Engaging MCOs to Attain Coverage

Leverage Existing Relationships

• Inventory the existing relationships between the state Medicaid agency, state public health agency, and state MCOs. Existing relationships can be an opening for discussions on MCO engagement with the National DPP lifestyle change program and can lead to essential links to MCO leadership.
• Identify a point of contact at each MCO. This could be individuals working in population health, community health, or utilization and care management departments at the MCO.
  • States have found it useful to work with the state Medicaid agency, especially if only MCOs with a Medicaid contract are being contacted. The state Medicaid agency provides a natural access point to establish contact with MCOs and can result in the ability to speak directly with MCO Medical Directors, who often interface regularly with the state Medicaid agency.

Leverage MCO Associations

• If contact with MCOs cannot be achieved through the state Medicaid agency, initiate contact with a state association of MCOs, statewide committee, or any other organization that includes MCO representation.
  • For example, one state reached out to the MCO committee within their statewide association of health plans to share information about the National DPP lifestyle change program.

Leverage the Existing National Landscape for Multistate MCOs

• Multistate plans, in general, are trending towards consolidation at the enterprise level, meaning that state-level decision-making is lessening. When approaching a multistate plan, identify the national-level trends that may impact conversations about coverage for the National DPP.
• If a multistate MCO reaches a critical mass with required statewide coverage, meaning a substantial number of states in their network are requiring coverage, it may become appealing to include it as a value-add benefit in a non-required market.
• However, there are some limitations to using coverage in one state as leverage in another. If this critical mass is not met, multistate MCOs may not see the upside of covering the program in a non-requirement state.
• Plans with multiple lines of business (LOB), may consider providing similar services to all their LOB beneficiaries. Health plans often use population health approaches to make those decisions.

Group Meetings and One-on-One Calls

• Reach MCOs through one-on-one calls, group meetings, webinars, or a combination of these approaches.
  • Some states have presented the National DPP lifestyle change program to groups of MCOs, followed by one-on-one calls with each MCO to provide more personalized information on how the MCO could implement the program. Presentations to groups of MCOs have featured the programs efficacy, a presentation from a CDC-recognized organization, and information on launching a pilot.
  • States may also consider sending a survey to the health plans attending their presentations to assess the extent of existing diabetes-related efforts before proposing a pilot. This can help the state frame the National DPP lifestyle change program as a value-add for the MCOs. To learn more about MCO surveys, see the Step 1C: Survey MCOs section below.
• Conduct efficient follow-up that encourages ongoing conversation about a potential pilot or another engagement opportunity.
  • Following pilot proposal meetings with MCOs, one state found it useful to send information on the number and locations of CDC-recognized organizations throughout the state to help the MCOs have collaborative conversations about launching a pilot.

Make the Case for the National DPP Lifestyle Change Program

• Present the value proposition of the National DPP lifestyle change program to MCOs. This may be done by leveraging an existing MCO meeting organized by the state Medicaid agency, or by connecting with each MCO individually. Some key points to communicate to MCOs are:
  • The National DPP lifestyle change program is unique among weight loss programs because it is evidence based. The original clinical trial and subsequent translational studies can be used to substantiate this point.
  • Reference the Case for Coverage materials on the Coverage Toolkit, especially the Case for Coverage Presentation Outline. Add state-specific data to supplement national statistics.
  • Share the value on investment (VOI) for MCOs covering the National DPP lifestyle change program.
  • Emphasize that patients’ healthier lifestyle choices gained from the National DPP lifestyle change program may contribute to a host of corollary health benefits and improved member satisfaction, in addition to preventing type 2 diabetes.
  • Describe the relationships between diabetes and COVID-19; underscore the need for continued diabetes prevention, as those with diabetes are especially vulnerable to severe illness from the virus (1, 2, 3).
  • Describe the nationwide infrastructure for the National DPP lifestyle change program, including the Medicaid coverage landscape.
  • Describe how type 2 diabetes prevention could be considered a value-add for the MCO and their members. If a plan offers the National DPP lifestyle change program, members may feel a stronger allegiance to their plan, which they perceive as genuinely looking out for their best interests.
  • Describe how the National DPP lifestyle change program aligns with the goals of both the state Medicaid agency and public health, as appropriate. This can help further establish a partnership between Medicaid, public health, and the MCOs.

