Posts Tagged ‘Centene Corporation’

Managed Health Services (MHS) is partnering with the Indiana Minority Health Coalition (IMHC) to develop an innovative in-person education network for those Indiana families who are MHS members.

The MHS Family Education Network (FEN) is being created through the IMHC and the organization’s 25 local minority health coalitions serving 29 counties across the State of Indiana. The Network will work to provide specialized education to Hoosier Healthwise and Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) members on a variety of topics, such as the scope of health plan benefits, how to access care, as well as an overview of MHS programs and members’ rights and responsibilities.

“MHS is excited to announce the innovative platform of our Family Education Network,” said MHS CEO Patrick Rooney. “In this partnership with IMHC, we will continue to expand Hoosier Healthwise and Healthy Indiana Plan awareness and education in our ongoing efforts to better serve our MHS members.”

IMHC will designate staff to comprise the Network. These individuals will be trained to develop in-depth knowledge of the Hoosier Healthwise program and Healthy Indiana Plan, including but not limited to overall program benefits, choosing a PMP and the importance of preventative services and building a medical home. The Network team will work with individual members and groups to help clarify how plans work, how to take full advantage of plan benefits and how members can meet the plan’s financial, healthy behavior and personal responsibility requirements.

“IMHC is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for minorities through education, advocacy and quality healthcare services,” said IMHC Vice President/COO Carl Ellison. “We are certainly looking forward to this partnership with MHS to offer a new way for families throughout Indiana to learn more about the high-quality healthcare plans and benefits available to them.”

MHS will first direct its members to the IMHC corporate offices in Indianapolis, who will then assign each member to the appropriate IMHC local office to schedule and conduct the education and assistance sessions.

For more, visit MHS online at mhsindiana.com.

Indiana families enrolled in the state’s Hoosier Healthwise and Healthy Indiana Plan healthcare plans through Managed Health Services (MHS) can now consult an independent advisor to help them navigate through their family’s healthcare needs at no charge.

Mental Health America of Indiana (MHAI) now acts as a third-party client advocate – or ombudsman – for MHS plan members. In this role, MHAI will provide information, guidance and support for MHS plan members and help them resolve any concerns they may have with MHS, its services or network of primary care providers or the Medicaid system in general.

“Our goal with this new ombudsman program is to provide our members with free and easy access to a trusted, non-profit organization that will assist them with all their needs,” said MHS CEO Patrick Rooney.

“MHAI will help MHS members complete forms, help with health system navigation or any other assistance that they may need,” said Stephen C. McCaffrey, president and CEO of Mental Health America of Indiana. “MHAI will also investigate any complaints that may arise as an independent party for positive resolution. We look forward to beginning our partnership with MHS and its members.”

This program is a free service MHS plan members throughout Indiana may utilize. MHS members are not required to consult an ombudsman. MHS members who’d like to speak to an ombudsman regarding their family healthcare needs through the plan should call (877) 647-5326. Members can also call MHS Member Services directly to discuss any needs at (877) 647-4848.

Managed Health Services (MHS), an Indiana-based health maintenance organization serving Hoosier Healthwise and the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP), has achieved national Health Plan Accreditation with a Commendable status from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). The NCQA Health Plan Accreditation is a nationally-recognized evaluation that purchasers, regulators and consumers can use to assess health plans.

NCQA Accreditation evaluates how well a health plan manages all parts of its delivery system — physicians, hospitals, other providers and administrative services — in order to continuously improve the quality of care and services provided to its members.

NCQA Accreditation surveys include rigorous onsite and offsite evaluations conducted by a team of physicians and health plan experts. A national oversight committee of physicians analyzes the team’s findings and assigns an accreditation level based on the performance level of each plan being evaluated to NCQA’s standards. MHS was awarded a status of Commendable.

“Achieving an accreditation status of Commendable from NCQA is a sign that a health plan is serious about quality,” said Margaret E. O’Kane, president of NCQA. “It is awarded to plans whose service and clinical quality meet or exceed NCQA’s rigorous requirements for consumer protection and quality improvement.”

“NCQA Health Plan Accreditation evaluates the quality of healthcare that health plans provide to their members,” said MHS CEO Patrick Rooney. “We are very proud to have received a Commendable status, as we continuously make it a priority to offer our members the highest quality healthcare programs and services.”

NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality by providing information through the web and the media in order to help consumers, employers and others make more informed health care choices.

The Indiana Primary Health Care Association (IPHCA) has named Managed Health Services (MHS) its 2010 “Corporate Partner of the Year.”

