HJBR Nov/Dec 2022

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE  I  NOV / DEC 2022 47 Joseph Tidwell, PT, MHA, CPHQ Vice President Network Development & Provider Engagement REFERENCES Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Com- mission. “Considerations for Countercyclical Financing Adjustments in Medicaid.” Issue brief (June 2020). www.macpac.gov/wp-content/ uploads/2020/06/Considerations-for-Counter- cyclical-Financing-Adjustments-in-Medicaid.pdf Rosenbaum, S. “When Medicaid’s COVID-19 Pandemic Continuous Enrollment Guarantee Unwinds, Safety-Net Providers Will Play a Crit- ical Role.” The Commonwealth Fund blog (July 7, 2022). https://www.commonwealthfund.org/ blog/2022/when-medicaid-pandemic-continu- ous-enrollment-guarantee-unwinds Wagner, J. and Erzouki, F. “Time to Get It Right: State Actions Now Can Preserve Medicaid Cov- erage When Public Health Emergency Ends.” Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (May 18, 2022). www.cbpp.org/research/health/time-to- get-it-right-state-actions-now-can-preserve- medicaid-coverage-when-public Foster, C. “How Louisiana can keep eligible peo- ple enrolled in Medicaid as pandemic flexibili- ties end.” Louisiana Budget Project brief (Nov. 5, 2021). www.labudget.org/2021/11/medic- aid-after-covid-19-how-louisiana-can-keep-eli- gible-people-enrolled-in-medicaid-as-pandem- ic-flexibilities-end/ Musumechi, M.B.; Watts, M.O.; Ammula, M.; Burns, A. “Medicaid Public Health Emergency Unwinding Policies Affecting Seniors & Peo- ple with Disabilities: Findings from a 50-State Survey.” KFF issue brief (July 11, 2022). https:// www.kff.org/report-section/medicaid-pub- lic-health-emergency-unwinding-policies-af- fecting-seniors-people-with-disabilities-find- ings-from-a-50-state-survey-issue-brief/ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. “Medicaid and CHIP Continuous Enrollment Unwinding: A Communications Toolkit.” Au- gust 2022. https://www.medicaid.gov/resourc- es-for-states/downloads/unwinding-com- ms-toolkit.pdf HealthSherpa. “What is Healthcare.gov and how does it work?” April 24, 2018. https://blog.health - sherpa.com/what-is-healthcare-gov/ A veteran healthcare administrator and native of Leesville,JosephTidwell brings over 30 years of sol- id clinical and quality experience to his role as vice president of network development and provider en- gagement and in implementing the state’s premiere value-based payment models for capitatedMedicaid. Prior to his tenure with Louisiana Healthcare Con- nections,Joe served as an administrator at Phoenix Behavioral Hospital in Rayne,Louisiana,where he led a successful Joint Commission Certification survey for both the inpatient and outpatient programs.Joe holds amaster’s degree in health administration from Tulane University and a BS in physical therapy from TexasWoman’s University. abilities have become eligible for Medi- care over the last two years and, because they had Medicaid, may not have en- rolled in Medicare thinking they did not need it. For special counseling and help: ldi.la.gov/onlineservices/shiipmap/. Less is more Maintaining continuity of care means as few people as possible are impacted and as many people as possible remain enrolled or have transitioned to the cov- erage for which they are eligible. This is especially important for seniors and peo- ple with disabilities, many of whom have chronic health needs and rely on long- term services and supports to meet their daily needs. As a critical part of their health team, Medicaid MCOs will work to ensure the least amount of disruption for the most. n Educate patients no longer eligible for Medicaid or CHIP on other cover- age options Health Insurance Marketplace plans will be a critical alternative for many pa- tients who have lost Medicaid eligibility. The health insurance exchange website healthcare.gov (1-800-318-2596) is an enrollment site as well as a repository of information on available health insurance options and premium tax credits. Because losing Medicaid is a “qualifying life event,” individuals will be able to enroll outside of the regular enrollment period, but only for a limited window of time. For application assistance targeted by region: localhelp. healthcare.gov. In addition, patients who are approach- ing their 65th birthday or have already turned 65 should contact Medicare. Some older adults and people with dis-