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

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managed care organizations because of a lack of understanding of the needs of individuals with
disabilities.
Building on its earlier work, the CCD Health Task Force has developed the following
managed care principles to help consumers and advocates evaluate current and emerging managed
care proposals, practices, standards and guidelines and ensure their appropriate application to people
with disabilities. This is a set of guiding principles. It is not a "cook book" for the perfect managed
care system. These principles should be viewed only as a starting place by advocates who are
working to ensure that managed care systems meet the varied needs of children and adults with
disabilities and their families.
lIssues in managed care concerning long term services and supports for people with disabilities arel
not expressly addressed in this document. Other CCD materials address these issues. However, the
CCD wants to stress that if a managed care entity is responsible for anylung term services and
supports, these must be provided in accordance with best practices and emphasize community-based,
consumer directed services. Long term services must not become overly medicalized because a
health care entity is responsible for payment. Consumers of long term services must be given choices
and a full range of quality assurance measures must be available based on individual needs and
personal preferences about types, methods, providers, and sites of services.
Principles For <strong>Managed</strong> <strong>Care</strong> For People With Disabilities
The CCD believes that if managed care systems/plans are to meet the needs of people with
disabilities, they must embody the following principles.
Consumer Participation
X <strong>Managed</strong> care systems/plans must ensure that all key stakeholders, including individuals with
disabilities, family members, support agencies, providers, advocates, and others are enlisted in
designing, implementing, and overseeing the operation of both public and private managed care
systems and plans.
11 <strong>Managed</strong> care systems/plans must not encourage placement in institutions but, instead, encourage
the provision of services that support people to live as independently as possible and to
participate in the every day life of the community.
Consumer Choice
M <strong>Managed</strong> care systemstplans must expand, not diminish, opportunities for people with disabilities
and their families to choose services and supports that will improve the quality of their lives.