La. Admin. Code tit. 50 § I-3105

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section I-3105 - Enrollment Process

A. The MCO shall abide by all enrollment and disenrollment policy and procedures as outlined in the contract developed by the department.

B. The department will contract with an enrollment broker who will be responsible for the enrollment and disenrollment process for MCO participants. The enrollment broker shall be:

1. the primary contact for Medicaid recipients regarding the MCO enrollment and disenrollment process, and shall assist the recipient to enroll in an MCO;

2. the only authorized entity, other than the department, to assist a Medicaid recipient in the selection of an MCO; and

3. responsible for notifying all MCO members of their enrollment and disenrollment rights and responsibilities within the timeframe specified in the contract.

C. Enrollment Period. The annual enrollment of an MCO member shall be for a period of up to 12 months from the date of enrollment, contingent upon his/her continued Medicaid and MCO eligibility. A member shall remain enrolled in the MCO until:

1. DHH or its enrollment broker approves the members written, electronic or oral request to disenroll or transfer to another MCO for cause; or

2. the annual open enrollment period or after the lock-in period; or

3. the member becomes ineligible for Medicaid and/or the MCO program.

D. Special Open Enrollment Period for Specialized Behavioral Health Integration

1. The department, through its enrollment broker, will provide an opportunity for all populations to be mandatorily enrolled into Bayou Health for specialized behavioral health services. These populations will be given a 60-day choice period to proactively choose an MCO.

2. Each potential MCO member shall receive information and the offer of assistance with making informed choices about the participating MCOs and the availability of choice counseling.

3. During the special enrollment period, current members who do not proactively request reassignment will remain with their existing MCO.

4. These new members will be encouraged to make a choice among the participating MCOs. When no choice is made, auto-assignment will be used as outlined in §3105. G.2 a

E. Special Enrollment Provisions for Mandatory, Opt-In Population Only

1. Mandatory, opt-in populations may request participation in Bayou Health for physical health services at any time. The effective date of enrollment shall be no later than the first day of the second month following the calendar month the request for enrollment is received. Retroactive begin dates are not allowed.

2. The enrollment broker will ensure that all mandatory, opt-in populations are notified at the time of enrollment of their ability to disenroll for physical health at any time. The effective date will be the first day of a month, and no later than the first day of the second month following the calendar month the request for disenrollment is received.

3. Following an opt-in for physical health and selection of an MCO and subsequent 90-day choice period, these members will be locked into the MCO for 12 months from the effective date of enrollment or until the next annual enrollment period unless they elect to disenroll from physical health.

F. Enrollment of Newborns. Newborns of Medicaid eligible mothers, who are enrolled at the time of the newborn's birth, will be automatically enrolled with the mothers MCO, retroactive to the month of the newborns birth.

1. If there is an administrative delay in enrolling the newborn and costs are incurred during that period, the member shall be held harmless for those costs and the MCO shall pay for these services.

2. The MCO and its providers shall be required to:

a. report the birth of a newborn within 48 hours by requesting a Medicaid identification (ID) number through the departments online system for requesting Medicaid ID numbers; and

b. complete and submit any other Medicaid enrollment form required by the department.

G . Selection of an MCO

1. As part of the eligibility determination process, Medicaid and LaCHIP applicants, for whom the department determines eligibility, shall receive information and assistance with making informed choices about participating MCOs from the enrollment broker. These individuals will be afforded the opportunity to indicate the plan of their choice on their Medicaid financial application form or in a subsequent contract with the department prior to determination of Medicaid eligibility.

2. All new recipients who have made a proactive selection of an MCO shall have that MCO choice transmitted to the enrollment broker immediately upon determination of Medicaid or LaCHIP eligibility. The member will be assigned to the MCO of their choosing unless the plan is otherwise restricted by the department.

a. Recipients who fail to choose an MCO shall be automatically assigned to an MCO by the enrollment broker, and the MCO shall be responsible to assign the member to a primary care provider (PCP) if a PCP is not selected at the time of enrollment into the MCO.

b. For mandatory populations for all covered services as well as mandatory, specialized behavioral health populations, the auto-assignment will automatically enroll members using a hierarchy that takes into account family/household member enrollment, or a round robin method that maximizes preservation of existing specialized behavioral health provider-recipient relationships.

