Georgia Department of Community Health details managed‑care shift, PACE rollout and new state nurse‑aide proposals

The Department of Community Health told the House Human Relations and Aging Committee that a pending appeal of its care management organization procurement will delay contract changes and the movement of some Medicaid populations into managed care.

"We have an open procurement to our care management organizations for Medicaid and that is ongoing, it's under appeal," said Joe Hood, chief operating officer for the Department of Community Health. He said the appeal could take up to two years and, depending on operational readiness, it could be three to four years before some waiver and nursing‑home populations might be moved into managed care.

Hood said the first population to shift would be people who qualify for Medicaid through the Social Security Administration's SSI determination and who currently receive fee‑for‑service Medicaid. "That initial population is a Social Security SSI qualifying individuals… and those will shift from fee for service into care management," he said, adding that the move aims to increase preventive care and reduce long‑term institutionalization.

The department also provided an update on PACE, the Program of All‑Inclusive Care for the Elderly. Brandy Sylvan, director of government relations for…