FRANKFORT, Ky. (Nov. 18, 2004) - Representatives of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services met with two legislative committees along with several advocacy groups this week to discuss the Medicaid Modernization project and improvements in the quality of care for patients.

CHFS Secretary James W. Holsinger Jr., M.D., testified before the Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Committee and the Interim Joint Committee on Health and Welfare. Holsinger and his senior leadership team explained some of the efforts to address benefit management, disease management and technology improvements in the $4.2 billion Medicaid program.

The cabinet also had a roundtable meeting on Wednesday with groups representing Medicaid recipients and has another scheduled for Friday to discuss the challenges facing the Medicaid program and work collaboratively to improve the system.

On Tuesday, Holsinger announced key findings concerning medications used to treat mental illnesses among Medicaid recipients. The cabinet is sharing the findings with various groups to help prevent overmedication and other health problems among patients. The Cabinet presented its findings Thursday to the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Advisory Committee, which unanimously endorsed the cabinet's recommendations designed to improve quality care for those with mental illness.

"We’ll continue meeting with consumer and health care provider groups to explain our modernization efforts so we can improve the quality of care for Medicaid recipients," Holsinger said.

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