The Florida Senate

409.9122  Mandatory Medicaid managed care enrollment; programs and procedures.--

¹(1)  It is the intent of the Legislature that the MediPass program be cost-effective, provide quality health care, and improve access to health services, and that the program be statewide.

(2)(a)  The agency shall enroll in a managed care plan or MediPass all Medicaid recipients, except those Medicaid recipients who are: in an institution; enrolled in the Medicaid medically needy program; or eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare. However, to the extent permitted by federal law, the agency may enroll in a managed care plan or MediPass a Medicaid recipient who is exempt from mandatory managed care enrollment, provided that:

1.  The recipient's decision to enroll in a managed care plan or MediPass is voluntary;

2.  If the recipient chooses to enroll in a managed care plan, the agency has determined that the managed care plan provides specific programs and services which address the special health needs of the recipient; and

3.  The agency receives any necessary waivers from the federal Health Care Financing Administration.

The agency shall develop rules to establish policies by which exceptions to the mandatory managed care enrollment requirement may be made on a case-by-case basis. The rules shall include the specific criteria to be applied when making a determination as to whether to exempt a recipient from mandatory enrollment in a managed care plan or MediPass. School districts participating in the certified school match program pursuant to ss. 236.0812 and 409.908(21) shall be reimbursed by Medicaid, subject to the limitations of s. 236.0812(1) and (2), for a Medicaid-eligible child participating in the services as authorized in s. 236.0812, as provided for in s. 409.9071, regardless of whether the child is enrolled in MediPass or a managed care plan. Managed care plans shall make a good faith effort to execute agreements with school districts regarding the coordinated provision of services authorized under s. 236.0812. County health departments delivering school-based services pursuant to ss. 381.0056 and 381.0057 shall be reimbursed by Medicaid for the federal share for a Medicaid-eligible child who receives Medicaid-covered services in a school setting, regardless of whether the child is enrolled in MediPass or a managed care plan. Managed care plans shall make a good faith effort to execute agreements with county health departments regarding the coordinated provision of services to a Medicaid-eligible child. To ensure continuity of care for Medicaid patients, the agency, the Department of Health, and the Department of Education shall develop procedures for ensuring that a student's managed care plan or MediPass provider receives information relating to services provided in accordance with ss. 236.0812, 381.0056, 381.0057, and 409.9071.

(b)  A Medicaid recipient shall not be enrolled in or assigned to a managed care plan or MediPass unless the managed care plan or MediPass has complied with the quality-of-care standards specified in paragraphs (3)(a) and (b), respectively.

(c)  Medicaid recipients shall have a choice of managed care plans or MediPass. The Agency for Health Care Administration, the Department of Health, the Department of Children and Family Services, and the Department of Elderly Affairs shall cooperate to ensure that each Medicaid recipient receives clear and easily understandable information that meets the following requirements:

1.  Explains the concept of managed care, including MediPass.

2.  Provides information on the comparative performance of managed care plans and MediPass in the areas of quality, credentialing, preventive health programs, network size and availability, and patient satisfaction.

3.  Explains where additional information on each managed care plan and MediPass in the recipient's area can be obtained.

4.  Explains that recipients have the right to choose their own managed care plans or MediPass. However, if a recipient does not choose a managed care plan or MediPass, the agency will assign the recipient to a managed care plan or MediPass according to the criteria specified in this section.

5.  Explains the recipient's right to complain, file a grievance, or change managed care plans or MediPass providers if the recipient is not satisfied with the managed care plan or MediPass.

(d)  The agency shall develop a mechanism for providing information to Medicaid recipients for the purpose of making a managed care plan or MediPass selection. Examples of such mechanisms may include, but not be limited to, interactive information systems, mailings, and mass marketing materials. Managed care plans and MediPass providers are prohibited from providing inducements to Medicaid recipients to select their plans or from prejudicing Medicaid recipients against other managed care plans or MediPass providers.

(e)  Prior to requesting a Medicaid recipient who is subject to mandatory managed care enrollment to make a choice between a managed care plan or MediPass, the agency shall contact and provide choice counseling to the recipient. Medicaid recipients who are already enrolled in a managed care plan or MediPass shall be offered the opportunity to change managed care plans or MediPass providers on a staggered basis, as defined by the agency. All Medicaid recipients shall have 90 days in which to make a choice of managed care plans or MediPass providers. Those Medicaid recipients who do not make a choice shall be assigned to a managed care plan or MediPass in accordance with paragraph (f). To facilitate continuity of care, for a Medicaid recipient who is also a recipient of Supplemental Security Income (SSI), prior to assigning the SSI recipient to a managed care plan or MediPass, the agency shall determine whether the SSI recipient has an ongoing relationship with a MediPass provider or managed care plan, and if so, the agency shall assign the SSI recipient to that MediPass provider or managed care plan. Those SSI recipients who do not have such a provider relationship shall be assigned to a managed care plan or MediPass provider in accordance with paragraph (f).

