Department of Health and Human Services Alignment
The Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) officially became the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on July 1. While you may not see a big change on the outside yet, there's a lot of work going into this alignment to make it seamless and easier for you, our members, to navigate. You will soon start to see a lot of changes to our website and social media platforms - but don't worry, we're not going anywhere. Our HHS team remains dedicated to providing you the best care possible.
"The HHS alignment is incredibly exciting as it will allow us to work more seamlessly on shared program goals between DHS and IDPH and in turn, provide better services to our Medicaid members, providers and partners," said Elizabeth Matney, Iowa Medicaid Director. "Bottom line, we are all here for the same reason and that is to improve health and human services for Iowans. Now we are officially one team!"
To learn more about the HHS alignment, please visit the official HHS Alignment website. It includes a summary of the alignment, goals and impacts, frequently asked questions and a contact page if you have questions.
Medicaid Members Encouraged to Seek Prenatal Care in their First Trimester
Iowa Total Care (ITC) is encouraging pregnant or new parents to enroll in their "Start Smart for Your Baby" program. The program provides new parents information about pregnancy and newborn care and caring for yourself after pregnancy, including postpartum checkups.
To join the program, follow the five simple steps here.
We Want Your Input on the Community-Based Services Evaluation's (CBSE) Behavioral Health Survey
Iowa HHS has partnered with researchers at Mathematica and their partners at the Harkin Institute to conduct a systemwide assessment of community-based services for people with behavioral health, disability and aging needs.
Community-based services are the services many members need to stay in their homes and neighborhoods rather than receiving care in institutional settings. These cases may include case management, personal care, home health care and transportation. The assessment seeks to understand how people access and use these services through Medicaid and other programs. By early 2023, the research team expects to make recommendations to enhance and improve service delivery of Iowa Medicaid waivers. But to do so, they need your help!
Through August 31, people in Iowa can share their experiences with community-based services in a feedback form available here. Or, if you'd rather give your input in person, sign up for a listening session in your area by emailing here or calling (515) 271-3688.
Listening session participants will receive a $25 gift card for their time. They can also receive a $10 gift card for travel costs. Most sessions will be in English, with options for American Sign Language and Communication Access Realtime Translation.
To view the press release about this opportunity, click here.
The Consumer Choices Option (CCO), Explained
We get a lot of questions about Iowa Medicaid CCO from our members and providers. The CCO is an option under the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers to form a targeted plan to meet a member's needs by directly hiring employees and/or buying other goods and services. To better manage the Medicaid funds granted, the member will choose an Independent Support Broker and a Financial Management Service to help create and manage each member's budget and find employees.
Learn more about the CCO here.
Federal Public Health Emergency Extended
The Federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) is expected to extend into the fall.
Iowa Medicaid did not receive notice from the federal government within 60-days of July 15, 2022 which was the date the PHE was expected to end. Due to the lack of notification, it is expected that the PHE will extend another 90-days into October 2022.
How This Impacts You
The good news is that if you got on Iowa Medicaid during the pandemic, your benefits should extend until at least this fall. However, all Medicaid members, regardless of when they signed up for Medicaid, will be going through an eligibility process once the PHE ends. Please make sure your contact information is up to date, so you don't risk losing your coverage!
  Amerigroup donates $20,000 to Iowa State University community garden
Iowa Medicaid MCO, Amerigroup, donated $20,000 to Iowa State University Extension and Outreach this month. The gift marks the second year of support for Growing Together Iowa provided by Amerigroup. The money will support a statewide community garden that will provide around 90,000 pounds of fresh produce to local food pantries.
To learn more about Amerigroup's donation and the statewide community garden, read the full story here.
Central Iowa Shelter and Services Receives $10,000 Donation from Iowa Total Care
CISS is receiving a $10,000 donation from Iowa Medicaid MCO, Iowa Total Care. The donation will further their mutually beneficial efforts in the community and go toward the Agrihood and greenhouse expansion project at CISS, which aligns with ITC's "Be Well. Eat Well." initiative.
The project will provide clients and the community with about 75,000 pounds of produce and protein and will serve a possible 300,000 meals annually to people in need.
Read more about ITC's donation and the project here.
ITC donates $100,000 to Support Literacy in Iowa
Iowa Total Care has donated $100,000 to support literacy in schools throughout Iowa, donating an additional $50,000 from last year. In 2021, ITC donated $500 to 100 schools across the state to provide kids with greater access to literacy resources through their 100 Head Starts in Iowa initiative.
Through their Literacy Program, ITC has also supported literacy initiatives with Broadlawns, Reach Out and Read, statewide libraries and at federally qualified health centers.
To learn more about the Literacy Program, click here.
For kid-friendly resources, click here.
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