Managed care creates new jobs at Fort Hudson

Dec. 31--FORT HUDSON -- Fort Hudson Health Services will hire additional case managers in 2016, as the state implements mandatory managed care for Medicaid patients.

Fort Hudson, parent company of Fort Hudson nursing home and The Oaks apartment complex in Fort Edward, has been selected as the regional case manager for one of four state-approved long-term care Medicaid managed care plans.

"We've got six case managers now, and we anticipate this growing demand will change that. And we will match it to the growing volume," said Andrew Cruikshank, Fort Hudson CEO.

The state is in the process of implementing managed care for all nursing home, home care and adult day care Medicaid patients who receive services for 120 days or more a year.

Medicaid is a health insurance program for the poor, elderly and disabled that is paid for jointly by federal, state and county governments.

It is one of the larger revenue sources for nursing homes.

Under a managed care plan, Medicaid pays an overall amount per patient, with adjustments for meeting quality care standards, instead of paying based on a fee for each service provided.

It is one of several initiatives in the state's Medicaid redesign plan.

Case managers coordinate and monitor care to make sure the three-fold goal of Medicaid redesign is achieved.

"All of these different pieces are focused on common premises of lower cost, better outcomes, improved access," Cruikshank said.

The state began implementing long-term Medicaid managed care in the New York City area about two years ago and in Warren and Washington counties in July, with a goal of having most long-term care Medicaid patients in the two counties enrolled by mid-2017.

Fort Hudson is providing case management in a six-county area.

"They're not just our clients. We are managing cases as far north as Plattsburgh and as far south as Waterford and Clifton Park," Cruikshank said.

Providing the service brings additional revenue for Fort Hudson.

"We get paid on a per-member, per-month basis," Cruikshank said.

The revenue is helpful, as nursing homes face budget pressures from the shift to managed care.

"It represents a significant shift in how long-term care providers operate," he said. "The transition itself is a significant challenge."

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