Year: 2017

Posted on by

Weekly Medicaid RoundUp: Week of April 17th, 2017

Soundtrack for today’s RoundUp pessimist readers- http://bit.ly/2owUh57

For optimist readers – http://bit.ly/2ox20jq

 

 

MY KIND OF TOWN- Had a GREAT time at the HEA-RISE MMC Leadership conference this week in Chicago. Looking forward to next year. And to Balto next month with the MMC Congress. Will I see you there?

 

 

THE (EGADS!) CONSERVATIVE FEATURES IN EMERGING MEDICAID TRENDS (DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY HOLY WATER?) I have been around this Medicaid game long enough to know the war over Medicaid spending is a war of attrition and anything that even smells slightly conservative loses in the end because of lack of sustained interest on the conservatives’ part and vehement “resistance” on the liberals’ part. That being said, there are many signs if you care to read the bones: Every week a new state announces waiver plans with job requirements. Wisconsin was the latest- and it added drug testing and premiums. Maine announced similar plans (they linked food stamps to work already). Arizona is considering a 5-year lifetime enrollment max for the “able-bodied” (super slippery word all around) as well as work requirements.

 

 

OREGON MAY BE THROWING IN THE TOWEL ON EXPANSION- Dems – I repeat Dems – in OR are proposing Medicaid be un-expanded. Why? you ask? Because the state is short $1.6B.

 

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, NC MAY BE GETTING CLOSER TO EXPANDING- Republicans – I repeat Republicans – introed HB 662 this week to start the process of funding expansion using federal dollars. GOP leadership in both the NC House and Senate remain opposed, but hey – these Repub Resisters deserve some props, right?

 

CMS WILL “REVIEW” MONTANA’S EXPANSION- This situation is sort of like when you see the cops at the precinct get a visit from Internal Audit. CMS approved MT’s expansion in 2015 and had high hopes for adding 70k under the spreading wings of Mother CMS. What is the crime that brought in Internal Audit? MT charges 2% for premiums to bennies above 50% FPL. And copays. So, CMS is sending in sleuths to “evaluate” the program (take a gander at how many other waivers ever get evaluated, vs just renewing the “demos” for decades on autopilot). The real goal is to get a ton of negative public comment to pile on to the program and insist a mandate for change has been discovered. Keep in mind the same thing happened to IN last year (a post-CMS approval PR campaign ala a surprise round of public comment-y evaluation against the “conservative” model once they saw other states following IN’s lead).

 

MISSOURI SAYS NO TO EXPANSION- While some had high hopes for the Show Me State this year, and a proposal was introduced, sources say no dice.

 

SO DOES NEBRASKA- The committee that reviewed the expansion proposal in the NE legislature politely declined this week. Would have added about 90k to the rolls.

 

CLAY GETS TIRED OF WRITING EXPANSION HEADLINES- Aren’t you tired of reading them? How about a video about Atlantic Mole Crabs instead http://bit.ly/2oxf9sL ?

 

LOW CAP RATES MAY SCARE OFF MCOS? Says the headline. What are they gonna do – go back to the exchanges? Ha! (imagine that Ha! being said by A.L.F.)

 

FARRIS’S FANTASTIC FRAUD FOLLIES– And now for everybody’s favorite paragraph… but not enough space this week, Dear Readers. Had to catch you up on a ton of news. I put lots of Follies in the twitter feed for you this morning, though. My favorite is the former NY state legislator who was charged with running a Medicaid pill mill scam. Check them out and tell me your favorite.

 

 

That’s it for this week. As always, please send me a note with your thoughts to clay@mostlymedicaid.com or give me a buzz at 919.727.9231. Get outside (don’t forget mulch for your baby plants!) and keep running the race (you know who you are).

