What Medicaid Patients Need to Know About Privacy
In September 2015, letters will be sent from New York State to all people on Medicaid about a new program called the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program.
There are changes in health care that are important for people who have Medicaid. The State Health Department will be sending letters in August and September to explain the change in health services. The State is making changes to how services will be provided, in a program called the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment program, or DSRIP. Medicaid coverage is not changing.
For this program to work, health care providers will work together to help everyone get the services they need. It would be helpful for all patients for the State to share information about their health and the services they receive. This information will help health care providers coordinate care. The mailing from the State is about people consenting to sharing of their medical information.
People have the right to say they do not want their medical information to be shared. To do that, people will need to follow the directions provided in the mailing. People will have an initial 30 days to opt-out. If there is no response to the letter within 30 days, the person will be counted as consenting to sharing their medical information. But, people will be able to opt out at any time after this time period by calling the DSRIP call center that will soon be open. Even if the person decides to “opt out” they will still be part of DSRIP.
What is DSRIP?
The DSRIP program is part of an agreement between the federal government and New York State to improve health care services and the health of New Yorkers overall. For DSRIP, health care providers are required to come together in newly-formed networks, called Performing Provider Systems (PPS). Most of the PPSs are led by hospitals, and all are comprised of hospitals, community-based providers (like community health centers), specialty care providers, and community-based organizations. The PPSs will be starting new projects to reach the goals of DSRIP, and the money they receive will be based on reaching good outcomes.
There will soon be a phone number for people to call for more information about the mailing.
That information will be sent out as soon as possible.
Please visit www.medicaidmattersny.org for more information on the DSRIP program.