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2014 Florida Statutes
SECTION 9122
Mandatory Medicaid managed care enrollment; programs and procedures.
Mandatory Medicaid managed care enrollment; programs and procedures.
409.9122 Mandatory Medicaid managed care enrollment; programs and procedures.—
(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. This subsection expires October 1, 2014.
(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. Upon enrollment, individuals will be able to change their managed care option during the 90-day opt out period required by federal Medicaid regulations. The agency is authorized to seek the necessary Medicaid state plan amendment to implement this policy. 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 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
School districts participating in the certified school match program pursuant to ss. 409.908(21) and 1011.70 shall be reimbursed by Medicaid, subject to the limitations of s. 1011.70(1), for a Medicaid-eligible child participating in the services as authorized in s. 1011.70, 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. 1011.70. 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. 381.0056, 381.0057, 409.9071, and 1011.70.
(b) A Medicaid recipient may 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 (4)(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 Families, 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 managed care coverage at the time they first enroll in Medicaid and again at regular intervals set by the agency. 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) 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 30 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 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) If 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 eligible for managed care plan enrollment who are subject to mandatory assignment but who fail to make a choice shall be assigned to managed care plans until an enrollment of 35 percent in MediPass and 65 percent in managed care plans, of all those eligible to choose managed care, is achieved. Once this enrollment is achieved, the assignments shall be divided in order to maintain an enrollment in MediPass and managed care plans which is in a 35 percent and 65 percent proportion, respectively. 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. The agency shall disproportionately assign Medicaid-eligible recipients who are required to but have failed to make a choice of managed care plan or MediPass to the Children’s Medical Services Network as defined in s. 391.021, exclusive provider organizations, provider service networks, minority physician networks, and pediatric emergency department diversion programs authorized by this chapter or the General Appropriations Act, in such manner as the agency deems appropriate, until the agency has determined that the networks and programs have sufficient numbers to be operated economically. For purposes of this paragraph, when referring to assignment, the term “managed care plans” includes health maintenance organizations, exclusive provider organizations, provider service networks, minority physician networks, Children’s Medical Services Network, and pediatric emergency department diversion programs authorized by this chapter or the General Appropriations Act. 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 his or her selection or has been enrolled in a managed care plan or MediPass, the recipient shall have 90 days to exercise the opportunity to voluntarily disenroll and select another managed care plan or MediPass. After 90 days, no further changes may be made except for good cause. Good cause includes, but is not 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 by 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 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 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.
(k) 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, except in those counties in which there are fewer than two managed care plans accepting Medicaid enrollees, in which case assignment shall be to a managed care plan or a MediPass provider. Medicaid recipients in counties with fewer than two managed care plans accepting Medicaid enrollees who are subject to mandatory assignment but who fail to make a choice shall be assigned to managed care plans until an enrollment of 35 percent in MediPass and 65 percent in managed care plans, of all those eligible to choose managed care, is achieved. Once that enrollment is achieved, the assignments shall be divided in order to maintain an enrollment in MediPass and managed care plans which is in a 35 percent and 65 percent proportion, respectively. For purposes of this paragraph, when referring to assignment, the term “managed care plans” includes exclusive provider organizations, provider service networks, Children’s Medical Services Network, minority physician networks, and pediatric emergency department diversion programs authorized by this chapter or the General Appropriations Act. 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.
5. The agency has authority to make mandatory assignments based on quality of service and performance of managed care plans.
(l) Notwithstanding chapter 287, the agency may renew cost-effective contracts for choice counseling services once or more for such periods as the agency may decide. However, all such renewals may not combine to exceed a total period longer than the term of the original contract.
This subsection expires October 1, 2014.
(3) Notwithstanding s. 409.961, if a Medicaid recipient is diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, the agency shall assign the recipient to a managed care plan that is a health maintenance organization authorized under chapter 641, that is under contract with the agency as an HIV/AIDS specialty plan as of January 1, 2013, and that offers a delivery system through a university-based teaching and research-oriented organization that specializes in providing health care services and treatment for individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. This subsection applies to recipients who are subject to mandatory managed care enrollment and have failed to choose a managed care option.
