Partner Points Newsletter October 2022

Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services sent this bulletin at 10/31/2022 01:00 PM EDT

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– Partner Points Newsletter October 31, 2022 –

Important Update

Cardinal Care: Virginia’s Medicaid Program

Beginning in January 2023, the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) is rebranding its Medicaid program as Cardinal Care. The Cardinal Care program will encompass all health coverage programs for all of Virginia’s Medicaid members, including managed care and fee-for-service members.

Virginia Medicaid members will automatically become part of Cardinal Care, and no action is required on their part. Through a phased roll out, DMAS will gradually transition to Cardinal Care beginning in January 2023, with anticipated completion by fall 2023. Members may start to see the new logo on their ID cards in early 2023, with both the old and new cards accepted by providers. Members will continue to use the same managed care enrollment websites and call the same phone numbers as always until a unified Cardinal Care Managed Care enrollment website launches in fall 2023. Members will continue to receive the same health care services and coverage, and can continue to see their same doctors. For more information for members, visit the Cardinal Care web page.

Providers also do not need to take any action to participate in Cardinal Care managed care. They will continue to contract with the same six managed care organizations, use the DMAS web-based automated response system (ARS) and the Medicall telephonic system, and use 270/271 eligibility transactions to verify member eligibility and managed care enrollment. For more information for providers, visit the DMAS Cardinal Care web page.

Things to Know

Virginia Medicaid Announces Plans to Transform Managed Care

Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources John Littel recently announced that the Commonwealth’s Medicaid agency plans to launch a transformational new procurement next year to drive innovation and strengthen quality and accountability in its managed care program.

“A best-in-class managed care delivery system is essential to the success of Governor Glenn Youngkin’s priority health initiatives, including behavioral health redesign and improvements in maternal health outcomes,” said Secretary Littel. “We are committed to reinventing this public-private partnership to improve health outcomes and maximize the value of the managed care model for our members and our taxpayers throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.”

The target implementation date for this procurement is July 1, 2024. State leaders will evaluate commercial health plans that participate in the competitive procurement based on their use of data-driven strategies. For more information, view the complete press release.

Health Care Quality Report Card 2022-2023

DMAS released its most recent evaluation of how well the managed care organizations provide care and services to our members. This report card, also called a consumer decision support tool, is available in English and Spanish, and can be found on the DMAS website, the CCC Plus web page, and the Medallion 4.0 web page. During this open enrollment season, this score card is a valuable tool to help members decide which managed care organization will best meet their health care needs.

Why I Became a Community Doula

A personal testimony from Larissa Joos

DMAS announced this summer that Virginia is the 4^th state in the nation to offer community doula services as a benefit for Medicaid members. We are sharing the following testimony from a new community doula to encourage interested individuals to become a state-certified community doula and join the Virginia Medicaid program as a provider!

“My passion for birth work started 25 years ago when I was an Air Force medic and was doing my maternity rotation in tech school. This was the first time I had ever experienced a live birth, and the moment the baby was born and in his mother’s arms, I was in love and hooked!

“I went on to have six children of my own at home with a midwife. I chose to become a doula because I want everyone to have the birth they desire. I want to educate them on all of their choices, and I want them to feel confident to speak up for what they want during pregnancy and delivery.

“I love being a doula because I get to encourage and educate a birthing person so they feel supported and empowered with their pregnancy and delivery. I know that I am making a difference in my community. This work is rewarding, challenging, intriguing, spontaneous and absolutely POWERFUL! Doulas are changing the way we birth in this country, and we are saving lives.”

For more information and step-by-step instructions about how you can become a Medicaid community doula, visit www.dmas.virginia.gov/doula.

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This service is provided to you at no charge by Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services.