****

FULL, FREE newsletter: http://eepurl.com/ep81Y . News that didn’t make it and sources for those that did: twitter @mostlymedicaid . Trystero: Leej Txiv tau xa Leej Tub kom txuag lub ntiaj teb no

Posted on by

Weekly Medicaid RoundUp: Week of March 27th, 2017

 

Soundtrack for today’s RoundUp pessimist readers- http://bit.ly/2mUWHyw

For optimist readers –  http://bit.ly/2nk2ZDg

 

ONLY A FEW MORE DAYS UNTIL MEDICAID STAR SEARCH– A plug for our upcoming Medicaid Star Search Webinar on April 3rd. Sign up here- http://bit.ly/2ccl593

 

STATE SPOTLIGHT SHOW NEXT WEEK CHANGED TO “OFFICE HOURS WITH CLAY”– State Medicaid Directors are all locked in cages in basements of legislatures this time of year. Something about “budgets.” So for those of you who want to show up for the Friday 4/7 show we will keep it and I will field whatever questions you want to throw at me re: Medicaid.

 

BROWNBACK SAYS NO DICE– Kansas reps got the votes together to expand, but the Good Guvn’r said not on his watch. He said the proposal would not help the “truly vulnerable” but instead would surge state spend on the “able bodied.”

 

SHOW-ME-STATE SHOWED THEM- Reps in MO soundly rejected efforts at Medicaid expansion this week, with the house voting 102-41 against. Seems the Russians paid fake news bots to force representatives to vote against their will on this one.

 

VA IS FOR LOVERS (AND LOST CAUSES)- The Good Guvn’r McAuliffe thinks the failure of RyanCare was his cue to restart expansion efforts. His GOP colleagues in the legislature politely reminded him they rejected expansion in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and once already in 2017. Seems they don’t intend to stop their streak.

 

ALL JOKING ASIDE– Conventional wisdom is that more states will expand now that RyanCare failed bigly. KS and NC are expected to be next (Brownback may have some unilateral options left?). And GA, ID, NE and SD have been on the fence for years. Here’s a fun twist- 1132 waivers. They just got turned on January of this year, and could be a legislative-free path to changing ACA so much you don’t recognize it. Remember you heard it here first. 1132 waiver. Google it.

 

IOWA TAKING STEPS TO MAKE MCOS WHOLE- MCOS have claimed a combined loss of about $450M, and details about the state’s plan to stop the bleeding emerged this week. Looks like the state will chip in $10M more and the federalis $225M more to help MCOs cover losses since the state moved to manage care 1 year ago.

FARRIS’S FANTASTIC FRAUD FOLLIES– And now for everybody’s favorite paragraph. Let’s start the ticker and see who wins this week’s award.  Christina and Donald Halter of St Francois County, MO were convicted this week for stealing $209k in disability payments from a developmentally disabled vet in their care. Oh yeah – they also submitted 1,000 false Medicaid claims for nursing services not provided to other residents of their facility. Isnino Mohamud, Mowllid Nur and Ayan Barsug of Minnesota were charged this week for conspiring to defraud Medicaid out of $1M. Their crime? 2 of the guys would submit false bills for transportation of patients to the other guy’s place, where he would then provide counseling services. Problem was they were billing for individual sessions, but it was really happening as group therapy. Apparently Mohamud and Nur also recruited patients who spoke little English and had Medicaid cards. “Dr” Roberto Fernandez of Miami got popped this week for taking kickbacks from local pharmacies and home health agencies as part of a Medicaid (and Medicare) controlled substance fraud scheme. Taxpayer tab on this one so far – $20M. Messiuers Mohamud, et al- you win the day (but only b/c Bob-O Fernandez’s heist spanned Care and Caid. You had a clear Caid-only assault).

 

That’s it for this week. As always, please send me a note with your thoughts to clay@mostlymedicaid.com or give me a buzz at 919.727.9231. Get outside (You still have time to move bulbs.) and keep running the race (you know who you are).

