Husky Health Person-Centered Medical Home

Program Location: 
Hartford, CT
Number of Practices: 
41
Payer Type: 
Medicaid
Payers: 
Connecticut Medicaid
Accreditation/Recognition: 
NCQA

Reported Outcomes

Description: 

In January 2012, Connecticut's Department of Social Services introduced a person-centered medical home (PCMH) initiative within their redesigned HUSKY Health program. Under this initiative, Connecticut Medicaid provides new payment incentives to practices and clinics that demonstrate a higher standard of person-centered medical care.  Eligible participants include independent physician groups or solo pracitces, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and hospital outpatient clinics.  To qualify as a PCMH, a practice must be recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Level 2 or Level 3 PCMH.  Primary care services must account for at least 60% of a practitioner's time across all payers in order to qualify for enhanced reimbursements for PCMH services.

To assist practices with the PCMH transformation process, the state has a "Glide Path" option that provides financial and technical support for practices that are preparing to seek PCMH qualification through NCQA recognition.

Related News & Resources

Payment Model: 

Practices and clinics that demonstrate a higher standard of person-centered primary care service delivery will qualify for a higher level of reimbursement for primary care services.  Practices are also eligible for additional financial incentives based on performance measures. Up to 125% of estimated annual incremental PCMH costs are reimbursed through a hybrid approach:

  • Start-up Supplemental Payment (small independent practices only)
  • PCMH Participation Fee Differential Payment  (Glide Path practices receive a portion of this fee)
  • PMPM Performance Payments (excludes Glide Path practices)
    • Year 1: Incentive payment for achieving NCQA Level 2 or 3 recognition
    • After Year 1: Improvement payments to practices that demonstrate 5-10% improvement over their previous year's performance or that fall in the 90-100th percentile relative to all qualified PCMH practices

Click here for more information pertaining to the Husky Health Person-Centered Medical Home program.

Improved Patient/Clinician Satisfaction: 

Connecticut Department of Social Services Report (FY 2015)

  • Achieved an overall member satisfaction rating of 91.1% among adults and 96.1% on behalf of children
  • Immediate access to care increased to 92.5% of the time, when requested by adults, and 96.7% of the time, when requested on behalf of children.
  • Among a number of measures of courtesy and respect shown to HUSKY members, communication before and during care, PCMH providers were rated overwhelmingly positively by HUSKY members.
Cost Savings: 

Hartford Courant (July 2014)

  • 2% reduction in per person costs
  • state distributed $2.4 million in enhanced payments to 15 certified medical homes and 1 hospital outpatient primary care clinic 
Increased Preventive Services: 

Hartford Courant (July 2014)

  • children seen in a medical home were 10% more likely to receive recommended EPSDT screenings
Other Outcomes: 

Hartford Courant (July 2014)

  • 32% increase in participating providers over 18 months
Last updated December 2015
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