Effective today, inpatient hospital services transitioned into managed care

After months of preparation, planning, training and collaboration with related stakeholders, the Mississippi Division of Medicaid (DOM) has transitioned inpatient hospital services into our managed-care program, MississippiCAN.

As planned, Mississippi Medicaid providers and hospitals should submit claims for beneficiary inpatient hospital services to the appropriate managed-care organization, Magnolia Health or UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, effective Dec. 1, 2015.

The division has worked tirelessly to accommodate concerns and ensure a smooth transition throughout this complex project. We appreciate every single person who has worked on and supported this process. Our mission and top priority continues to be providing access to quality health coverage for vulnerable Mississippians.

The purpose behind the inpatient transition
During the 2015 legislative session, Senate Bill 2588 was passed and signed into law giving the Mississippi Division of Medicaid (DOM) authority to include inpatient hospital services into managed care. These changes in law are beneficial for every Medicaid beneficiary who enters a hospital because of illness or accident.

One of the many challenges our beneficiaries face are receiving and following medical care plans after they are discharged from a hospital setting. In the managed-care environment, when a beneficiary is released from a hospital, a detailed plan of action for follow-up care for that individual will be in place. This includes instructions for post-discharged care for their medical condition such as wound care, how and when to take any prescribed medications, nutritional support information and appointments with their health-care provider to monitor the recovery process.

The goal is to speed recovery and prevent re-admission to a hospital for the same condition. Preventing re-admission for the same illness will save the state valuable resources and improve the overall health status of our beneficiaries.

For more information
Throughout the months leading up to the transition, we have shared information about how this affects Mississippi Medicaid hospitals and providers through multiple channels of communication, including: webinars, emails, conference calls, fax blasts, late breaking news, remittance advice messages and website postings.

To review materials from previous webinars and a regularly updated frequently asked questions document, visit the Inpatient Transition Information webpage.

Questions?
Your questions and concerns are important to us. For that reason, we have established a dedicated email box for the inpatient transition. We encourage you to submit your questions about the inpatient transition and your inquiry will be addressed. Contact us by emailing inpatient@medicaid.ms.gov.