On August 13, MDH published proposed amendments to Minnesota Rules Chapter 4654 (the Minnesota Statewide Quality
Reporting and Measurement System) in the State Register. MDH posted the proposed
changes, including changes to the rule’s appendices, at Health
Care Quality Measures – Proposed Rule Amendment. The publication of the
proposed amendments initiated a formal 30-day comment period. Comments must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. on September 12,
2012. MDH is required to annually review and publish any proposed
amendments to Minnesota Rules Chapter 4654 by August 15 of each year.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
State gets federal approval for innovative health care payment reform
Minnesota can continue forward on effort to improve care for Medicaid enrollees while
saving taxpayer dollars.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) in August announced federal approval to implement changes to the way it pays health care providers under the state’s Medicaid program.
These changes place increased emphasis on quality of care, health care cost and overall value.
The Health Care Delivery System (HCDS) demonstration, approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), is another step by the Dayton Administration to improve the way health care is purchased for Medicaid in Minnesota.
“Minnesota is moving full steam ahead when it comes to reforming our health system so that we'll pay for quality of care and outcomes for our clients, not just the quantity of procedures,” said Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson. “I’d like to thank our federal partners for their cooperation and support in this effort to provide better care for Minnesotans and greater savings to taxpayers.”
Historically, publicly-funded health care programs in Minnesota have been either fee-for-service paying providers per procedure) or managed care (paying a health insurance company to provide coverage). The HCDS demonstration projects will contract directly with providers in a new way that allows them to share in savings for improving quality of care and patient experience and reducing the total cost of care for Medicaid enrollees.
In this new model, people enrolled in Minnesota Health Care Programs will receive more coordinated care to improve their overall health, and health care providers will be paid based on the quality of care they provide to their patients and their ability to reduce the cost of care. This encourages providers to be innovative in how they provide care and allows them to focus on the quality of care versus the amount of care they provide.
“A key factor in reforming our health care system is working with doctors, hospitals and other providers to better coordinate care for patients. We need to look at patient care as a team effort with one overall shared goal of a healthy patient outcome,” said CMS Acting Administrator Marilyn Tavenner.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) in August announced federal approval to implement changes to the way it pays health care providers under the state’s Medicaid program.
These changes place increased emphasis on quality of care, health care cost and overall value.
The Health Care Delivery System (HCDS) demonstration, approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), is another step by the Dayton Administration to improve the way health care is purchased for Medicaid in Minnesota.
“Minnesota is moving full steam ahead when it comes to reforming our health system so that we'll pay for quality of care and outcomes for our clients, not just the quantity of procedures,” said Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson. “I’d like to thank our federal partners for their cooperation and support in this effort to provide better care for Minnesotans and greater savings to taxpayers.”
Historically, publicly-funded health care programs in Minnesota have been either fee-for-service paying providers per procedure) or managed care (paying a health insurance company to provide coverage). The HCDS demonstration projects will contract directly with providers in a new way that allows them to share in savings for improving quality of care and patient experience and reducing the total cost of care for Medicaid enrollees.
In this new model, people enrolled in Minnesota Health Care Programs will receive more coordinated care to improve their overall health, and health care providers will be paid based on the quality of care they provide to their patients and their ability to reduce the cost of care. This encourages providers to be innovative in how they provide care and allows them to focus on the quality of care versus the amount of care they provide.
“A key factor in reforming our health care system is working with doctors, hospitals and other providers to better coordinate care for patients. We need to look at patient care as a team effort with one overall shared goal of a healthy patient outcome,” said CMS Acting Administrator Marilyn Tavenner.
Friday, August 10, 2012
What Minnesotans are saying about improving health care
Minnesotans who participated in a series of community conversations this summer want an affordable health care system, more
information to make choices, and communities that support healthy choices.
The Bush Foundation and Citizens League recently completed a Citizen Solutions initiative around health care that involved about 40 community conversations with more than 1,000 Minnesotans, as well as online discussions with more than 4,100 Minnesotans. The results of the four-month initiative, funded by the Bush Foundation, were shared with the Governor’s Health Care ReformTask Force on August 6. Those who attended the community conversations held a range of political beliefs, according to the report’s appendix.
Participants said they wanted to be co-creators and co-managers of their health care, and they needed better information to succeed at that task, according to the report, “Public Conversations & PublicSolutions: Making Health and Health Care Better in Minnesota.”
