As Medicaid Enrollment Soars, States Ask MCOs to Intensify Social Determinants of Health Efforts

States are moving to better address social determinants of health (SDOH) and improve health equity in their Medicaid programs, and they’re asking MCOs to drive the change, according to an analysis of recent requests for proposals (RFPs) from advocacy group Together for Better Medicaid. The report identified RFPs from 10 states that have extensive SDOH and equity-based requirements for MCOs, from member screenings and staff training to close collaboration with community-based organizations (CBOs). Meanwhile, Medicaid enrollment has surged in all 10 states amid the COVID-19 pandemic. National Medicaid enrollment climbed 18.4% from March 2020 to December 2021, according to AIS’s Directory of Health Plans. See an overview of the most common SDOH requirements and the 10 states’ recent enrollment patterns below.

SOURCE: DHP, AIS’s Directory of Health Plans; “Medicaid Managed Care: Strategies to Address Social Determinants of Health and Health Equity,” prepared for Together for Better Medicaid by Health Management Associates (HMA), December 2021.

From Radar on Medicare Advantage