Medicaid is probably the biggest elephant in any room where policymakers are discussing state budgets, state policy or health care. Indeed, Medicaid made the CSG Top 5 Issues for 2012 in both health and fiscal and economic policy published earlier this month by CSG.

The CSG webinar “Medicaid Managed Care: Asking the Right Questions,” broadcast on January 12, 2012, addressed one way policymakers are looking to bend the Medicaid cost curve. States are using managed care to cover about two-thirds of all Medicaid members.

Kathleen Gifford, a principal with Health Management Associates and former Medicaid director in Indiana, was the first panelist. She provided background information on the status of Medicaid managed care across the state and what to expect in the near future. She is the principal author of a 50-state survey on Medicaid managed care completed for the Kaiser Family Foundation.

The second panelist was Chuck Ingoglia, Vice President of Public Policy for the National Council for Community Behavioral Health Care, who talked about Medicaid managed care from the behavioral health viewpoint. A July 2011 National Council report, Increasing Access to Behavioral Healthcare: Managed Care Options and Requirements, provides more information.

Representative John A. Zerwas from Texas provided the policymaker perspective. Last year the Texas legislature was tasked with closing a 27 billion dollar budget shortfall. As part of the solution, the legislature a bill sponsored by Rep. Zerwas to require the state submit a Medicaid waiver that would among other things expand managed care to as many as 3 million Medicaid members.

  Download the slides in PDF: Medicaid Managed Care: Asking the Right Questions

“Medicaid Managed Care: Asking the Right Questions"