New Studies Tout Benefits of High Duals Integration, Pinpoint Shortcomings

As CMS applies pressure on health plans and states to enhance coordination for dually eligible Medicare-Medicaid enrollees and congressional lawmakers urge momentum for the Delivering Unified Access to Lifesaving Services (DUALS) Act, the path to integrated care remains a challenge in many states. And two recent studies show that beneficial outcomes, even for enrollees in Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs), are not guaranteed.

In separate analyses looking at the New York and Virginia markets, researchers discovered a wide range of improvement areas that, even among highly integrated D-SNPs (HIDE-SNPs) and fully integrated D-SNPs (FIDE-SNPs), could capitalize on the potential of the D-SNP approach. The study covering the Virginia market, published last month in JAMA Health Forum, analyzed the impact of exclusively aligned enrollment (EAE), which the study authors describe as “the highest level of D-SNP integration.” This occurs when the parent organization’s D-SNP (a type of Medicare Advantage plan) is limited to individuals who are also enrolled in that organization’s Medicaid managed care organization.