providers serving vulnerable populations, including through regulatory reform;
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Changes in the Medicaid program to achieve short-term solutions and long-term systemic changes that advance the State’s successful healthcare reform strategy while restoring financial sustainability to ensure that benefits will always be available to those who need it;
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Whether any changes to the metric for calculating the Medicaid global cap are necessary;
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The introduction of new data sets, data analytics and technologies to identify current and future trends and improve program oversight; and
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Policies to ensure the efficient and effective use of Medicaid dollars and reduce waste, fraud and abuse.
In addition, The MRT II will create an advisory Work Group to focus on issues associated with long-term care. Enrollment and spending in managed long-term care has accelerated dramatically over the last three years.”
The members of the Medicaid redesign team are:
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Co-chair: Michael Dowling, president and CEO of Northwell Health: a Long Island based health care and hospital system
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Co-chair: Dennis Rivera, former chair of SEIU Healthcare: a prominent healthcare workers’ union
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Dr. Steven Corwin, president and CEO, New York Presbyterian: a NYC based hospital
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Thomas Quatroche, Ph.D., president and CEO, Erie County Medical Center: a Buffalo based hospital
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LaRay Brown, CEO of One Brooklyn Health: a Brooklyn based health care and hospital system
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Mario Cilento, president of New York state AFL-CIO: labor union
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Christopher Del Vecchio, president and CEO of MVP Health Care: a health plan serving individuals living in Westchester to Warren counties and some counties in Central and Western NY
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Pat Wang, president and CEO of Healthfirst: a health plan serving individuals in Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Queens, Westchester and Orange County
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Emma DeVito, president and CEO of VillageCare (serves people with chronic care needs, seniors and individuals in need of continuing care and rehabilitation services, and persons living with HIV/AIDS).
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Wade Norwood, CEO of Common Ground Health (a western NY Population Health Improvement Program)
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Steven Bellone, County Executive, Suffolk County
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T.K. Small, director of policy at Concepts of Independence (the state’s original Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Services program)
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Donna Colonna, CEO, Services for the UnderServed (a NYAPRS member NYC based agency that offers developmental disabilities services, homeless services, housing, behavioral health and veterans services)
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Todd Scheuermann, secretary of Finance, state Senate
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Blake Washington, secretary of Ways and Means, state Assembly
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Paul Francis, deputy secretary for Health and Human Services, governor’s office
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Dr. Howard Zucker, commissioner of health
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Dr. Ann Sullivan, commissioner for the Office of Mental Health
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Arlene González-Sánchez, commissioner of the Office of Addiction Services and Supports
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Dr. Theodore Kastner, commissioner of the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities
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Robert Megna, senior vice chancellor and COO, SUNY