DHH Hosts Public Engagement Sessions to Gather Input on Managed Long Term Care Plans

Department offers different options for stakeholders, concerned citizens to gather information, submit comments

Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014  |  Contact: Media & Communications (225) 342-1532, Email: dhhinfo@la.gov

BATON ROUGE, La - The Department of Health and Hospitals is hosting a series of public meetings to gather input about its proposal to transition people receiving long supports and services through the Medicaid program to a model of managed care.

Over the past decade, DHH has engaged stakeholders in a comprehensive effort to reform long-term support and services (LTSS) by striking the appropriate balance between providing care in institutional and community settings, improving quality of care, expanding service options, and addressing financial sustainability. In December 2012, DHH issued a Request for Information seeking creative, innovative and viable strategies to move forward with its next phase of delivering coordinated care through the creation of a new managed long-term supports and services (MLTSS) program. 

DHH convened an advisory group of stakeholders in 2013 to discuss basic program design and how the Department can best meet people's needs through MLTSS. These stakeholders discussed research and information available from other states. Topic briefs and other information used in these advisory group meetings are posted on MakingMedicaidBetter.com/LongTermCare 

Secretary Kliebert said, "We have spent the past several months working with stakeholders to come up with a plan for how best to implement managed care for those receiving long term care services in our state. Louisiana has seen many positive outcomes from transitioning other Medicaid members to managed care through Bayou Health and we are looking forward to improving quality of care for new populations with the MLTSS program."

DHH will host three traditional public forums and three online Webinars, which will allow interested stakeholders to choose an option that is most convenient for them. In addition, DHH has posted a video of its presentation and the PowerPoint that will be used online at MakingMedicaidBetter.com/LongTermCare so that someone who cannot attend a planned meeting can receive the information and submit questions or comments online. 

Each of the six meetings will begin with a presentation from DHH Secretary Kathy Kliebert and will conclude with a 90-minute public question and answer session. The content and format will be the same at all of the meetings, so it is not necessary to attend all six.

SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS

Online Webinars

DHH has scheduled three webinars to give the public an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback to the Department on MLTSS. Login information will be posted on MakingMedicaidBetter.com/LongTermCare in advance of the meetings. Participants are encouraged to register for a Webinar in advance as space is limited.

The Webinars will begin with a brief presentation by Secretary Kliebert, followed by 90 minutes of questions from the public. The dates for the Webinars are:

• Monday, February 17, 2014 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, February 18, 2014 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• Wednesday, February 19, 2014 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Public Forum Meetings

DHH has also scheduled three public forum meetings around the state to give the public an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback to the Department on MLTSS. The first will be in Alexandria, followed by Shreveport and New Orleans. The meetings will begin with a brief presentation by Secretary Kliebert, followed by 90 minutes of questions from the public. The dates and locations for these meetings are:

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 

• 10:30 a.m. - Alexandria Public Forum
  Pinecrest Supports and Services Center, Gym
  100 Pinecrest Dr., Pineville, LA 71361
• 5:00 p.m. - Shreveport Public Forum
  Holy Angels Residential Facility, Gym
  10450 Ellerbe Road, Shreveport, LA 71106

Wednesday, February 26

• 12:30pm - New Orleans Public Forum
  Allied Health/Nursing School Building*
  Tiger Room #138
  1900 Gravier Street
  New Orleans, LA 70112

* PARKING - There are three options for parking, which are all located in close proximity to the building: 1) Paid public parking in the LSUHSC Roman Street Parking Garage, directly across from the building, 2) Metered street parking, and 3) a parking lot owned by St. Joseph Church, which is located diagonally across from the Allied Health/Nursing building.

PROVIDING FEEDBACK

People who cannot attend these meetings and who wish to provide feedback may do so via the "Submit a Comment" link on MakingMedicaidBetter.com/LongTermCare or by sending an email to LongTermCare@la.gov. DHH will take these comments into consideration when developing its program plan and Requests for Proposals.

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals strives to protect and promote health statewide and to ensure access to medical, preventive and rehabilitative services for all state citizens. To learn more about DHH, visit http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov. For up-to-date health information, news and emergency updates, follow DHH's Twitter account and Facebook.

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