States participating in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 6|18 Initiative are bringing together Medicaid and public health agency partners to adopt evidence-based prevention strategies for Medicaid populations in three high-opportunity areas: asthma, tobacco, and unintended pregnancy prevention. A core component of implementing sustainable interventions to address these health conditions is engaging Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) in the design, adoption, and promotion of prevention benefits.

This webinar, made possible by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, explores strategies for successful state engagement with Medicaid MCOs to promote coverage and adoption of evidence-based prevention strategies. The discussion addresses: (1) effective communication approaches for developing successful partnerships with Medicaid MCOs; (2) opportunities to align state and MCO goals to adopt policy changes and align health plan benefits; and (3) ways in which Medicaid MCOs can educate providers and Medicaid beneficiaries about available prevention services. The conversation also addresses 6|18 states’ successes and challenges around building Medicaid MCO partnerships.

Agenda

I. Introductions

Speaker: Sana Hashim, Program Officer, CHCS

Ms. Hashim welcomed participants, provided background on the topic, and introduce the panelists: North Carolina’s 6|18 team representatives, Kelly Crosbie, Deputy Director, Quality and Population Health (North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health Benefit) and Sally Herndon, head of the Tobacco Prevention and Control Branch (North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health) and Minnesota’s 6|18 team representative, Laura Oliven, Tobacco Control Program Manager.

II. North Carolina: Incorporating 6|18 into MCO Procurement

Speakers: Kelly Crosbie, North Carolina Division of Health Benefits and Sally Herndon, Division of Public Health

Ms. Crosbie and Ms. Herndon, Medicaid and Public Health representatives from the North Carolina 6|18 team, provided an overview of North Carolina’s approach to including 6|18 priority areas in MCO procurement as part of a new Performance Improvement Project.

III. Minnesota: Surveying MCOs to Standardize Tobacco Cessation

Speaker: Laura Oliven, Minnesota Department of Health

Ms. Oliven, Tobacco Control Program Manager with the Minnesota 6|18 team, provided an overview of Minnesota’s approach to surveying Medicaid MCOs on tobacco cessation treatment coverage and promotional activities and using survey results to help standardize cessation treatment coverage across MCOs.

 IV. Moderated Q&A

Moderator: Sana Hashim, Program Officer, CHCS
Ms. Hashim facilitated a question and answer session including questions from the audience for all speakers.