Medicaid Managed Care - U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging

CHAPTER 8
106
Communicating With Vulnerable
Populations: <strong>Medicaid</strong>
Holly Ross and Katberine Cairns
Moua,' a 37-year-old pregnant Hmong woman, lived with her seven young children in a
cramped apartment in Minneapolis MN. The family survived on AFDC (Aid to Families
with Dependent Children) funds and received health care through Medica Choice <strong>Care</strong>, the
<strong>Medicaid</strong> managed health plan offered in Minnesota by Allina Health System. From the
beginning, Moua's pregnancy had been identified by her health care providers as a high-risk
one, and by her seventh month she was experiencing vaginal bleeding. To help ensure that
her pregnancy would go full term-and that the baby would be born healthy-Moua's doctor
ordered partial bed rest. But how could she, a mother of seven young children with no
adult relatives to help her and no money for babysitters, stay off her feet for more than a
few minutes at a time?
The prenatal nurse who worked with Moua's doctor called one of Medica Health Plan's
special prenatal care coordinators. Together, they arranged respite child care for Moua with
a local nonprofit agency. Every day, from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., Moua's three youngest children
were cared for while she rested in bed. The care coordinator also enlisted the help of a
Medica Health Plan social worker; who, accompanied by a Hmong interpreter, visited Moua
several times to assess her other needs. The social worker noticed, for example, that Moua
had no crib for the new baby, so she arranged to get her one. The social worker even
brought the crib to Moua's apartment herself and helped the family set it up.
All these efforts helped. Moua had a full-term pregnancy and delivered an eight-pound,
seven-ounce healthy baby girl. Both mother and child have remained healthy.
Sasha,- a 54-year-old recent immigrant from Russia who spoke little English, had been
suffering from a tooth ache for several days. Finally, the pain became so great, he decided
to see a dentist. He remembered that someone from Medica Choice <strong>Care</strong> had called and
spoken to him-in Russian-about the plan's dental services. He called the special phone
number that had been given to him and immediately found himself talking with a Russianspeaking
access representative at Medica Health Plans. Not only did the representative help
* Names changed to protect privacy.