They were willing to make trade-offs. When asked about rights and responsibilities, less than one percent suggested unfettered access to care should be part of a citizen’s health rights. Participants reached the greatest consensus on the points that citizens have the right to affordable care and that they are responsible for practicing healthy behaviors.
They would like to see employers, families, communities and state decision makers support them in assuming ownership of their health. Suggestions included improving environments so that physical activity is more accessible and making healthy food more accessible and affordable.
Participants also supported policies that would help citizens experience the true costs of their behaviors, such as taxes on sodas, tobacco, or other unhealthy choices that contribute to preventable disease.
They also wanted an affordable health care system but they understood that the health care system alone does not define good health.
As for the health care system, they identified the lack of affordability as the biggest challenge, followed by the fact that the system is complicated and confusing, and doesn’t focus enough on healthy living and prevention.
In terms of cutting costs, participants prioritized cutting administrative costs, preventing avoidable conditions and unnecessary care, and improving the coordination of care.
When asked what they saw as the most effective way to create change, about one-third of attendees picked focusing on making Minnesotans more knowledgeable health consumers and one-fourth of attendees suggested focusing on community-based strategies that make healthy choices easier.
The Bush Foundation and Citizens League recently completed a Citizen Solutions initiative around health care that involved about 40 community conversations with more than 1,000 Minnesotans, as well as online discussions with more than 4,100 Minnesotans. The results of the four-month initiative, funded by the Bush Foundation, were shared with the Governor’s Health Care ReformTask Force on August 6. Those who attended the community conversations held a range of political beliefs, according to the report’s appendix.
Participants said they wanted to be co-creators and co-managers of their health care, and they needed better information to succeed at that task, according to the report, “Public Conversations & PublicSolutions: Making Health and Health Care Better in Minnesota.”
They were willing to make trade-offs. When asked about rights and responsibilities, less than one percent suggested unfettered access to care should be part of a citizen’s health rights. Participants reached the greatest consensus on the points that citizens have the right to affordable care and that they are responsible for practicing healthy behaviors.
They would like to see employers, families, communities and state decision makers support them in assuming ownership of their health. Suggestions included improving environments so that physical activity is more accessible and making healthy food more accessible and affordable.
Participants also supported policies that would help citizens experience the true costs of their behaviors, such as taxes on sodas, tobacco, or other unhealthy choices that contribute to preventable disease.
They also wanted an affordable health care system but they understood that the health care system alone does not define good health.
As for the health care system, they identified the lack of affordability as the biggest challenge, followed by the fact that the system is complicated and confusing, and doesn’t focus enough on healthy living and prevention.
In terms of cutting costs, participants prioritized cutting administrative costs, preventing avoidable conditions and unnecessary care, and improving the coordination of care.
When asked what they saw as the most effective way to create change, about one-third of attendees picked focusing on making Minnesotans more knowledgeable health consumers and one-fourth of attendees suggested focusing on community-based strategies that make healthy choices easier.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
State insurance exchange contractor selected
Minnesota has selected Maximus, a Virginia-based company, to develop the technology to support the state’s health insurance exchange. The exchange’s technology will include elements such as “eligibility determination, account administration, display of benefit plan costs and options, and health care provider information.” The $41 million contract is excepted to run through 2014 and exchange’s technology will include elements such as eligibility determination, account administration, display of benefit plan costs and options, and health care provider information. Through the contract with Maximus, the exchange will be “a user friendly tool that will help more than 1.2 million Minnesotans choose the quality coverage they need at a price they can afford, ” said Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman.
Minnesota sees smallest year-to-year health care cost increase in more than a decade
Total health care spending in Minnesota increased 2.2 percent to $37.7 billion in 2010, which was the slowest growth rate observed since 1997, according to a report released by the Health Economics Program at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).
Governor Dayton reaffirms Minnesota’s commitment to Minnesota-made health insurance exchange
Governor Mark Dayton reaffirmed
Minnesota’s commitment to designing and developing a state-based health
insurance exchange for Minnesota. Governor Dayton declared his commitment to
that effort in a letter
to HHS Secretary Sebelius (PDF: 2.46MB/2 pages). In addition, the Minnesota
Health Insurance Exchange Outreach, Communications and Marketing Work Group
also
recently posted some preliminary Minnesota market research presented July
10.
Health Care Reform Task Force discusses access and work force issues
The Health Care Reform Task Force approved a set of
working recommendations for improving Minnesota's health care workforce at its
meeting July 12. The presentations and working recommendations are available
under meeting materials.
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