(4)(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.
This subsection expires October 1, 2014.
(5)(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.
This subsection expires October 1, 2014.
(6)(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.
This subsection expires October 1, 2014.
(7) 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. This subsection expires October 1, 2014.
(8)(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.
This subsection expires October 1, 2014.
(9) 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. This subsection expires October 1, 2014.
(10) 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. This subsection expires October 1, 2013.
(11) 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. This subsection expires October 1, 2014.
(12) Effective July 1, 2003, the agency shall adjust the enrollee assignment process of Medicaid managed prepaid health plans for those Medicaid managed prepaid plans operating in Miami-Dade County which have executed a contract with the agency for a minimum of 8 consecutive years in order for the Medicaid managed prepaid plan to maintain a minimum enrollment level of 15,000 members per month. When assigning enrollees pursuant to this subsection, the agency shall give priority to providers that initially qualified under this subsection until such providers reach and maintain an enrollment level of 15,000 members per month. A prepaid health plan that has a statewide Medicaid enrollment of 25,000 or more members is not eligible for enrollee assignments under this subsection. This subsection expires October 1, 2014.
(13) The agency shall include in its calculation of the hospital inpatient component of a Medicaid health maintenance organization’s capitation rate any special payments, including, but not limited to, upper payment limit or disproportionate share hospital payments, made to qualifying hospitals through the fee-for-service program. The agency may seek federal waiver approval or state plan amendment as needed to implement this adjustment.
(14) The agency shall develop a process to enable any recipient with access to employer-sponsored health care coverage to opt out of all eligible plans in the Medicaid program and to use Medicaid financial assistance to pay for the recipient’s share of cost in any such employer-sponsored coverage. Contingent on federal approval, the agency shall also enable recipients with access to other insurance or related products that provide access to health care services created pursuant to state law, including any plan or product available pursuant to the Florida Health Choices Program or any health exchange, to opt out. The amount of financial assistance provided for each recipient may not exceed the amount of the Medicaid premium that would have been paid to a plan for that recipient.
(15) The agency shall maintain and operate the Medicaid Encounter Data System to collect, process, store, and report on covered services provided to all Florida Medicaid recipients enrolled in prepaid managed care plans.
(a) Prepaid managed care plans shall submit encounter data electronically in a format that complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act provisions for electronic claims and in accordance with deadlines established by the agency. Prepaid managed care plans must certify that the data reported is accurate and complete.
(b) The agency is responsible for validating the data submitted by the plans. The agency shall develop methods and protocols for ongoing analysis of the encounter data that adjusts for differences in characteristics of prepaid plan enrollees to allow comparison of service utilization among plans and against expected levels of use. The analysis shall be used to identify possible cases of systemic underutilization or denials of claims and inappropriate service utilization such as higher-than-expected emergency department encounters. The analysis shall provide periodic feedback to the plans and enable the agency to establish corrective action plans when necessary. One of the focus areas for the analysis shall be the use of prescription drugs.
(16) The agency may establish a per-member, per-month payment for Medicare Advantage Special Needs members that are also eligible for Medicaid as a mechanism for meeting the state’s cost-sharing obligation. The agency may also develop a per-member, per-month payment only for Medicaid-covered services for which the state is responsible. The agency shall develop a mechanism to ensure that such per-member, per-month payment enhances the value to the state and enrolled members by limiting cost sharing, enhances the scope of Medicare supplemental benefits that are equal to or greater than Medicaid coverage for select services, and improves care coordination.
(17) The agency shall establish, and managed care plans shall use, a uniform method of accounting for and reporting medical and nonmedical costs.
(a) Managed care plans shall submit financial data electronically in a format that complies with the uniform accounting procedures established by the agency. Managed care plans must certify that the data reported is accurate and complete.
(b) The agency is responsible for validating the financial data submitted by the plans. The agency shall develop methods and protocols for ongoing analysis of data that adjusts for differences in characteristics of plan enrollees to allow comparison among plans and against expected levels of expenditures. The analysis shall be used to identify possible cases of overspending on administrative costs or underspending on medical services.
