The 8.8 million individuals who qualify for and are enrolled in both the Medicare and Medicaid programs represent some of the sickest and poorest patients in our nation’s health care system, and also some of the most expensive. Policymakers and program managers have long sought solutions for improving the quality and efficiency of care delivered to these individuals and are especially concerned about the costs associated with their care. The Affordable Care Act offers new opportunities for achieving these goals, including allowing states to assume full financial and programmatic responsibility for managing dual eligibles’ care. At the same time, recent proposals for reducing federal health spending contemplate other changes to these individuals’ health care—such as mandatory enrollment in managed care plans and a block grant that leaves states with full financial responsibility for long-term care services.
How can the integration of health care financing and health care delivery across Medicare and Medicaid improve care and reduce costs for this important population? Under what circumstances should these new opportunities move forward to implementation? What are some of the other ways states can improve care for this population? Please join us for a discussion of these and other questions related to improving care for dual eligibles.
Featured Panelists:
Renée Markus Hodin, Director, Integrated Care Advocacy Project, Community Catalyst
Patricia Nemore, Senior Policy Attorney, Center for Medicare Advocacy
Edo Banach, Senior Advisor, Federal Coordinated Health Care Office, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Robert J. Master, President and CEO, Commonwealth Care Alliance
Adam Searing, Director, Health Access Coalition, North Carolina Justice Center
Moderated by:
Judy Feder, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress