HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 657 Offered January 10, 2007 Prefiled January 9, 2007 Encouraging the Department of Medical Assistance Services to continue expanding the use of managed care to new regions of the state and additional eligibility groups. ---------- Patron-- Melvin ---------- Committee Referral Pending ----------

WHEREAS, managed care seeks to provide quality, cost-effective health care through an integrated and comprehensive delivery system; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Medical Assistance Services began utilizing managed care organizations (MCOs) to deliver health care to Medicaid recipients in the mid-1990s to improve recipient access to medical care, promote disease prevention, ensure quality care, and contain costs; and

WHEREAS, Virginia's Medicaid managed care program, which began in Tidewater as a pilot project and has undergone several plan and regional expansions, currently serves more than 420,000 Medicaid and FAMIS recipients in 110 localities within the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, MCOs under contract with the Department of Medical Assistance Services promote preventative care services, continuity of care, and such member services as 24-hour nurse phone lines; and

WHEREAS, in the fiscal year 2005, Medicaid managed care served 55 percent of Medicaid and FAMIS enrollees, with the remaining recipients receiving care through Medicaid fee-for-service; and

WHEREAS, certain areas of the State have limited or no access to Medicaid managed care and certain recipient populations are excluded from MCO coverage; and

WHEREAS, the Medicaid Revitalization Committee, as authorized by House Bill 758 (2006), recommended expansion of managed care and the Joint Commission on Health Care supported this recommendation; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Department of Medical Assistance Services be encouraged to continue expanding the use of managed care to new regions of the state and additional eligibility groups. The Department should ensure that if individuals with disabilities and special needs are included in the expansion, access to needed services is maintained; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit a copy of this resolution to the Secretary of Health and Human Resources and the Director of the Department of Medical Assistance Services, requesting that the Secretary and Director further disseminate copies of this resolution to their respective constituents so that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia in this matter.