Highlight State Examples

• Many states currently provide some level of Medicaid coverage for the National DPP lifestyle change program. Some of these states are providing Medicaid coverage exclusively through their managed care plans. In these states, the National DPP lifestyle change program is not a Medicaid covered benefit, however managed care plans are offering the lifestyle change program to their members largely due to leadership within the MCO. For additional detail on states covering the program in Medicaid, see the Participating Payers page of the Coverage Toolkit.

Anticipate MCOs’ Questions

• Prepare for questions from the MCOs, particularly related to barriers to implementing or covering the program. The Barriers to Coverage FAQ document addresses many of the commonly asked questions about coverage of the National DPP lifestyle change program.
  • For example, other states have shared that MCOs understand the evidence behind the National DPP lifestyle change program, but desire evidence showing the effectiveness of the program for the Medicaid population in general or specific to their state. Studies evaluating the effectiveness of the program for the Medicaid population can be found on the Evidence page of the Coverage Toolkit.
  • The Medicaid Coverage for the National DPP Demonstration Project is another source of evidence confirming that the lifestyle change program can be delivered successfully to the Medicaid population. More information on the Demonstration can be found here, and resources to support the Demonstration’s success can be found here.

Step 1A: Conduct Initial Research on MCOs

States can begin identifying pilot sites by researching populations and geographic areas that MCOs are focused on reaching and then creating a list of CDC-recognized organizations in that area. For example, states may identify jurisdictions/counties with a high number of MCO members and increased diabetes burden. A list of CDC-recognized organizations could then be generated for these identified areas. Targeting populations with the greatest need may help ensure that the infrastructure that is developed during the pilot will work for these populations when coverage is attained.

States may also benefit from identifying organizations that are both CDC-recognized and already enrolled in Medicaid, such as FQHCs, local health departments, or health systems. These organizations likely have existing contractual agreements with MCOs and amending existing contracts typically is less time intensive than setting up a new contract between an MCO and a CDC-recognized organization. One way that states can find this information is by conducting a survey of MCOs. See Step 1C on surveying MCOs for more details.

Step 1B: Outreach to MCOs

As part of the planning process, states can conduct outreach to MCOs to gauge interest and assess the fit for their participation in a pilot. A state’s Medicaid agency may be able to help facilitate in the MCO outreach process through existing channels. To learn more about outreaching to MCOs, please see the Strategies for Engaging MCOs section.

Step 1C: Survey MCOs

Surveying MCOs can:

1. provide useful information on what services MCOs are already offering for diabetes prevention,
2. identify what prediabetes data MCOs are tracking, and
3. be an important first step in learning the value MCOs assign to the National DPP lifestyle change program.

MCOs that are actively identifying and tracking members with prediabetes may make good candidates for piloting the National DPP lifestyle change program.

Another way to survey MCOs is by conducting a readiness assessment. The purpose of a readiness assessment is to uncover whether MCOs have what they need to create a successful pilot. A readiness assessment can ask MCOs about existing prediabetes data, available staff for a pilot, outreach capacity, and data sharing agreements.

Step 2A: Identify Funding Sources

Identifying funding sources early on is an important part of a successful pilot. States have funded their pilots through a variety of mechanisms. Illinois identified an MCO that had corporate funding available to direct towards a National DPP pilot program and used 1817 and 1815 grant funding to support the participating CDC-recognized organizations. Michigan is also using 1815 funds for their state-supported MCO pilot by contracting directly with CDC-recognized organizations that serve the participating MCO’s members. At least one participating MCO in Michigan is providing in-kind support in the form of staffing, outreach, and administrative supports for the National DPP lifestyle change program for their members. To learn more about about Michigan’s state-supported MCO pilot, see Michigan’s State Story of Medicaid Coverage.

