THT Applauds ‘Road Map’ for Medicaid Progress
by Trenton Health Team, one of New Jersey’s original Medicaid Accountable Care Organizations, today welcomed a new report outlining how to expand and enhance health care and accountability, and called on state lawmakers to both fund and formalize these valuable regional health partnerships. See NJSpotlight story about Regional Health Hubs
The Road Map released this week by the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute outlines a vision for enabling current state-certified Medicaid ACOs to continue to grow, innovate and improve health outcomes as Regional Health Hubs. The plan also suggests how other communities can develop Hubs.
“Regional partnerships are making a real difference in the lives of low-income residents and reducing healthcare expenses for taxpayers,” said THT Executive Director Gregory Paulson. “In fact, New Jersey is rapidly becoming a national model for how communities can come together to tackle our shared health challenges.”
New Jersey launched Medicaid ACOs to better serve residents receiving healthcare coverage through Medicaid — those who often lack access to the resources needed to be, and stay, healthy. Today, New Jersey’s regional partnerships — Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers, Healthy Greater Newark, Health Coalition of Passaic County, and Trenton Health Team — integrate, coordinate, and align disconnected programs aimed at making communities healthier. Learn more here
Health hubs are community-based structures for convening stakeholders, enabling planning and providing health interventions. One of the most innovative and important roles is securely sharing healthcare data through regional Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) to help care providers better understand and meet patient needs.
These sophisticated data systems also help care providers address social determinants of health — causes of health problems that are not medical. Now, doctors can make referrals directly to food pantries, legal services, faith communities and other social services in hope of mitigating conditions contributing to health concerns.
“Over the past year, Trenton Health Team has worked with our partners to address inequities in maternal health outcomes, cancer screening and treatment, access to healthy food, chronic absenteeism, and even home improvements,” Paulson said. “Legislators should build upon this success by formally recognizing our partnerships as regional health hubs and maintaining funding in fiscal 2020 so we cancontinue helping patients and saving taxpayers money.” See NJSpotlight story about Regional Health Hubs
