3 million Michigan residents could be impacted by Medicaid redetermination; must act by July 2024 deadline

Media Contact: Barbara Fornasiero, EAFocus Communications, barbara@eafocus.com; 248.260.8466

Rochester, Mich. – November 27, 2023 – MedNetOne Health Solutions (MedNetOne) – a health care management and physician organization offering infrastructure, technology, and clinical services to nearly 1,000 private practice physicians and other independent care providers – is championing Medicaid redetermination efforts in Southeast Michigan. Partnering with nonprofits such as The Salvation Army Harbor Light, community groups and multiple Michigan Medicaid payors, the organization’s goal is to help metro Detroiters renew their Medicaid benefits.

Background
As the nation seeks to redetermine who is qualified for Medicaid following a pandemic-related executive order that extended Medicaid benefits without proof of continuing qualification, each state is required to handle its own redetermination and renewal efforts. It’s estimated more than three million Michigan residents are at risk of losing coverage if they don’t reapply for eligibility consideration. As part of the redetermination efforts, Michigan residents no longer eligible for Medicaid will be steered to the healthcare exchange or state programs for which they may be qualified. The redetermination period runs through July 24, 2024, and organizations like MedNetOne are racing to meet the deadline through a host of innovative programs that directly reach impacted residents and ensure that Michigan’s most vulnerable will continue to have access to Medicaid.

Community partnerships identified as best means to conquer massive project
MedNetOne CEO and Co-Founder Ewa Matuszewski, a Polish immigrant with a history of tackling grassroots health initiatives, joined with The Salvation Army Harbor Light to follow its Bed and Bread trucks – which serve people via mobile soup kitchen trucks – for direct outreach to those who may need to go through the Medicaid renewal process. The pilot partnership launched October 23 and ran for one week, with an estimated 1,500 residents contacted. The following agencies and payors participated by providing financial support, healthcare navigators or technology: Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS), Henry Ford Health, HAP, Authority Health, Molina Health Care, Priority Health, Meridian and Western Wayne Family Health Center.  Additionally, MedNetOne staff members Gina Angelo, Michael Johnson, Robert Pejas and Kyle Trimpe worked at each event.

“MedNetOne strongly believes that community health partnerships are at the foundation of addressing the social determinants of health,” Matuszewski said. “We are extremely grateful to all of the organizations and payors for rallying around this boots-on-the-ground approach to Medicaid renewal.”

Addressing social determinants of health
MedNetOne has deep roots in providing community-based health programs – including hosting more than 150 pop-up vaccination clinics in underserved SE Michigan areas and ethnic enclaves throughout the pandemic. The organization seeks creative but practical efforts to provide services to those impacted by the social determinants of health (SDOH).

The role of community health workers (CHWs)
The Medicaid renewal initiative spearheaded by MedNetOne is also a vehicle for payors, health agencies and community groups to see the value of community health workers (CHWs) in action, as they serve as navigators throughout the renewal process. MedNetOne and its nonprofit learning organization Practice Transformation Institute developed a program earlier this year to train and educate CHWs using an in-person and virtual curriculum. Among their many valuable roles, CHWs are well positioned to make an impact in efforts that serve to mitigate the social determinants of health.

MedNetOne seeks additional partners for Medicaid renewal
MedNetOne is pursuing other partnerships in support of its commitment to Medicaid renewal efforts over the next several months. The next sessions to help those needing assistance with Medicaid renewal will be held at the Detroit Public Library Main Campus on Thursday December 7, December 14, and December 21 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Additional renewal fairs will be scheduled for 2024. For more information on the Medicaid renewal process, please visit Michigan.gov/MIBridges. To partner with MedNetOne, contact the organization’s Medicaid renewal project manager, Lucie Fornasiero, at lucie@eafocus.com.

About MedNetOne Health Solutions (MedNetOne)
Based in Rochester, Michigan, MedNetOne Health Solutions is a physician organization supporting its independent practice members with the infrastructure, technology and clinical support necessary to provide fully integrated, population-based, patient-centric care. Committed to community-based care and coordinated care through multi-disciplinary teams, MedNetOne collaborates with payors, nonprofits and community groups to develop and implement primary care initiatives that address preventive care, chronic conditions and the social determinants of health and positively impact health outcomes. Learn more here.

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