****

FULL, FREE newsletter: http://eepurl.com/ep81Y . News that didn’t make it and sources for those that did: twitter @mostlymedicaid . Trystero: pita ne duniya ko bachaane ke lie putr bheja

Posted on by

Medicaid Industry Who’s Who Series: Regina Shapiro

Regina is a featured panelist for the upcoming Medicaid Star Search webinar on April 3, 2017. Join us as we talk with innovative Medicaid vendors as they evolve in the space.

 

Medicaid Who’s Who: Regina Shapiro – Director of Business Development for DataWing Software

  1. What segment of the industry are you currently involved?

A: DataWing Software expertise is with enrollment/eligibility and payment reconciliation.  Any delegated or attributed population that has a data file distributed from the sourcing state or plan can benefit from our solutions.    I work with Medicaid MCOs, Medical groups/IPAs and FQHC organizations that work with Medicaid beneficiaries.  Our solutions ensure that the accurate eligibility information can be maintained in the varied benefit administration systems used by our clients.  Having accurate data means the accurate benefits are provided to members/patients and that the servicing groups/plans can ensure they are receiving the correct payments for those members. 

  1. How many years have you been in the Medicaid industry?

A:  I would not say that I am in the Medicaid industry, I would say that I am in the software industry and my clients include healthcare and related organizations.   I have over 28 years of software experience, the past 7 have been 100% focused in Healthcare solutions.

  1. What is your focus/passion? (Industry related or not)

A:  Doing everything I can to ensure that the information about peoples insurance is accurate.  In 2005, my oldest son was a pedestrian hit by a car going 45 mph.  He is my walking, talking miracle, one of the 2% that survive but his accident was life changing for our entire family.   I discovered, through my own experience, the challenges that happen with inaccurate information about patients and their insurance coverages.   I had insurance, good insurance, but my plan was not “in-network” to the hospital where he was taken by life flight.  I spent hours analyzing the EOB documents to try to understand why was a doctor with the same date, same procedure code paid at varied levels of coverage.  That hospital billed me for the balance of all charges not covered by my insurance plan.   My MOOP did not matter to them.  A few years later, I learned about DataWing Software and realized that I wanted to work for this company to help to ensure accuracy about patient/member benefits.   Now, every day, I feel that what I do could prevent another mom with the paperwork nightmare I had and so they can focus on their child’s recovery.  I know the challenge I had was with the coding, but I feel like DataWing Software is making a real difference to the patients/members. 

My other passion is the preservation of the true foundation Appaloosa horse.  I have been fortunate to have achieved much with our program including our blood lines are carrying forward with the Nez Perce Appaloosa Horse registry.  Our colt, Mamin Glory Rising, is even documented with the Smithsonian.

  1. What is the top item on your “bucket list?”

A: Australia

  1. What do you enjoy doing most with your personal time?

A:  Anything Equine related.  My Re-Creation is in the saddle so whenever I can, I ride.  I love spending time in the barn, mucking stalls or brushing horses.  I schedule 30 minutes daily to just break away from work and say hi to the herd.

  1. Who is your favorite historical figure and why?

A:  One…. That is hard.  There are so many historical people that made a difference in the world.   Maybe not one that many have heard of is Drew Kleibrink.  He had the passion to change the world.  He had a way of making people think about the voting decisions they were making.  His passion was to make the world a better place through the political process.   Don’t Stay Calm, Go Change the World.  That was Drew. 

Chief Joseph was a peaceful man forced to flight and fight.  He was an exceptional leader.  He is one of my favorite historical figures because of my passion to preserve the true appaloosa, the horse of the Nez Perce.   I have participated in the Chief Joseph Trail Ride several times, retracing the 1300 mile trail taken by Joseph and his people from the Wallowa’s to just 20 miles south of Canada in Montana where he said “Hear me, my Chiefs! I am tired; my heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever.”  

