MEDICAID MANAGED CARE: New Guide Highlights State Trends

      Managed care has emerged as Medicaid's dominant delivery system over the past two years, with plans enfolding even those beneficiaries with complex health needs, according to a new report, "Medicaid Managed Care: A Guide for States." Authors Neva Kaye and Cynthia Pernice of the National Academy for State Health Policy detail how managed care programs have increased in both scope and complexity in recent years, stepping beyond basic implementation concerns to focus on program improvement. States are now working to ensure that Medicaid programs are more responsive to beneficiaries, that they ensure continuity of care and are specifically designed for Medicaid enrollees. The report, based on NASHP's 1998 survey of all 50 states and the District of Columbia, draws on three previous surveys conducted in 1990, 1994 and 1996 for comparison. The NASHP touts the guide as the "most comprehensive information available" on the issue. Copies are available by calling 207/874-6524, at a cost of $125 for government organizations and non-profits and $175 for all other groups (NASHP release, 4/1).