« The Dual Agenda: June 10, 2015 Issue
Featured Resources
MMCO Memo to Long-Term Care Facilities on Disenrollment Issues
The Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office released a memo on May 26 to long-term care facilities clarifying that only a beneficiary or her or his legal representative can request enrollment or disenrollment from a plan. Any change in a beneficiary’s health care coverage must be initiated by the beneficiary or legal representative. Once a request has been made, the facility must take two steps:
- Explain orally and in writing the impact to the beneficiary if they change to a stand-alone drug plan and Original Medicare
- Develop written policies and procedures regarding the process of assisting beneficiaries with changing their health care coverage.
New Report on Reducing Health and Health Care Disparities
The latest report by Aligning Forces for Quality, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, shares the lessons learned from nine health care organizations that implemented innovative programming to address disparities in their patient populations. It includes concrete recommendations that other health care organizations can use to improve the quality of their health care delivery systems and implement interventions to address inequities in patient care and outcomes.