  1. What is your favorite junk food?

A:  Mt Dew

  1. Of what accomplishment are you most proud?

A:  My kids, while very different individuals with unique passions and interests, are both responsible and caring men.  I have been very successful in teaching them to be the best they can be.

  1. For what one thing do you wish you could get a mulligan?

A:  I would tell my parents that I was accepted to Stanford University.

  1. What are the top 1-3 issues that you think will be important in Medicaid during the next 6 months? 

A:  The change the new administration is proposing to repeal the ACA will take away benefits from those members of our population that need help the most.  The children, elderly and disabled and poor, working or not.  Health Insurance is expensive for everyone and the costs seem to continue to rise every year.   If our population is struggling to keep a roof over their head and food on the table, then they will not be able to pay for insurance that is there to keep them well.  Things will go undiagnosed and so a preventable issues becomes a costly illness.   Medicaid expansion helped so many.

Coordination for wellness.  What is the Benjamin Franklin saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.   Wellness care is key to controlling costs.   As budgets tighten and Medicaid continues to shift to managed care, there is a need to be proactive to maintain wellness and share information among care givers.   Physical, dental and mental health are all needed for the wellness of a person.   Being proactive to care for the Medicaid population will reduce the expenses of preventable illness.   As the plans shift to a managed care model, many are going back to a partial or full risk capitation model.  The aggregate total revenue to care for the population can only be successful if you can prevent avoidable expensive illness.

Posted on by

Clay’s Weekly Medicaid RoundUp: Week of March 13th, 2017

Soundtrack for today’s RoundUp pessimist readers- http://bit.ly/2mQHYRL

Or you can click the one for optimist readers –  http://bit.ly/2mQQ9xn

Both are St. Patrick’s Day references. If you know why, do write in.

 

ONLY A FEW MORE WEEKS UNTIL MEDICAID STAR SEARCH– A plug for our upcoming Medicaid Star Search Webinar on April 3rd. Sign up here- http://bit.ly/2ccl593

 

MAYO HONCHO JUST COMES OUT AND SAYS IT- Mayo Clinic’s CEO said privately insured patients will go in front of Medicaid patients, assuming comparable conditions. Both will be seen, but the one who generates more revenue will get seen first. The CEO was heard saying something about needing to keep making money to keep the lights on, and to help subsidize free care – but he was carried off by the villagers with pitchforks before reporters could understand him.

 

ANTHEM DISTINGUISHING ITSELF FROM REST OF PACK IN POLITICAL ARENA- Last week Anthem was the lone wolf supporting AHCA (AHIP and others came out against it). Now we have news of Anthem CEO Swedish meeting privately with President Trump and Price. The meeting (we expect Rachel Maddow to leak the transcripts next week) covered detailed design elements of the bill, and ideas Anthem has on how to improve it.

 

THE MEDICA STORY SEEMED TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE– Although at first it looked like an amicable exit,  it turns out the departing MN MCO ain’t going down without a fight. It gets a little convoluted, but basically Medica is arguing that the state did not have a right to transfer its membership to other MCOs without a rebid of the contracts. Seems Medica wanted to pull out saying the rates were not actuarially sound, and then perhaps trigger a rebid which would re-open rate negotiation. The state was more than happy to skip that route and just dole out the remaining membership to the remaining MCOs using rates that were established in 2015. These protests are getting harder to follow  than all the crazy drama of the English wars for the throne in the Middle Ages.

 

HHS HEAD PRICE SAYS LOSING $BILLIONS WON’T HURT MEDICAID- There’s a lot to chew on in that idea. Not the least of which is the loss to fraud each year, paying for poor quality and other obvious areas to trim. I think this quote from Price should be the starting point of this discussion: “You’re falling into the same old trap of individuals who are measuring the success of Medicaid by how much money we put into it.” Ouch. And Amen.

