March 14, 2022

The NYS Council has been leading the charge to change the way NYS selects and contracts with MCOs to participate in Medicaid managed care.  We vigorously support Governor Hochul’s proposal that would require the Office of Health Insurance Programs (OHIP) at DoH to use a competitive procurement to identify only those MCOs that have real expertise and a sincere interest in managing behavioral health benefits.

From the beginning, we knew the Governor’s proposal (Part P in the HMH executive budget proposal) was a longshot given the tactics used by its opponents, and the significant resources they have at their disposal to kill proposals they don’t like.  Nevertheless, we fought hard to garner support for the Governor’s proposal by issuing two sign on letters, one of which refuted the false claims being made by the Health Plan Association.  We ran ads in widely read Albany online media outlets, I spoke to countless lawmakers about the serious problems providers are having dealing with certain MCOs, and our members have been out across the state discussing the proposal and the need for real reform of the current Medicaid managed care system for care recipients and the providers that serve them.

Despite the fact that the one house bills do not include Part P, there is a real possibility the state will decide to change the way MCOs are procured to manage HARP benefits.  Discussions are ongoing.  Stand by for more.