Step 2B: Establish a Budget

When developing the pilot budget, states may consider the reimbursement rate, the number of members to receive the services, the geographic catchment, and participant incentives or supports used to overcome barriers to participation. States may also consider developing the reimbursement methodology at the outset of the pilot so that payment is built with a value-based framework.

Step 2C: Align on Pilot Objectives

A pilot may seek to accomplish several different goals. States can work with stakeholders to align on the objectives of the pilot and to set reasonable expectations for achieving their goals. It is critical to ensure that the state Medicaid agency is part of this process. Having ongoing support from the Medicaid agency can help facilitate the transition from a pilot to attaining statewide coverage. Some potential objectives that a state may want to focus on include:

• Demonstrate the effectiveness of the National DPP lifestyle change program for a specific population.
• Advance the CDC-recognized organizations’ ability to submit claims and identify potential technical assistance needs related to the billing and claims process.
• Evaluate the cost of delivering the National DPP lifestyle change program and determine the value on investment (VOI) horizon MCOs are seeking.
• Identify the MCOs’ objectives and Medicaid’s objectives for a pilot, such as improved member outcomes, including weight loss, physical activity, and A1C reductions.
• Identify and assess effective recruitment, enrollment, and retention strategies.
• Evaluate network adequacy to support the National DPP lifestyle change program within a state or region.
• Build new or strengthen existing relationships among National DPP and Medicaid stakeholders.

Step 2D: Test Claims and Billing Submissions Processes

States can implement a test claims submission process during their pilot with the objective of helping CDC-recognized organizations submit claims and identify potential barriers in the claims and billing process. This “mock claims” process can help states establish the necessary infrastructure for submitting claims on a trial basis and familiarize organizations with the process. To enable the mock claims submission process, states may set up codes so the billing process mimics state Medicaid agency operations. Illinois is using their pilot to test a mock claims process so that CDC-recognized organizations can track participants’ progress and milestones and share this information back with their MCOs.

Step 2E: Offer Technical Assistance

States may consider offering technical assistance to MCO pilot sites to increase the likelihood of program success. Technical assistance for various aspects of the program may include supporting member outreach and recruitment, facilitating marketing and referrals, facilitating the development of billing and claims processes, supporting evaluation and monitoring, convening MCOs, and creating quality improvement plans. Michigan, for example, requires evaluation data from their pilot sites that allows the state to identify needs and provide technical assistance to programs that are not meeting CDC’s Diabetes Prevention Recognition Program (DPRP) standards. For additional information about the technical assistance provided by Michigan to pilot participants, see Michigan’s State Story of Medicaid Coverage.

Step 2F: Monitor and Evaluate the Pilot

Evaluating an MCO pilot can result in critical data to support the case for statewide coverage of the National DPP lifestyle change program in Medicaid and to encourage engagement from other MCOs. Evaluation is most effective when the state Medicaid agency is involved early in the process. States may evaluate their pilot by gathering outcomes data and preparing evaluation reports on the successes and challenges of the pilot. Some states may even require evaluation data from pilot sites to assess whether participating providers are meeting DPRP standards.

Gathering data from participants can help support the MCO’s recruitment and enrollment efforts by shedding light on the participants and their needs. States and CDC-recognized organizations can work with MCOs to determine which types of data the MCO is already gathering, how to use this data to support the pilot, and if any additional data needs to be gathered to help monitor the pilot.

After a pilot ends, states may find it useful to collect feedback from MCOs and CDC-recognized organizations involved in the pilot to identify successes, challenges, and areas of opportunity. This input can be used to guide the design of the benefit and implementation approaches when statewide Medicaid coverage of the program is attained. States may also want to invite the MCOs and CDC-recognized organizations that were involved in the pilot to participate in the benefit design.

To learn more about evaluation methods and examples of states that have evaluated the National DPP lifestyle change program, please see the evaluation section of the Data, Reporting, and Evaluation page.