The Texas
Medical Association knows the state’s Medicaid managed care system needs to get
better, and physicians are ready to help the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s (HHSC’s) new leader make
it happen.
That’s what TMA
and three other organizations told new HHSC Executive Commissioner Courtney
Phillips, PhD, in a letter this week welcoming her to her new post and highlighting
steps to cut Medicaid red tape and enhance access to care.
The letter from
TMA, the Texas Association of Health Plans, Texas Hospital Association, and
Texas Association of Community Health Plans offered to collaborate with HHSC to
“implement pragmatic reforms our organizations believe will help ensure more
timely, accountable, and quality care while also eliminating unnecessary and
costly administrative processes that do not benefit patients or taxpayers.”
The letter shared
hoped-for action items arising from the four organizations’ Oct. 12 joint
Medicaid Managed Care Summit. At the summit the organizations identified four
areas for collaboration:
- Modernize the program: Reducing red tape and administrative
burdens to deliver more timely and efficient care and to encourage greater
physician participation in Medicaid;
- Improve systems and processes of care: Streamlining processes that affect
health care delivery, such as care coordination;
- Increase access to care: Focusing particularly on “enhancing
preventive, behavioral, and maternal health care” to make Texas healthier and
reduce taxpayer cost; and
- Strengthen patient protections: Simplifying and improving “confusing
and intimidating” processes Medicaid patients face if they need to lodge a
complaint about their care.
While the
letter noted some steps to modernize Medicaid require legislative or federal
approval, the organizations also believe HHSC has some authority to implement
needed reforms unilaterally. Some of the steps TMA believes HHSC can take on
its own include streamlining and improving prior authorization processes; strengthening
Medicaid appeals and hearing processes; and increasing outreach to women on the
importance of preventive health care.
“While we will
not be able to solve every problem overnight, we believe that working together
we can make tremendous strides,” the groups’ letter said. “We look forward to
helping make your transition to Texas a success.”
Ms. Phillips,
formerly chief executive officer for the Nebraska Department of Health and
Human Services, started her job as Texas HHSC executive commissioner in
October.
Last Updated On
November 30, 2018
Originally Published On
November 30, 2018