The award recognizes an IPHCA Corporate Partner that has demonstrated a strong commitment to IPHCA’s mission and vision in the following ways: participating in collaborative efforts to help high-risk populations in Indiana; fostering advocacy on behalf of access to primary care for high-risk populations in Indiana; or by providing significant resources for the work of IPHCA or an IPHCA member Community Health Center.

MHS works in partnership with community health centers on innovative outreach programs across the state to increase access to primary care for Indiana families enrolled in the state’s Hoosier Healthwise and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and, beginning in January 2011, the Healthy Indiana Plan. For example, MHS brings patients and doctors together through the “Health Check Health Day” program, designed to encourage and support the “medical home” and foster the primary care-patient relationship.

“We are pleased to announce MHS as our 2010 Corporate Partner of the Year”, said Phil Morphew, CEO of IPHCA. “MHS has proven itself to be a true partner to community health centers throughout Indiana, and we are looking forward to continuing and building on our long relationship of serving the health care needs of Hoosiers.”

“It’s truly an honor to win this award, especially because it highlights the strong partnership MHS enjoys with the community-based health centers IPHCA represents,” said MHS CEO Patrick Rooney. “It’s this partnership that empowers our members to positively impact their health. It also allows MHS to reach out to the community at large through health fairs, health education events, local community health center sponsorships and other important community initiatives.”

An Evansville pediatrics physician has received a national award for providing quality care and clinical excellence to Hoosier children and adults enrolled in Managed Health Services’ statewide health plan.

Dr. W. Michael Crecelius has received a 2010 Summit Award for Excellence in Care from MHS and parent company Centene Corp. The award honors Crecelius, a board-certified pediatrician with Deaconess Clinic in downtown Evansville, for demonstrating exemplary performance when following up with examinations and consultations after patients’ emergency room visits, providing routine preventive and well-care services for children and adults and establishing a medical home for new enrollees in the MHS statewide healthcare plan.

Crecelius graduated Indiana University’s School of Medicine and completed his pediatric internship and residency at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. He is a fellow with the American Academy of Pediatrics and  member of both the Indiana State Medical Association and the Vanderburgh County Medical Society.

Crecelius is one of three Indiana physicians to receive the award. Sixteen awards were presented this year throughout the nation by Centene Corp.

Indianapolis pediatrics physician Dr. Sharon Gilliland has received a national 2010 Summit Award for Excellence in Care from Managed Health Services and parent company Centene Corp. for providing quality care and clinical excellence to Hoosier children and adults enrolled in MHS’s statewide health plan. Only 16 awards are given throughout the nation each year.

The award honors Gilliland, a board-certified pediatrician who runs Rainbow Pediatrics in Indianapolis, for demonstrating exemplary performance when following up with examinations and consultations after patients’ emergency room visits, providing routine preventive and well-care services for children and adults and establishing a medical home for new enrollees in the MHS healthcare plan.

“MHS is proud to recognize Dr. Gilliland for the outstanding service and quality of care she provides to Managed Health Services members in the greater Indianapolis community,” said Dr. Robert Baker, vice president of medical affairs at MHS. “Our primary focus is on delivering the best possible care to our members and we could not do that without strong relationships with our plan’s physicians. The Summit Award for Excellence is one way we thank Dr. Gilliland for her ongoing dedication to helping children live healthy lives.”

Gilliland opened Rainbow Pediatrics in 1996 and also maintains a solo practice supported by call partners. After earning an undergraduate degree from Northwestern University, she graduated Indiana University’s School of Medicine and completed her pediatric residency at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. From 1989 to 1996, Gilliland provided community pediatric care at HealthNet in Indianapolis before opening Rainbow Pediatrics. Rainbow Pediatrics is located at 5711 N. Michigan Road in Indianapolis. The center is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, 1-7 p.m. Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays.

As part of a year-long celebration recognizing 15 years of meeting the healthcare needs of Indiana Hoosier Healthwise program participants, Managed Health Services is embarking on a new, statewide initiative that encourages Hoosiers to follow 15 basic healthy-living tips to improve their personal health.

The “15 Ways to Live a Healthy Life” initiative focuses on these 15 basic healthy-living recommendations:

1. Get regular physical and dental check ups.
2. Make sure immunizations are current for yourself and your entire family.
3. Eat well-balanced meals with whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
4. Get plenty of exercise, at least 30 minutes a day five days a week.
5. Get an annual flu shot.
6. Drink plenty of water.
7. Wear a seat belt when driving and as a passenger in a car.
8. Use sunscreen when out in the sun.
9. Manage stress and take time to laugh.
10. Create a home safety and exit plan in the event disaster strikes.
11. Learn CPR and First Aid.
12. Secure guns and bullets in a locked, safe place to keep them away from minors.
13. Wear a bicycle helmet when riding no matter what age you are.
14. Get fresh air daily, even in the cold winter months.
15. Limit fat, sugar and extra calories in your diet.