(f)  When a Medicaid recipient does not choose a managed care plan or MediPass provider, the agency shall assign the Medicaid recipient to a managed care plan or MediPass provider. Medicaid recipients who are subject to mandatory assignment but who fail to make a choice shall be assigned to managed care plans or provider service networks until an equal enrollment of 50 percent in MediPass and provider service networks and 50 percent in managed care plans is achieved. Once equal enrollment is achieved, the assignments shall be divided in order to maintain an equal enrollment in MediPass and managed care plans for the 1998-1999 fiscal year. Thereafter, assignment of Medicaid recipients who fail to make a choice shall be based proportionally on the preferences of recipients who have made a choice in the previous period. Such proportions shall be revised at least quarterly to reflect an update of the preferences of Medicaid recipients. When making assignments, the agency shall take into account the following criteria:

1.  A managed care plan has sufficient network capacity to meet the need of members.

2.  The managed care plan or MediPass has previously enrolled the recipient as a member, or one of the managed care plan's primary care providers or MediPass providers has previously provided health care to the recipient.

3.  The agency has knowledge that the member has previously expressed a preference for a particular managed care plan or MediPass provider as indicated by Medicaid fee-for-service claims data, but has failed to make a choice.

4.  The managed care plan's or MediPass primary care providers are geographically accessible to the recipient's residence.

(g)  When more than one managed care plan or MediPass provider meets the criteria specified in paragraph (f), the agency shall make recipient assignments consecutively by family unit.

(h)  The agency may not engage in practices that are designed to favor one managed care plan over another or that are designed to influence Medicaid recipients to enroll in MediPass rather than in a managed care plan or to enroll in a managed care plan rather than in MediPass. This subsection does not prohibit the agency from reporting on the performance of MediPass or any managed care plan, as measured by performance criteria developed by the agency.

(i)  After a recipient has made a selection or has been enrolled in a managed care plan or MediPass, the recipient shall have 90 days in which to voluntarily disenroll and select another managed care plan or MediPass provider. After 90 days, no further changes may be made except for cause. Cause shall include, but not be limited to, poor quality of care, lack of access to necessary specialty services, an unreasonable delay or denial of service, or fraudulent enrollment. The agency shall develop criteria for good cause disenrollment for chronically ill and disabled populations who are assigned to managed care plans if more appropriate care is available through the MediPass program. The agency must make a determination as to whether cause exists. However, the agency may require a recipient to use the managed care plan's or MediPass grievance process prior to the agency's determination of cause, except in cases in which immediate risk of permanent damage to the recipient's health is alleged. The grievance process, when utilized, must be completed in time to permit the recipient to disenroll no later than the first day of the second month after the month the disenrollment request was made. If the managed care plan or MediPass, as a result of the grievance process, approves an enrollee's request to disenroll, the agency is not required to make a determination in the case. The agency must make a determination and take final action on a recipient's request so that disenrollment occurs no later than the first day of the second month after the month the request was made. If the agency fails to act within the specified timeframe, the recipient's request to disenroll is deemed to be approved as of the date agency action was required. Recipients who disagree with the agency's finding that cause does not exist for disenrollment shall be advised of their right to pursue a Medicaid fair hearing to dispute the agency's finding.

(j)  The agency shall apply for a federal waiver from the Health Care Financing Administration to lock eligible Medicaid recipients into a managed care plan or MediPass for 12 months after an open enrollment period. After 12 months' enrollment, a recipient may select another managed care plan or MediPass provider. However, nothing shall prevent a Medicaid recipient from changing primary care providers within the managed care plan or MediPass program during the 12-month period.

(3)(a)  The agency shall establish quality-of-care standards for managed care plans. These standards shall be based upon, but are not limited to:

1.  Compliance with the accreditation requirements as provided in s. 641.512.

2.  Compliance with Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment screening requirements.

3.  The percentage of voluntary disenrollments.

4.  Immunization rates.

5.  Standards of the National Committee for Quality Assurance and other approved accrediting bodies.

6.  Recommendations of other authoritative bodies.

7.  Specific requirements of the Medicaid program, or standards designed to specifically assist the unique needs of Medicaid recipients.

8.  Compliance with the health quality improvement system as established by the agency, which incorporates standards and guidelines developed by the Medicaid Bureau of the Health Care Financing Administration as part of the quality assurance reform initiative.

(b)  For the MediPass program, the agency shall establish standards which are based upon, but are not limited to:

1.  Quality-of-care standards which are comparable to those required of managed care plans.

2.  Credentialing standards for MediPass providers.

3.  Compliance with Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment screening requirements.

4.  Immunization rates.

5.  Specific requirements of the Medicaid program, or standards designed to specifically assist the unique needs of Medicaid recipients.

(4)(a)  Each female recipient may select as her primary care provider an obstetrician/gynecologist who has agreed to participate as a MediPass primary care case manager.

(b)  The agency shall establish a complaints and grievance process to assist Medicaid recipients enrolled in the MediPass program to resolve complaints and grievances. The agency shall investigate reports of quality-of-care grievances which remain unresolved to the satisfaction of the enrollee.

(5)(a)  The agency shall work cooperatively with the Social Security Administration to identify beneficiaries who are jointly eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and shall develop cooperative programs to encourage these beneficiaries to enroll in a Medicare participating health maintenance organization or prepaid health plans.