3. All new recipients shall be immediately, automatically assigned to an MCO by the enrollment broker if they did not select an MCO during the financia l eligibility determination process.

a. Special Provisions for Medicaid Expansion. Individuals enrolled in the Take Charge Plus and/or the Greater New Orleans Community Health Connection (GNOCHC) Waiver program upon implementation of the new adult group will be auto assigned to an MCO by the enrollment broker as provided for in the automatic assignment process defined in §3105 H-H.3.

4. All new recipients will be given 90 days to change plans if they so choose.

a. Special Provisions for Medicaid Expansion. Individuals transferred from Take Charge Plus and/or GNOCHC will be given 90 days to change plans without cause following auto assignment to an MCO upon implementation of the new adult group.

5. The following provisions will be applicable for recipients who are mandatory participants.

a. If there are two or more MCOs in a department designated service area in which the recipient resides, they shall select one.

b. Recipients may request to transfer out of the MCO for cause and the effective date of enrollment into the new plan shall be no later than the first day of the second month following the calendar month that the request for disenrollment is filed.

H. Automatic Assignment Process

1. The following participants shall be automatically assigned to an MCO by the enrollment broker in accordance with the departments algorithm/formu la and the provisions of §3105 E:

a. mandatory MCO participants, with the exceptions noted in §3105. G.2.a i;

b. pregnant women with Medicaid eligibility limited to prenatal care, delivery and post-partum services; and

c. other recipients as determined by the department.

2. MCO automatic assignments shall take into consideration factors including, but not limited to:

a. assigning members of family units to the same MCO;

b. existing provider-enrollee relationships;

c. previous MCO-enrollee relationship;

d. MCO capacity; and

e. MCO performance outcome indicators.

3. MCO assignment methodology shall be available to recipients upon request to the enrollment broker.

I. Selection or Automatic Assignment of a Primary Care Provider for Mandatory Populations for All Covered Services

1. The MCO is responsible to develop a PCP automatic assignment methodology in accordance with the departments requirements for the assignment of a PCP to an enrollee who:

a. does not make a PCP selection after being offered a reasonable opportunity by the MCO to select a PCP;

b. selects a PCP within the MCO that has reached their maximum physician/patient ratio; or

c. selects a PCP within the MCO that has restrictions/limitations (e.g. pediatric only practice).

2. The PCP automatically assigned to the member shall be located within geographic access standards, as specified in the contract, of the member's home and/or who best meets the needs of the member. Members for whom an MCO is the secondary payor will not be assigned to a PCP by the MCO, unless the member requests that the MCO do so.

3. If the enrollee does not select an MCO and is automatically assigned to a PCP by the MCO, the MCO shall allow the enrollee to change PCP, at least once, during the first 90 days from the date of assignment to the PCP. Effective the ninety-first day, a member may be locked into the PCP assignment for a period of up to nine months beginning from the original date that he/she was assigned to the MCO.

4. If a member requests to change his/her PCP for cause at any time during the enrollment period, the MCO must agree to grant the request.

J. Lock-In Period

1. Members have 90 days from the initial date of enrollment into an MCO in which they may change the MCO for any reason. Medicaid enrollees may only change MCOs without cause within the initial 90 days of enrollment in an MCO. After the initial 90-day period, Medicaid enrollees/members shall be locked into an MCO until the annual open enrollment period, unless disenrolled under one of the conditions described in this Section, with the exception of the mandatory, opt-in populations, who may disenroll from Bayou Health for physical health and return to legacy Medicaid at any time.

K. Annual Open Enrollment

1. The department will provide an opportunity for all MCO members to retain or select a new MCO during an annual open enrollment period. Notification will be sent to each MCO member and voluntary members who have opted out of participation in Bayou Health at least 60 days prior to the effective date of the annual open enrollment. Each MCO member shall receive information and the offer of assistance with making informed choices about MCOs in their area and the availability of choice counseling.

2. Members shall have the opportunity to talk with an enrollment broker representative who shall provide additional information to assist in choosing the appropriate MCO. The enrollment broker shall provide the individual with information on each MCO from which they may select.

3. During the open enrollment period, each Medicaid enrollee shall be given the option to either remain in their existing MCO or select a new MCO.

La. Admin. Code tit. 50, § I-3105

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Bureau of Health Services Financing, LR 37:1574 (June 2011), amended LR 40:310 (February 2014), LR 40:1097 (June 2014), LR 41:929 (May 2015), LR 41:2364 (November 2015), Amended LR 42755 (5/1/2016).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 36:254 and Title XIX of the Social Security Act.