 

 

FARRIS’S FANTASTIC FRAUD FOLLIES– And now for everybody’s favorite paragraph. Let’s start the ticker and see who wins this week’s award.  Ethel Freeman-Nnonah and Tinisee Harris of Reynoldsburg, OH were convicted this week of stealing $101,000 by forging medical assessments and plans of care for patients treated by their business (Prudent Healthcare Services, LLC). “Dr.” Stanley Marable of Valdosta, GA will spend 2 years in prison for his role in pilfering $789k by getting paid for tooth extractions that didn’t happen. Tammie Sensenig of Lancaster, PA plead guilty this week to stealing $84k using Medicaid claims for mental health services she provided but was not qualified to render. “Dr.” Romeo Pavlic of Spokane, WA will pay $300k to settle claims he defrauded Medicare and Medicaid by billing for tests he did not perform on developmentally disabled patients. Stanley – You win!

 

 

That’s it for this week. As always, please send me a note with your thoughts to clay@mostlymedicaid.com or give me a buzz at 919.727.9231. Get outside (The weekend will be warmer.) and keep running the race (you know who you are).

****

FULL, FREE newsletter: http://eepurl.com/ep81Y . News that didn’t make it and sources for those that did: twitter @mostlymedicaid . Trystero: האב שלח את בנו כדי להציל את העולם

Posted on by

Guest Post: How Asking the Wrong Questions Impacts Medicaid Health Plans

This post is provided by one of our Medicaid Star Search panelists. Be sure to check out Forecast Health on the April 3rd show. Sign up here if you haven’t already. 

 

 

If asking the right questions is everything, why are so many Medicaid plans asking the wrong ones?

 

Today, plans and providers dedicate time and resources to identifying high risk patients — those who are more likely to experience a readmission, post-operative complication, higher costs, or other adverse event.  To do this, they rely on a variety of popular analytics platforms that are only marginally better than clinical judgment (or making educated guesses, frankly) at predicting a patient/member’s risk.

 

For organizations charged with reducing and managing risk, not just measuring it, merely answering questions about a person’s future risk is wasteful.  We believe answering the question about future risk is wasteful even if the prediction is perfect.

 

Why?  Many predicted high-risk people, and rising risk people, are not impactable.  Or if they are, the plan or provider doesn’t know which type of intervention is likely to have the biggest impact.  Or, perhaps the provider or plan does not offer services that would make a difference in preventing the adverse event.

 

A more useful way to look at the data is to focus on the subset of high-risk patients who are impactable.  By identifying this subgroup, Medicaid plans and providers can focus resources in ways that will make a difference.

 

So exactly what could this mean to a Medicaid plan? Consider one procedure with among the highest costs and risks for a Medicaid population:  joint replacements.  An organization that oversees approximately 3,000 joint replacements annually asked us to evaluate their decisions regarding post-acute care and managing risk. Using a combination of machine-learning predictive analytics and evaluation analytics with social determinants of health (SDH) data to predict risk and impactability, they were able to:

 

  • More accurately identify joint replacement patients at high-risk for unplanned readmission in the 90-day post-discharge period
  • Identify the 14% of patients who were discharged from the hospital to a skilled nursing facility, but could have safely been discharged home.
  • Identify the 7% of patients who were discharged home, but would have had better outcomes and lower costs if they had been initially discharged to a SNF (the costs of the more expensive SNF were offset by the reduced emergency readmissions).
  • Identify patients’ individual risk drivers—prior to admission—in order to better inform the care team of potential issues with affordability, caregiver support, medication non-adherence, transportation, material deprivation, and health behaviors.  This information provides opportunities for care managers to spend more time addressing the needs of the patients versus trying to discover exactly what those needs might be via intake questioning and exhaustive chart review.

 

Together, these analytics can save on average over $800 per joint replacement patient, or $2.5 million annually based on 3,000 joint replacement patients.

