CMS and Rhode Island Partner to Coordinate Care for Medicare-Medicaid Enrollees

Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new partnership with the State of Rhode Island to test an initiative to improve services for Medicare-Medicaid enrollees.  The new demonstration will allow Rhode Island and CMS to contract with a Medicare-Medicaid Plan to provide an integrated set of Medicare and Medicaid benefits for enrolled beneficiaries. Approximately 30,000 Medicare-Medicaid enrollees in Rhode Island will be eligible for the demonstration.

“We are pleased to partner with Rhode Island to bring more person-centered care to Medicare-Medicaid enrollees,” said CMS Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt.  “We look forward to working together to provide beneficiaries with an opportunity to experience more integrated benefits.”

The Rhode Island demonstration builds on the state’s existing Integrated Care Initiative. Under Phase I of the Integrated Care Initiative, Rhode Island established the Rhody Health Options (RHO) Medicaid managed care program. In RHO, Medicaid members – including those dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare – enroll in a health plan that coordinates their Medicaid services, including long-term services and supports. Under the demonstration announced today, a qualifying RHO plan will cover integrated Medicare and Medicaid benefits for enrollees.

The demonstration is designed to provide Medicare-Medicaid enrollees with a more person-centered care experience that improves access to and coordinates delivery of Medicare and Medicaid services.  Enrollees will have a dedicated service coordination team to address their medical, behavioral health, and long-term services and supports needs.