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

B-nato
438
offered and the means for providing these services can vary greatly. To
promote quality and ensure that minimum standards are met requires a
broad range of approaches.
Although states continue to develop quality assurance mechanisms, state
officials acknowledge that these are not yet comprehensive enough to
assure recipient satisfaction and safety. In the three states we visited, state
officials and provider agencies told us that they are still developing
guidance and oversight in a number of key areas. Michigan, for example, is
revising its case management standards and statewide quality assurance
approaches. Rhode Island is developing a more systematic monitoring
approach statewide, and Florida is continuing to implement and evaluate
its independent service coordinator approach
One of the greatest difficulties in developing quality mechanisms for
services in alternative settings is balancing individual choice and risks." 2
Where greater choice is encouraged and risks are higher, more frequent
monitoring and contingency planning need to be built into the process. Yet
some professional staff and agency providers in the states we visited
believe that they do not have sufficient guidance on where to draw the line
between their assessment of what is appropriate for the disabled person
and the individual's choice. For example, some persons with mental
retardation cannot speak clearly enough to be understood by people who
do not know them; cannot manage household chores, such as cooking in a
safe maimer, or have no family member to perform overall supervision to
keep them from danger. Yet these people express a desire to live
independently, without 24-hour staff supervision.
Florida, Michigan, and Rhode Island each attempt to customize supports
to reduce risks for individuals who live in these situations. They may
arrange for roommates, encourage frequent visits and telephone contact
by neighbors and friends, enroll individuals in supervised day activities,
install in-home electronic access to emergency help, and provide paid
meal preparation and chore services. As this new process evolves, states
and providers seek to develop a better understanding of how to manage
risks and reduce them where possible. This should lead to improved
guidance for balancing risks and choices for each recipient's unique
circumstances
"HCFA hM also eee d a,. need to belance thes imn See The Role of Medica and <strong>Medicaid</strong>
an tang-Teon Cae: Oesortnatieel thnllenee and New Diretin tBoltznoet 0.5. Departnnit of
Iteeltl, and Hontan ieevices, HCrA, i~pt, Diall), P. 44.
Page to
PAaoO/Hs-lI20 wade Pna foe Devetpeaty Dabblaed