(18) The agency shall establish and maintain an information system to make encounter data, financial data, and other measures of plan performance available to the public and any interested party.
(a) Information submitted by the managed care plans shall be available online as well as in other formats.
(b) Periodic agency reports shall be published that include summary as well as plan specific measures of financial performance and service utilization.
(c) Any release of the financial and encounter data submitted by managed care plans shall ensure the confidentiality of personal health information.
(19) The agency may, on a case-by-case basis, exempt a recipient from mandatory enrollment in a managed care plan when the recipient has a unique, time-limited disease or condition-related circumstance and managed care enrollment will interfere with ongoing care because the recipient’s provider does not participate in the managed care plans available in the recipient’s area.
(20) The agency shall contract with a single provider service network to function as a managing entity for the MediPass program in all counties with fewer than two prepaid plans. The contractor shall be responsible for implementing preauthorization procedures, case management programs, and utilization management initiatives in order to improve care coordination and patient outcomes while reducing costs. The contractor may earn an administrative fee if the fee is less than any savings as determined by the reconciliation process under s. 409.912(4)(d)1. This subsection expires October 1, 2014, or upon full implementation of the managed medical assistance program, whichever is sooner.
(21) Subject to federal approval, the agency shall contract with a single provider service network to function as a third-party administrator and managing entity for the Medically Needy program in all counties. The contractor shall provide care coordination and utilization management in order to achieve more cost-effective services for Medically Needy enrollees. To facilitate the care management functions of the provider service network, enrollment in the network shall be for a continuous 6-month period or until the end of the contract between the provider service network and the agency, whichever is sooner. Beginning the second month after the determination of eligibility, the contractor may collect a monthly premium from each Medically Needy recipient provided the premium does not exceed the enrollee’s share of cost as determined by the Department of Children and Families. The contractor must provide a 90-day grace period before disenrolling a Medically Needy recipient for failure to pay premiums. The contractor may earn an administrative fee, if the fee is less than any savings determined by the reconciliation process pursuant to s. 409.912(4)(d)1. Premium revenue collected from the recipients shall be deducted from the contractor’s earned savings. This subsection expires October 1, 2014, or upon full implementation of the managed medical assistance program, whichever is sooner.
(22) If required as a condition of a waiver, the agency may calculate a medical loss ratio for managed care plans. The calculation shall utilize uniform financial data collected from all plans and shall be computed for each plan on a statewide basis. The method for calculating the medical loss ratio shall meet the following criteria:
(a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c), expenditures shall be classified in a manner consistent with 45 C.F.R. part 158.
(b) Funds provided by plans to graduate medical education institutions to underwrite the costs of residency positions shall be classified as medical expenditures, provided the funding is sufficient to sustain the positions for the number of years necessary to complete the residency requirements and the residency positions funded by the plans are active providers of care to Medicaid and uninsured patients.
(c) Prior to final determination of the medical loss ratio for any period, a plan may contribute to a designated state trust fund for the purpose of supporting Medicaid and indigent care and have the contribution counted as a medical expenditure for the period.
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; s. 29, ch. 2000-171; s. 53, ch. 2001-62; s. 10, ch. 2001-104; ss. 10, 11, ch. 2001-377; s. 997, ch. 2002-387; ss. 28, 29, ch. 2002-400; s. 19, ch. 2003-405; s. 56, ch. 2004-5; s. 18, ch. 2004-270; s. 23, ch. 2004-344; s. 17, ch. 2005-60; s. 6, ch. 2005-133; s. 19, ch. 2006-28; ss. 5, 6, ch. 2007-331; s. 12, ch. 2008-143; s. 16, ch. 2009-55; s. 13, ch. 2011-61; s. 21, ch. 2011-135; s. 49, ch. 2012-5; s. 11, ch. 2012-33; s. 3, ch. 2012-44; s. 9, ch. 2013-48; s. 209, ch. 2014-19.