“This new campaign carries a very critical message, which is by following these 15 basic health-related recommendations, one can immediately improve their state of health and encourage their families and friends to do the same,” said MHS President and CEO Patrick Rooney. “These live-healthy tips are relevant in the lives of men, women and children of all ages throughout our state. By utilizing our staff, network of physicians, community partners and members themselves, MHS looks forward to sharing these important tips and helping Hoosiers live healthier lives during our 15-year celebration and beyond.”

The “15 Ways to Live a Healthy Life” recommendations will be communicated to MHS members and the community at-large through community events, on the MHS Web site, and by billboards encouraging healthy lifestyle activities such as playing soccer and baseball.

MHS is headquartered in Indianapolis in the Landmark Center at 1099 N. Meridian St. MHS is a wholly-owned subsidiary of St. Louis-based Centene Corp., a leading, multi-line healthcare enterprise that offers both core Medicaid and specialty services.

Dr. Robert Baker

Awareness that heart disease is the leading killer among women is higher than it has ever been. Still, 80 percent of women between ages 40 and 60 have one or more risk factors that they have the power to modify, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes and inactivity.

Dr. Robert Baker, vice president of medical affairs at Managed Health Services in Indianapolis recommends Hoosier women follow these five tips to build heart-healthy homes for themselves and their loved ones:

Stop smoking and don’t start. Tobacco smoke increases the likelihood that arteries will harden, which restricts blood flow to the heart. Smokers are at least twice as likely to develop heart disease as non-smokers. Women who smoke and use birth control pills are at even greater risk. Exercise regularly. Regular exercise improves heart function and lowers both blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels. Women who maintain an active lifestyle have a significantly lower risk of developing heart disease and diabetes than those who do not.

Eat a heart-healthy diet. Diets low in fat, cholesterol and salt can help prevent heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. For healthier eating, women should choose foods that are high in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Maintain a healthy weight. Excess body fat greatly increases risk of heart disease, even if other risk factors don’t exist. Know the numbers. Abnormal blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood sugar (glucose) ranges can be red flags for diabetes and heart disease. Women of all ages should have regular screenings and ask their health care provider what numbers are normal for their age.

“By making lifestyle changes themselves, women can lower their risk of heart disease and improve their overall physical and mental health,” Baker said. “Women have the power to reduce their risk of heart disease. The late 20s and early 30s is a critical time for women to take action to either reduce or eliminate their risk factors and set themselves up for a long, heart-healthy life.”

“Thumbs Up Johnnie” is a lovable cartoon character who owns The Longhorn Diner, where all the cowboys and cowgirls in Happy, Texas, gather for the best flapjacks around. He always has his hands full, flipping flapjacks, pouring milk and coffee and catering to his customers – things he couldn’t do if he weren’t physically active and mindful about his own good personal health.

Surrounded by a lively band of characters, including Lillian Pinky, Buddy, Banker Bill, Dimestore Sam and Hi Five Handy, Thumbs Up Johnnie is the creation of author Michelle Bain. Her quest to create a world where children can learn through humor and by example of virtue has been her primary motivator. Bain’s writing expression, illustration and character development encourages children to embody various virtues in their daily life.

“As a child, reading fueled my imagination and gave me an appetite for writing as an art,” said Bain, who created Thumbs Up Johnnie in 2002. “My stories are purposely structured with multi-layered humor, double entendres and idiosyncratic characters to make story lines interesting to many different types of readers.”

As part of Managed Health Services’ statewide campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of childhood obesity, a nationally known cartoon character will bring a very special message to students in Gary on Monday, one that warns them about the dangers of not living an active and healthy life. 

Bain (left) will read her latest book, “Super CENTEAM 5: The Adventures of Thumbs Up Johnnie,” written to help fight childhood obesity, to students at Longfellow Elementary in Gary on Monday beginning at 9 a.m. CST. Longfellow Elementary is located at 4500 Calhoun St.

Thumbs Up Johnnie will make a personal appearance at the school. Students will receive autographed copies of Bain’s book, character-themed bracelets and will take part in a pre- and a post-presentation test that will be issued by their classroom teachers.

Bain’s appearance Monday is part of the “Adopt a School” program sponsored nationally by Centene Corp. and in Indiana by Centene-owned Managed Health Services (MHS), one of the state’s healthcare providers for Hoosiers on Medicaid.