(b)  The agency shall work cooperatively with the Department of Elderly Affairs to assess the potential cost-effectiveness of providing MediPass to beneficiaries who are jointly eligible for Medicare and Medicaid on a voluntary choice basis. If the agency determines that enrollment of these beneficiaries in MediPass has the potential for being cost-effective for the state, the agency shall offer MediPass to these beneficiaries on a voluntary choice basis in the counties where MediPass operates.

(6)  MediPass enrolled recipients may receive up to 10 visits of reimbursable services by participating Medicaid physicians licensed under chapter 460 and up to four visits of reimbursable services by participating Medicaid physicians licensed under chapter 461. Any further visits must be by prior authorization by the MediPass primary care provider. However, nothing in this subsection may be construed to increase the total number of visits or the total amount of dollars per year per person under current Medicaid rules, unless otherwise provided for in the General Appropriations Act.

(7)  The agency shall investigate the feasibility of developing managed care plan and MediPass options for the following groups of Medicaid recipients:

(a)  Pregnant women and infants.

(b)  Elderly and disabled recipients, especially those who are at risk of nursing home placement.

(c)  Persons with developmental disabilities.

(d)  Qualified Medicare beneficiaries.

(e)  Adults who have chronic, high-cost medical conditions.

(f)  Adults and children who have mental health problems.

(g)  Other recipients for whom managed care plans and MediPass offer the opportunity of more cost-effective care and greater access to qualified providers.

(8)(a)  The agency shall encourage the development of public and private partnerships to foster the growth of health maintenance organizations and prepaid health plans that will provide high-quality health care to Medicaid recipients.

(b)  Subject to the availability of moneys and any limitations established by the General Appropriations Act or chapter 216, the agency is authorized to enter into contracts with traditional providers of health care to low-income persons to assist such providers with the technical aspects of cooperatively developing Medicaid prepaid health plans.

1.  The agency may contract with disproportionate share hospitals, county health departments, federally initiated or federally funded community health centers, and counties that operate either a hospital or a community clinic.

2.  A contract may not be for more than $100,000 per year, and no contract may be extended with any particular provider for more than 2 years. The contract is intended only as seed or development funding and requires a commitment from the interested party.

3.  A contract must require participation by at least one community health clinic and one disproportionate share hospital.

(9)(a)  The agency shall develop and implement a comprehensive plan to ensure that recipients are adequately informed of their choices and rights under all Medicaid managed care programs and that Medicaid managed care programs meet acceptable standards of quality in patient care, patient satisfaction, and financial solvency.

(b)  The agency shall provide adequate means for informing patients of their choice and rights under a managed care plan at the time of eligibility determination.

(c)  The agency shall require managed care plans and MediPass providers to demonstrate and document plans and activities, as defined by rule, including outreach and followup, undertaken to ensure that Medicaid recipients receive the health care service to which they are entitled.

(10)  The agency shall consult with Medicaid consumers and their representatives on an ongoing basis regarding measurements of patient satisfaction, procedures for resolving patient grievances, standards for ensuring quality of care, mechanisms for providing patient access to services, and policies affecting patient care.

(11)  The agency may extend eligibility for Medicaid recipients enrolled in licensed and accredited health maintenance organizations for the duration of the enrollment period or for 6 months, whichever is earlier, provided the agency certifies that such an offer will not increase state expenditures.

(12)  A managed care plan that has a Medicaid contract shall at least annually review each primary care physician's active patient load and shall ensure that additional Medicaid recipients are not assigned to physicians who have a total active patient load of more than 3,000 patients. As used in this subsection, the term "active patient" means a patient who is seen by the same primary care physician, or by a physician assistant or advanced registered nurse practitioner under the supervision of the primary care physician, at least three times within a calendar year. Each primary care physician shall annually certify to the managed care plan whether or not his or her patient load exceeds the limits established under this subsection and the managed care plan shall accept such certification on face value as compliance with this subsection. The agency shall accept the managed care plan's representations that it is in compliance with this subsection based on the certification of its primary care physicians, unless the agency has an objective indication that access to primary care is being compromised, such as receiving complaints or grievances relating to access to care. If the agency determines that an objective indication exists that access to primary care is being compromised, it may verify the patient load certifications submitted by the managed care plan's primary care physicians and that the managed care plan is not assigning Medicaid recipients to primary care physicians who have an active patient load of more than 3,000 patients.

History.--s. 51, ch. 93-129; s. 1, ch. 95-281; s. 7, ch. 96-199; s. 203, ch. 97-101; s. 4, ch. 97-168; s. 190, ch. 97-264; s. 3, ch. 97-290; s. 31, ch. 98-191.

¹Note.--The amendment to this section by s. 7, ch. 96-199, amends the text of subsection (1) to read as shown here. The entire text of subsection (1) also appears in s. 7, ch. 96-199, following the text of newly-created subsection (3), struck-through as if it were to be deleted except for the last sentence of old paragraph (4)(b) which became paragraph (4)(a).