The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on vulnerable patient populations, as evidenced by higher infection and morbidity rates among low-income communities relative to rates among their counterparts. The disparity of COVID-19’s impact underlines the existing challenges Medicaid patient populations experience in unequal access to healthcare and social services.
State Medicaid offices, state leadership, managed care organizations (MCOs) and provider organizations responding to the crisis require new strategies and partnerships to help their patient populations recover with resiliency.
During this virtual series of demo days hosted by Adaptation Health, powered by Acumen America and in partnership with the Center for Health Care Strategies, Manatt Health directors Jared Augenstein and Elizabeth Osius will participate in panel discussions on the acute challenges that COVID-19 creates for vulnerable patient populations. Selected healthcare ventures will also have the opportunity to present their approaches to an audience of state Medicaid offices, MCO leadership, public health offices, departments of health/hospitals, Medicaid-focused investors and other Medicaid stakeholders.
Part One: Access to Health Services Leveraging Virtual Care
Focusing on maternal health and behavioral health
Wednesday, June 10, 2020
12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT
Presenters:
Jared Augenstein, Director, Manatt Health
Medicaid beneficiaries have faced persistent challenges in accessing care, and these challenges have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as nonessential services have closed across the United States and health systems have rerouted their resources to manage the crisis. Low-income patients also disproportionately lack access to broadband Internet at home as well as smartphones, which has excluded them from transitioning to telehealth during the crisis compared with their counterparts.
Access to care and poor outcomes are of particular importance across two specific areas in Medicaid: maternal health (covering 43% of all births in the United States) and behavioral health (nearly one in five Medicaid beneficiaries has a behavioral health diagnosis, including a mental health condition). This webinar will focus on access to health services, and particularly on how Medicaid populations with maternal health and behavioral health needs can leverage virtual care. A panel including Manatt Health’s Jared Augenstein will begin with framing the topic, and then a select group of innovative companies will provide blueprints for improving access, efficacy and equity for these challenges in Medicaid.
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Part Two: Direct Access to SDOH Services
Focusing on food security and economic vulnerability
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
Presenters:
Elizabeth Osius, Director, Manatt Health
It is widely recognized that social and economic factors—such as housing, food, toxic stress and income—have a significant impact on individuals’ and communities’ health. These factors, often referred to as Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), drive as much as 80% of health outcomes. These social challenges are expected to rise to historic levels as a result of COVID-19, which has resulted in record-high levels of food insecurity and historic levels of unemployment.
During this webinar, a panel including Manatt Health’s Elizabeth Osius will discuss SDOH challenges for Medicaid populations amid COVID-19, with a particular focus on food insecurity and economic vulnerability. A select group of innovative companies will then provide blueprints for improving access, efficacy and equity for these challenges in Medicaid.
Click here for more information.
For regular updates on the major challenges companies are facing, please visit our COVID-19 resources page, and subscribe for timely updates in your inbox here.
If you would like to receive an audio transcript of this webinar due to accessibility issues, please email us at webinars@manatt.com.
This program does not constitute legal advice, nor does it establish an attorney-client relationship. Views expressed by presenters are strictly their own and should not be construed to be the views of Manatt or attributed to Manatt.