Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Tobacco Control Program Quitline Reimbursement and Cost-Sharing Partnerships: Massachusetts Experience Donna Warner MA Tobacco Control Program NAQC Conference Call: Reimbursement January 7 and 9, 2009

Four (Brief) Topics Background on Massachusetts cessation strategies Massachusetts Medicaid coverage and quitline experience Strategies to improve benefit coverage and reimbursement in MA Cost-sharing quitline partnerships

Background Declining smoking prevalence (16.4%) Cessation strategic focus –Tax policy, benefit coverage, healthcare systems change, quitline/QuitWorks, patch giveaways NAQC “option” categories –For self-referred callers: single state- funded quitline operating alongside others, generally uncoordinated –For fax-referred QuitWorks patients: single state fax-referral program, coordinated with major health plans.

Medicaid Benefit and Quitline Experience MA Medicaid Coverage –New comprehensive benefit in 2007 –Strong utilization in first two years Experience seeking Medicaid quitline reimbursement

Massachusetts Climate to Promote Improvements Medicaid benefit serves as model in MA Seeking Group insurance Commission cessation coverage for state employees and retirees Smoke-free campuses in all EOHHS facilities as of July 1, 2009 Longstanding QuitWorks fax-referral partnership offers opportunity and market insights

Partnership with Health Plans Annual contracts with three commercial plans for quitline/QuitWorks data reports. Pilot project with Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare (2 nd largest commercial plan in MA) to provide quitline/NRT services for their employees. March meeting with health plans to discuss quitline options and to explore service, legal, database solutions together.

Cost-Sharing Partnership with Carpenters Union (30,000 Members) Opportunity to work with up to 8 Taft-Hartley funds Key steps in offer and agreement to provide quitline and NRT services Work required to customize quitline services : customize protocol database, verify members, produce billing and service reports. Asbestos Workers Bricklayers Carpenters Iron Workers Pipe Fitters Teamsters Painters and Allied Trades Plasterers and Cement Masons Roofers Other Trades

Some Lessons Learned from Health Plans and Unions in Massachusetts Commercial health plans report increased employer demand for cessation services. In response, health plans, employers, unions consider various service models, costs/ROI and issue RFPs for quitline services or integrated DM solutions. (They use MDPH as resource). To serve health plans or unions, quitline must meet needs re: client tracking, member verification, consent, data reports, and turn-around times. MA health plans increasingly report concerns with uncoordinated cessation services (e.g. multiple vendors, contracts)

Key Take-Away Points Need and use leader-examples (e.g. exemplary health plan, union, Medicaid) Partnerships are invaluable and necessary Develop strong personal relationships with folks within Medicaid, health plans, unions With cost-sharing partners, state quitline must offer quality, customer service, and rapid turnaround Bring in the experts, as needed (e.g. ROI, researchers, communications)

Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Tobacco Control Program Thank You