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January 5, 2007
Medicaid Commission Update (Final Report - December 2006)
Commission Issues Medicaid Recommendations
The Medicaid Commission was established as part of an agreement reached
during Medicaid negotiations on the FY2006 federal budget resolution. It was mandated to submit two reports to
the Secretary of Health & Human Services and Congress. The first report,
issued September 1, 2005, included recommendations
for achieving $11 billion in savings over five years. The final report, released December 2006,
was charged with making long-term Medicaid reform recommendations to ensure the
program's
sustainability. This report addresses long-term care, benefit design,
eligibility, health information technology, and quality and care coordination.
The report calls for the following: recognizing the long-term value of
investments in quality, supporting state flexibility, and changing how
beneficiaries partner with the Medicaid program by encouraging personal
responsibility for health care decisions and promoting and rewarding healthy
behaviors.
The recommendations also call for a more efficient Medicaid system that
emphasizes prevention, provides long-term care services in the least restrictive
appropriate environment, adopts interoperable forms of health information
technology, coordinates care across providers and health care settings, and
focuses on quality health care outcomes.
Final Report:
December 2006 Staff Contact: Barb
Filliung: (630) 276-5482
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