ValueOptions and McKesson Partnership to Provide Integrated Care for Thousands of Nevada Medicaid Enrollees

CARSON CITY, Nev., May 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- ValueOptions^®, a health improvement company specializing in mental and emotional wellbeing and recovery, has teamed up with McKesson to provide integrated physical and behavioral care management for thousands across Nevada through the formation of Nevada Medicaid's Health Care Guidance Program. This program has been approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in accordance with a section 1115 waiver of the Social Security Act as a possible five year program through June 30, 2018.

Expected to serve nearly 41,500 individuals, the Health Care Guidance Program was developed to provide innovative solutions for high-need Nevada Medicaid enrollees who are facing one or more chronic medical conditions, have a persistent mental health or substance use disorder condition, or demonstrate high service needs.

ValueOptions will coordinate the behavioral health component of the program, which is designed to provide customized support for high-need enrollees diagnosed with mental health or substance use disorders. The program tailors individualized care plans by providing treatment management, peer support services, and pharmacy claims analysis. Up to 10,500 Medicaid recipients are anticipated to receive these services; more than 2,000 of these individuals will also benefit from Intensive Care Management (ICM), which provides a single care manager to help guide individuals who have experienced past challenges in receiving treatment.

McKesson will coordinate the program's physical health care services for Nevada Medicaid fee for service beneficiaries across the continuum of care, as well as build connections between local mental and physical health providers. Through a patented assessment process, the Health Care Guidance Program will determine the appropriate level of intervention for each enrollee, which may include one-on-one health coaching with licensed clinical professionals, access to 24/7 nurse advice services, links to community resources, support for care transitions between settings and providers, and/or health education materials. The Health Care Guidance Program is based on more than a decade of delivering multi-channel care management programs to Medicaid beneficiaries, and will work to meaningfully improve the well-being of the Nevada Medicaid population.

"Our mission is to provide Medicaid beneficiaries with high-quality solutions that are both innovative and practical," said Laurie Squartsoff, Administrator with the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health Care Financing and Policy. "As behavioral health can have a powerful impact on physical health, and vice versa, the Health Care Guidance Program will provide holistic and personalized support tailored to address the unique physical and behavioral health care needs of thousands of high-need individuals across the state."

About ValueOptions^®
ValueOptions is a health improvement company that serves more than 32 million individuals. On behalf of employers, health plans and government agencies, we manage innovative programs and solutions that directly address the challenges our health care system faces today. A national leader in the fields of mental and emotional wellbeing, recovery and resilience, employee assistance, and wellness, ValueOptions helps people make the difficult life changes needed to be healthier and more productive. With offices nationwide and a network of more than 130,000 provider locations, ValueOptions helps people take important steps in the right direction. We help them live their lives to the fullest potential. Visit www.valueoptions.com for more information.

About McKesson Corporation
McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 14th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to making the business of healthcare run better. We partner with payers, hospitals, physician offices, pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies and others across the spectrum of care to build healthier organizations that deliver better care to patients in every setting. McKesson helps its customers improve their financial, operational, and clinical performance with solutions that include pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management, healthcare information technology, and business and clinical services. For more information, visit us at www.mckesson.com.

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SOURCE ValueOptions