Innovations
CareSource Provides Innovation Insight on Medicaid Reentry Stakeholder Group
September 9th, 2021 | 2 min read
The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services recently invited CareSource to participate in the Medicaid Reentry Stakeholder Group to provide advice and consultation to the Secretary on innovative strategies to help individuals who are inmates of public institutions, and otherwise eligible for Medicaid, ensure continuity of coverage and seamless transitions back to the community. The group is a requirement of the Medicaid Reentry Act (S.285), which allows Medicaid to cover health services thirty days before an individual is released from prison or jail.
“For the last five years, CareSource has been leading the way as the only managed care organization hyper-focused on the reentry population,” said Jonas Thom, vice president of behavioral health at CareSource. “We’re excited to see innovation in this space investigated at a national level and are proud to help shape the federal strategy on how to best support this often-forgotten population.”
The Medicaid Reentry Stakeholder Group consisted of providers, states, researchers and advocates. CareSource used the opportunity to provide insight on the importance of local investment in reentry, the importance of supporting the entire family and using data to drive priorities.
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CareSource’s reentry programs have improved health outcomes for incarcerated individuals, reduced recidivism and improved the state and local partnerships to deliver safety net benefits while addressing social determinants of health. This has been especially critical during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce the spread in congregate settings including the local jail and homeless shelter systems.
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“We’re encouraged by the progress we’ve seen in our programs and remain confident in the growth of similar programs focusing on the reentry population as a group experiencing health disparities,” said Thom.