Whole Person Care Initiative to Focus on Factors That Impact Wellness
Growing national attention on social determinants of health indicates that socio-economic status, behaviors, and physical environment contribute more to health outcomes than access to health care. AHCCCS has addressed these complex issues through efforts to provide housing, employment, criminal justice, non-emergency transportation and home and community-based services interventions for members, but we know that more can be done.
As we continue to explore opportunities that support whole person health care, we are engaging community stakeholders who have expressed interest in augmenting our ability to address:
- Transitional housing, particularly for individuals leaving a correctional facility; those being discharged from a behavioral health inpatient stay; and individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.
- Non-medical transportation with a focus on access to healthy food and employment navigation services.
- Social isolation that can impact individuals who receive Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS) services in their own homes including, but not limited to, peer support programs.
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Arizona's Housing Efforts Take Center Stage at National Association of Medicaid Directors Conference
To an audience of more than 1,200 influential Medicaid leaders, AHCCCS Director Jami Snyder and Elizabeth DaCosta, Senior Director of Housing and Community Integration at Community Bridges, Inc.,
highlighted the state's progress toward the goal of reducing unsheltered homelessness in downtown Phoenix by 80% by 2021. During the plenary session at the National Association of Medicaid Directors conference on Nov. 12., Snyder and DaCosta explained how the collective impact of braiding funding sources from federal, state, and city agencies,
and working with a broad range of community organizations, has moved the needle toward reducing the number of individuals experiencing chronic homelessness in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
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Major Decisions Posted Regarding the RBHA Competitive Contract Expansion
AHCCCS has released its second set of Major Decisions for the Competitive Contract Expansion of RBHA services to AHCCCS Complete Care Plans.
Major decisions in this release include:
- Branding for ACC Plan with expanded RBHA services.
- Mental Health Block Grant (MHBG) and Substance Abuse Block Grant (SABG) Administration.
- Crisis Services.
- Options for American Indian/Alaska Native members determined to have a serious mental illness.
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AHCCCS Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Health Care Plan Acquisition
AHCCCS is seeking public comment on the proposed sale of Steward Health Choice Arizona, Inc. (SHCA) to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Inc. (BCBSAZ) and the proposed transition plan. Steward Health Choice Arizona currently serves approximately 203,700 members throughout Maricopa, Pinal, and Gila counties as an AHCCCS Complete Care (ACC) Plan, and the entire northern geographic service area of the state as both an ACC Plan and a Regional Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA).
P
ublic comments can be submitted to
Steward-BCBSAZSale@azahcccs.gov
until December 20, 2019.
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New Launch Date for Provider Enrollment Portal (APEP)
The launch date for the new, online AHCCCS Provider Enrollment Portal has been changed to June 1, 2020 in order to allow ample time for provider communication and training to ensure readiness for the new system. AHCCCS will continue to receive and process timely provider updates and application requests during the transition from a manual provider enrollment process to the new online portal.
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Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances Begins Jan. 1
Beginning Jan. 1, 2020, Arizona providers who order a Class II Opioid medication will be required to send it directly to a pharmacy instead of writing a paper prescription. But time is running out for providers to be ready and enabled to prescribe opioids electronically by the first of the year.
Because prescribing for opioids requires additional security and identity proofing processes compared to e-prescribing, providers who are not in compliance should work to complete the necessary steps to be live on EPCS software by 1/1/2020. For training and assistance, visit the
EPCS Click for Control Campaign
from Health Current or contact them at
erx@HealthCurrent.org,
602-688-7200.
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Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee Meeting
Wed., Jan. 22, 9 a.m.
701 E. Jefferson, Phoenix, AZ
3rd Floor, Gold Room
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