Oct. 16, 2015

Department Works toward Solutions with Physicians, Public on Children’s Medical Services Clinical Eligibility Screening Tool

Contact:
Communications Office
NewsMedia@flhealth.gov
(850) 245-4111

Tallahassee, Fla.—Today, the Florida Department of Health met with nearly 40 pediatricians, caregivers and other children’s advocates to discuss an appropriate screening tool to determine clinical eligibility based on legislative guidelines for the Children’s Medical Services (CMS) Managed Care Plan.

“We’re pleased many stakeholders came to the table today to collaborate on ways to move quickly and efficiently toward getting a rule in place that allows us to screen children with special health care needs eligible for the CMS Plan,” said Florida Department of Health Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Tschetter. “We look forward to incorporating written comments into the draft rule over the next two weeks with the hopes of finalizing a rule before the holidays.”

Today’s workshop was the first step in the process to put into administrative rule the clinical eligibility criteria and redetermination requirements for the CMS Plan, which ensures children with serious and chronic medical conditions who need specialized services receive them. The department heard several comments from physicians during the workshop that were immediately incorporated into the current draft rule and looks forward to further collaboration over the next two weeks.

Children awaiting clinical eligibility determinations are being served through another Managed Medical Assistance plan with the same level of service agreement as the CMS Plan, or other Medicaid programs. The department has worked in partnership with the Agency for Health Care Administration to ensure children with the most severe diagnoses are able to enroll in the CMS Plan during rulemaking. Children currently in the CMS Plan will continue to receive the high-quality care and care coordination the CMS Plan provides.

The department is asking that public comment and suggestions for the proposed rule be submitted to the department by Oct. 30. Children’s Medical Services Regional Medical Directors are being reached out to individually to ensure their input is incorporated into the final proposed rule. Comments may be submitted to the Director of Children’s Medical Services Managed Care Plan Operations Kelli Stannard at Kelli.Stannard@flhealth.gov.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

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