The bottom line is this:  Asking the right question isn’t just an academic exercise.  By moving from just predicting risk to identifying who is impactable, and how, an organization can measurably impact costs and patient outcomes.  For more information, please contact Sandy Shroyer at sandy.shroyer@forecasthealth.com

Posted on by

Clay’s Weekly Medicaid RoundUp: Week of March 6th, 2017

Soundtrack for today’s RoundUp pessimist readers- http://bit.ly/2nmj3V9

Or you can click the one for optimist readers –  http://bit.ly/2nmC8GK

It’s 4am. I have had 2 cups of coffee already. Let’ see what happens.

BEFORE I DO ANYTHING ELSE – A plug for our upcoming Medicaid Star Search Webinar on April 3rd. This is your chance to hear from 3 companies trying to be innovative in the Medicaid space- without having to sit through a cheesy sales pitch (they each get 10 minutes).  Sign up here- http://bit.ly/2ccl593

 

I GUESS I’LL TALK ABOUT ALL THIS REPEAL AND REPLACE STUFF. IF YOU WANT ME TO- The best summary I can give is that the bill introduced this week has zero chance because both sides hate it. Multiple conservatives in the Senate have spoken against it, saying its ObamaCare-lite and a failure to deliver on a critical promise to the base to repeal ACA. Lefties have cranked up the fever-pitch-crazy machine, spouting non-stop EVERYONE WILL DIE headlines. The real question is will Ryan be able to throw up his arms and say “well, I tried,” or will Paul, Cruz and others hold him to the fire to put out a bill that repeals ACA even if it has to be Pelosied (ramming it through throats with just enough votes). Another interesting little twist was the CMS CMO coming out against RyanCare. Maybe he and Sally Yates can start a consulting company once he gets bagged in the next month or so? One last note – Verma made it through the Senate yesterday, one step closer to the CMS head job. Everyone I have talked to in our world says she is awesome. I will believe them over fake newsers any day. Unless of course it comes out that she is a Russian CIA spy using my toaster to read my mind (Wikileaks Vault 7 reference for those who don’t read outside of CNN).

 

AMERIHEALTH AND MERCY HOSPITAL ON THE ROCKS IN HAWKEYE STATE- So far the 2 can’t reach agreements on payment rates. This is part of how the savings happens, people. You pay MCOs to negotiate with behemoth providers for you. There is a similar story happening in MN with BCBS and Children’s hospital.

 

LAND OF LINCOLN GETS EXPANSION BILL. SURPRISE! IT’S DOUBLE WHAT WAS PROJEKTED. Sadly no one is surprised anymore. There are now 4 things certain in life (updated since I was a child): Death, taxes, MMIS projects failing and Medicaid expansion costs being double what was promised during the sales/shaming into approving phase. IL Medicaid has now spent about $9.2B on expansion, compared to the original projections of $4.6B.

 

FARRIS’S FANTASTIC FRAUD FOLLIES– And now for everybody’s favorite paragraph. Let’s start the ticker and see who wins this week’s award.  4 numbskulls in Anchorage, AK got popped this week for stealing $1M in Medicaid moo-la. Their crime? Falsifying records to up payments to their nursing home business. Enny Portillo of Highland Mills, NY plead guilty this week to nabbing $75k for personal care services that were not performed. Mrs. Portillo took advantage of NY’s Consumer Directed option to pilfer the cash. Corey Werito and Rosita Toledo (both awesome, and rhyming names!) of Farmington, AZ plead guilty of stealing $2M from Medicaid using their transportation company. Kester Atumonyogo (what is it with the awesome names this week?) of Valley Stream, NY stole $1.5M from Medicaid by using false claims to get paid for enteral nutrition supplies. Mr. Automonyogo- you win, even beating out the team effort by the group in AK! This week’s Roundup Fraud total – $4.6M from taxpaying citizens. And remember – that’s just what I found in the news quickly. At 4AM.

 

That’s it for this week. As always, please send me a note with your thoughts to clay@mostlymedicaid.com or give me a buzz at 919.727.9231. Get outside (I have 100+ pepper plants already.) and keep running the race (you know who you are).

