CareSource announces innovative mobile program to assist Georgians with Medicaid redetermination

CareSource, a mission-driven Medicaid plan serving more than 500,000 Georgians, has announced a new initiative, Wellness on Wheels, that aims to close gaps in access to health care across the state by bringing physicians into communities to provide medical care. In addition, WOW connects members to resources that allow them to update their demographic information with the state to help retain Medicaid coverage during the redetermination process.

“The Wellness on Wheels initiative is part of our outreach to raise awareness about what Georgians can do to maintain their coverage during the redetermination process,” said Jason Bearden, CareSource Georgia president. “The mobile units represent one of CareSource’s many innovative community engagement approaches to meet members where they are.”

CareSource integrated technology into their WOW mobile units to help members update their information and navigate the redetermination process to help ensure those who are eligible for Medicaid maintain their health care coverage. Others may learn they are eligible for coverage through the federal Health Care Marketplace.

“Ideally, we want to make sure that all of our members have access to healthcare services.  For those members who are not engaged with a provider, or don’t have access to a provider, or haven’t seen one in a couple of years, this is what WOW is all about,” said Dr. Seema Csukas, CareSource Georgia chief medical officer. “We look at our data and determine where there are gaps in healthcare coverage and that is where we set up WOW events. Once we set up an event, we contact the members to let them know we are going to be in their neighborhood so that we can make sure they have access to the health care services they need.”

George A. Peach and representatives from the Department of Human Services were in attendance at the event to share materials on redetermination.

“Over the last year one of our main priorities has been to make sure that our members remain covered. We have been working diligently to come up with creative ways to not only keep our members informed, but also to ensure our members take action,” said Sheryl-Anne Murray, CareSource Georgia vice president of operations. “We are doing a number of different things and are present at many community events with laptops that have internet access so members can log on and update their information, or if it is their renewal month, they are actually able to renew.”

In 2020, the federal government implemented an emergency rule that allowed Medicaid members to remain eligible for coverage during the federal public health emergency. This temporary measure paused redetermination, an annual process that determines eligibility for anyone who receives Medicaid or PeachCare for Kids. At the end of 2022, the government passed a bill that allowed states to re-start the Medicaid redetermination process this year, and the process began April 1.

Georgians with questions about their coverage can reach out the DFCS at 877.423.4746 or visit https://staycovered.ga.gov/.