The Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) operates a primary care case management program (PCCM) in the far southwestern part of the state that it is seeking to change to a medical home model. DMAS has initiated a significant research and communication effort with providers and other state Medicaid agencies to develop a pilot medical home program in this area which will consist of primary care, behavioral health, disease and case management, and other assistive resources. The pilot will build on the existing PCCM program.
DMAS has identified two partners in Carilion Health System and Southwest Community Health System. Carilion is a hospital system with a facility in the planned pilot region while Southwest Community Health System is a federally qualified health center in Southwest Virginia. It is hoped that success in transforming Southwest Community Health System will serve as a “proof of concept” and create momentum for building medical homes in other non-managed care areas of the state.
Virginia aims to launch its pilot by January 2011.
It bears noting that in March 2010, the Virginia General Assembly passed HJ 82, which “[d]irects the Joint Commission on Health Care to review available information …about chronic health care home systems in other states to develop recommendations related to the development of a system of chronic health care homes in the Commonwealth.”
Targeted population: vulnerable citizens, including aged, blind, and disabled populations, and low income families with children.