****

FULL, FREE newsletter: http://eepurl.com/ep81Y . News that didn’t make it and sources for those that did: twitter @mostlymedicaid . Trystero: hoouna mai ka Makua i ke Keiki e hoola i ko ke ao

Posted on by

Medicaid Industry Who’s Who Series: Jennifer Sweet

Join Jennifer Sweet April 17-18 in Chicago to hear from policy insiders, MCO leaders and state officials who will provide a clearer picture of the future of Medicaid expansion and financial alignment, as well as proposed Medicaid regulations! Register using code HMP139 for a 15% discount at https://goo.gl/9ISGFT.

Medicaid Who’s Who: Jennifer Sweet – Medicaid Segment Lead for Florida Blue

 1. What segment of the industry are you currently involved?

 A: I am on the payer & managed care side of the industry.  I am working in Florida where the Medicaid population is largely managed by MCOs.

 2. What is your current position and with what organization?

A: I am the Medicaid Segment Lead for Florida Blue. 

 3. How many years have you been in the Medicaid industry?

A:  For about a decade, and before that, in commercial health insurance.

 4. What is your focus/passion? (Industry related or not)

A:  In terms of work, I am committed to doing things “right” for this population – and that entails everything from delivery of quality and appropriate services to the people who need these services to being an effective steward of taxpayer funds and a good partner to our state Agency.  We are all on the same side, serving our communities, is how I see it.  Personally, outside of work, I love to travel and experience other cultures, languages and architecture.

 5. What is the top item on your “bucket list?”

A: I work with a not-for-profit, the Lyceum Fellowship, that awards travel grants to talented students of architecture.  My goal is to ensure this organization is funded and managed such that it survives long after I do.

 6. What do you enjoy doing most with your personal time?

A:  I appreciate finding spaces of quiet down time on the weekend to simply read, walk my dog, hang with family and friends.  

 7. Who is your favorite historical figure and why?

 A:  I enjoy reading both history and biography so picking a favorite is hard.  I enjoy learning what motivated the person who has a significant accomplishment, and where he or she drew the strength to fight for the accomplishment. Abraham Lincoln is a prime example.  But brave, grand acts are interesting to read about in much lesser known characters as well.   It’s also interesting to get a glimpse of how others think and frame the questions of their time.  Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Oprah Winfrey come to mind as I say that, or Margaret Thatcher.

 8. What is your favorite junk food?

A:  Popcorn, specifically, hot air popped with butter and salt.  Always has been my favorite, I was never a chips-cheetos-fritos kind of kid. 

 9. Of what accomplishment are you most proud?

A:  I am very proud of my son and my family but I don’t consider them an “accomplishment” per se.  So I’d have to say that there isn’t a single grand accomplishment but rather, all the wins along the way – whether in education, business, hobbies, love – they all add up to a core accomplishment that is my life.  I am happy with it.

 10. For what one thing do you wish you could get a mulligan?

A:  I don’t want a mulligan so much as a repeat performance of some great moments in my life.  The times when things fell short, well, they are what they are and they are behind me now.

 11. What are the top 1-3 issues that you think will be important in Medicaid during the next 6 months? 

A:  Knowing that the changes ahead (at both state and federal levels) are likely to be significant & fundamental, any list has to include effectively planning the response to those changes.  But in the meantime, I’d say: 

  1. Align payers and providers through appropriate contracting that establishes partnerships as a means of improving not only the lives our members/patients and our respective businesses, but to contribute to  improvements in the very fractured US health care marketplace.   
  1. Improve the whole world of data in Medicaid – as in: capturing more accurately the services we deliver, communicating this effectively to others (e.g., providers, the state Agency), and advancing the way we use this data in search of more effective, efficient management of care. 
  1. Make space to be innovative, to find solutions that move us forward – not easy to do in the din of everyday operations and life.