CorSolutions Analysis of Florida Disease Management Initiative Outlines Positive Roadmap for the Future.

ROSEMONT, Ill. -- Alan Levine, Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) Secretary, disclosed plans to enhance Florida's disease management program to healthcare industry leaders at the Disease Management Association of America's Annual Conference In a speech to more than 250 healthcare industry executives, Alan Levine, Secretary of The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), disclosed recommendations made in a report on Florida disease management programs developed by CorSolutions, the nation's leading health intelligence and solutions company with more than a decade experience in disease management. CorSolutions was chosen by the Agency to review the state's Medicaid disease management programs and provide counsel on the scope and organization of Florida disease management based on industry trends, best practices, nationally-recognized expert opinions and surveys of other states.

"We are committed to ensuring beneficiaries enrolled in disease management programs receive the highest level of care, and Florida gets the best value for it cost," said Secretary Levine. "CorSolutions' report provides helpful insight as we move forward in improving our care management delivery. This program represents a long term investment in people and encourages lifestyle changes in order to prevent chronic disease complications and the need for acute care."

Among the recommendations contained in the report were to:

--Increase disease management participation through mandatory enrollment;

--Structure the disease management initiative along disease lines rather than geographic boundaries in order to capture the benefits of serving individuals with similar medical conditions;

--Strengthen and standardize the outcome reporting process;

--Create greater linkages between the disease management program and hospitals through concurrent notification or the newly-enacted hospitalist program; and

--Expand the disease management initiative to include new conditions such as pain management and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Working to improve access to affordable, quality health care to all Floridians, the state Agency for Health Care Administration administers Florida's $14 billion Medicaid program, licenses and regulates more than 32,000 health care facilities and 28 health maintenance organizations, and publishes health care data and statistics. Beginning in 1999, AHCA established a range of disease management programs to educate, empower and support MediPass beneficiaries through a variety of health-improving interventions.

CorSolutions, along with its partner Health Management Associates, Inc., provided its strategic recommendations following an analysis of outcome reports and reconciliation for Florida's program; surveys of state Medicaid administrators and experts from around the country, Florida Medicaid HMOs and current state disease management service providers; and reviews of best practices from the private sector and national peer reviewed published studies.

"The potential of disease management to improve the health of low-income Floridians and the fiscal health of the state is tremendous," said Richard Vance, president and chief executive officer for CorSolutions. "We hope our recommendations will provide policymakers with a roadmap for the future."

About CorSolutions

CorSolutions is the nation's first customer-centric health intelligence and solutions company that measurably improves lives. An industry pioneer with the longest tenure of delivering proven healthcare outcomes, CorSolutions addresses the demands of business today with an innovative, comprehensive approach to health and productivity. The company offers a completely integrated suite of clinical, administrative and provider services that span the entire health continuum from wellness and prevention to acute, chronic and specialty/complex care to deliver the industry's broadest and most flexible health and productivity management solutions. For more information, visit www.corsolutions.com.

Note to media: For questions related to CorSolutions, please contact Suzanne Ross at 800-343-6311 x2128 or [e-mail]. Inquiries related to the Agency for Health Care Administration, please direct questions to Jonathan Burns, Press Secretary, at 850-921-0625 or [e-mail].