CareStar Already Fulfilling New Ohio Medicaid Modernization Goals

May 20, 2011

CareStar Already Fulfilling New Ohio Medicaid Modernization Goals

In January, 2011, Governor John Kasich created the Office of Health Transformation to modernize the fragmented system of Medicaid in Ohio, to improve the quality of health services available to consumers and families and provide the best value to taxpayers.

The Office of Health Transformation, in budget testimony before the Ohio Senate Finance Committee recently described a “triple aim” for this modernization:

Improve the experience of care

Enhance the health of populations
Reduce costs through improvement

CareStar supports Ohio’s aims for this Medicaid modernization. In fact, CareStar has had these same aims in place for its management of the Ohio Home Care Program for many years. The following charts illustrate Carestar’s success in achieving this triple aim.

Improved Experience of Care

The 2009-2010 Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) review of CareStar stated “CareStar’s operation of the Ohio Home Care and Transitions DD waivers is safe and effective.”

Consumers Graph

*Based on 2009-2010 ODJFS report of the ongoing quality assurance review of CareStar’s performance related to federal waiver assurances

Enhanced Health of Populations

The goal of the Ohio Home Care Program is to maintain individuals with a Nursing Facility Level of Care in the community. Throughout the past five years CareStar has been successful in achieving this program goal more than 98% of the time.

*Based on average annual census

Reduced Cost Through Improvement

CareStar has saved taxpayers $95 million since 2006 as measured against inflation by effectively managing the cost of consumer services. Ohio Home Care Program consumers’ average cost of care was actually lower in 2010 than in 2008 and 2009 despite the rising average cost of living.

Consumers Graph 3