WSR 14-15-016

[Filed July 7, 2014, 6:51 a.m.]

Title or Subject: Apple Health Foster Care Managed Care Program.

Effective Date: January 1, 2015.

Description: Medicaid 1915(b) waiver.

Beginning on or about January 1, 2015, the health care authority (the agency) intends to mandatorily enroll children in foster care and adoption support programs into a new managed care program called "Apple Health Foster Care" (AHFC). This managed care program will provide comprehensive and coordinated primary care and ancillary services for children and youth in foster care and adoption support programs and to young adults who are "alumni" of the foster care system.

The agency intends to contract with a single managed care organization (MCO) to provide this program. The single MCO will be selected through a competitive process which will be limited to the five currently contracted apple health MCOs. The apparent successful bidder must have the ability to provide a program of coordinated health care services for children and youth in foster care, who may move from one area of the state to another as their placements change. The current system makes continuity of care difficult and results in poor health outcomes for foster children in particular. The goals of this program include cost containment, but more importantly, better coordination and continuity of care, and improved health outcomes for program enrollees.

To allow mandatory enrollment of clients into this program, the agency intends to submit a 1915(b) waiver to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

For additional information, contact Alison Robbins, Division of Health Care Services, Quality and Care Management Section, 626 8th Avenue, P.O. Box 45530, Olympia, WA 98504, phone (360) 725-1634, TDD/TTY 1-800-848-5429, fax (360) 753-7315, e-mail Alison.Robbins@hca.wa.gov.