Aetna Medicaid Announces New Innovative Approach for Members With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Business Wire

HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Aetna Medicaid, a CVS health business (NYSE: CVS), has announced an outcomes-based model for members with intellectual and development disabilities (IDD). The new model, which will launch on January 1, 2019 in Kansas, will be partially based on the Charting the LifeCourse framework developed by the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Institute for Human Development, Missouri’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Services.

In addition to using the UMKC framework, Aetna Medicaid created the Aetna Medicaid National Advisory Council, a 22-member council– including former Medicaid state directors and association leaders representing complex Medicaid populations – to develop and implement mechanisms and strategies to support and empower individuals with disabilities to navigate the health care system.

“Aetna Medicaid is proud to be working with UMKC as well as national leaders and advocates on our advisory council to develop an innovative, person-centered framework in a managed care environment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” said Randy Hyun, head of Aetna Medicaid. “While Aetna Medicaid currently provides acute services for with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in other states, Kansas will be the first state where we will administer all services to the IDD population, including personalized health and behavioral health.”

The new model of care will connect Aetna Medicaid members with an Aetna IDD service coordinator who will help facilitate connections to community resources, innovative practices and technology tools that promote a meaningful quality of life.

“The LifeCourse framework and tools are designed to help individuals with disabilities and their families plan for and navigate a life that makes sense to them with the support they need,” said Michelle C. Reynolds, PhD, associate director of training at the UMKC Institute of Human Development. “It is exciting that a national health care leader like Aetna recognizes its value and will be using the LifeCourse framework as it develops its person-centered, holistic model to support individuals with disabilities.”

Hyun added, “We look forward to bringing this new model of care to our Medicaid IDD populations in other states in the future.”

About Aetna Medicaid

Aetna Medicaid Administrators LLC (Aetna Medicaid), a CVS Health business, has over 30 years of experience managing the care of the most medically vulnerable, using innovative approaches and a local presence in each market to achieve both successful health care results and effective cost outcomes. Aetna Medicaid has particular expertise serving high-need Medicaid members, including those who are dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare. Currently, Aetna Medicaid owns and/or administers Medicaid managed health care plans under the names of Aetna Better Health and other affiliate names. Together, these plans serve approximately 2 million people in 15 states, including Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Texas. On January 1, 2019, Aetna Better Health of Kansas will begin offering Medicaid benefits. For more information, see www.aetnabetterhealth.com.

About Aetna
Aetna, a CVS Health business, serves an estimated 39 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental and behavioral health plans, and medical management capabilities, Medicaid health care management services, workers' compensation administrative services and health information technology products and services. Aetna's customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, visit www.aetna.com and explore how Aetna is helping to build a healthier world. @AetnaNews

About the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Services

The University of Missouri-Kansas City Institute for Human Development houses the federally designated University Center for Excellence, Education, Research and Service in Developmental Disabilities for the state of Missouri. Authorized under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (Public Law 106-402), the Institute for Human Development is part of a network of 67 university-based centers in every state and territory of the United States. Centers work with people with disabilities, members of their families, state and local government agencies, and community providers in projects that provide training, technical assistance, service, research, and information sharing, with a focus on building the capacity of communities to sustain all their citizens. For more information, visit https://ihd.umkc.edu/.