Business Updates
CareSource Georgia 2023 Year in Review
February 28th, 2024 | 7 min read
ATLANTA (CARESOURCE) - At CareSource, we take our mission seriously—and to heart. We know health care is about more than treating illnesses. CareSource goes beyond traditional definitions of health and wellness to ensure that every member has the resources and support they need to overcome barriers to achieving optimal health and well-being.
We are committed to working every day alongside providers and community partners to make a difference in the lives of our members as well as communities across the state. This past year truly was a banner year for CareSource Georgia, with so many outstanding highlights, community partnerships, and meaningful success stories. Here are just a handful of the ways CareSource supported the whole health of Georgians in 2023.
Ser Familia announces behavioral health partnership with CareSource
In November, CareSource announced a groundbreaking partnership with Ser Familia to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. This partnership marked the first time a managed health care organization in Georgia collaborated with a non-profit organization specializing in preventive family services with cultural and language proficiency. The partnership, driven by CareSource's mission to focus on the whole family unit and community, extends mental health services to its members and addresses the underserved Latino community in Georgia. With a $30,000 commitment from CareSource, Ser Familia will expand its services, helping to diagnose and assess behavioral risks, including post-partum depression, for CareSource members in Georgia.
CareSource Partners with Georgia HBCUs to offer free heart screenings
CareSource made a significant contribution during the Celebration Bowl, donating $20,000 to Who We Play For to provide free heart screenings for student-athletes at Georgia’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death for student-athletes, disproportionately affecting Black athletes, CareSource is taking steps to address these health disparities by supporting mass screenings at HBCUs, where resources for such initiatives are often limited. The initiative follows Who We Play For's successful campaign in Florida, emphasizing the importance of promoting health equity in under-resourced institutions.
Georgia program launches assistance to help uninsured meet Pathways Medicaid work requirement
Through innovative approaches and partnerships, CareSource Georgia is expanding its support for members accessing Medicaid coverage through the Pathways to Coverage Medicaid program. Collaborating with both First Step Staffing Services and Goodwill Southeast Georgia, CareSource worked to provide additional assistance, including education, job training and employment opportunities, to low-income, uninsured adults facing various challenges. This strategic partnership reflects CareSource's commitment to supporting Pathways to Coverage and uplifting individuals seeking to access or retain their Medicaid coverage.
CareSource Georgia rolls out mobile clinics to help Medicaid recipients maintain health coverage
In August, CareSource launched the Wellness on Wheels (WOW) initiative to enhance health care access by deploying mobile units with physicians to communities. This initiative not only provides medical care but also leverages technology to help members update their information during the Medicaid redetermination process, ensuring eligible individuals maintain coverage. CareSource's innovative community engagement approach, including outreach events and internet-enabled laptops at community gatherings, aims to keep members informed and active in updating their information amid the resumption of the Medicaid redetermination process in Georgia and across the country.
Recent data shows Value-Based Care improves health outcomes in Georgia
CareSource is committed to incentivizing positive health care outcomes and overall well-being. New data released shows that the implementation of the value-based care program, where reimbursement is tied to care quality, has successfully incentivized providers, leading to a 23% increase in members engaging with providers under this model, encompassing 82% of Medicaid members. Notable positive outcomes include a substantial rise in well-child and preventative dental visits, a significant reduction in emergency room visits, and a remarkable 28% decrease in member costs. CareSource's ongoing commitment is to expand this incentivizing program across the state, with the aim of continually improving health care outcomes and setting a model for future health care initiatives.
Governor and First Lady Kemp applaud CareSource for supporting human trafficking prevention in Georgia
CareSource is actively engaged in the fight against human trafficking in Georgia, partnering with Rescuing Hope and the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association. The company has donated $100,000 to Rescuing Hope and an additional $50,000 to the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association, supporting efforts to raise awareness and train law enforcement officers in combating trafficking. CareSource recently hosted a roundtable with Governor Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp, highlighting their leadership in championing reforms, legislation and the Georgians for Refuge, Action, Compassion, and Education Commission to tackle human trafficking. Through collaborative efforts and programs like Prevent.Survive.Thrive, CareSource aims to prevent trafficking, support survivors, and contribute to creating a healthier and safer Georgia for all residents, echoing the commitment of Governor and First Lady Kemp in this crucial fight.
CareSource launches Stronger Together™ program to support family preservation, reunification and mental health outcomes
In March, CareSource launched Stronger Together™, a program that identifies, treats and fully supports children diagnosed with significant mental health conditions to improve family preservation and reunification outcomes. The initiative employs a data-centric approach, utilizing advanced analytics and predictive modeling. The successful pilot included 173 children with notable mental health conditions and achieved a remarkable 59% reduction in acute patient admits, a 19% decrease in ER visits and an overall cost reduction of 42% per member per month. These outcomes highlight the program's value in enhancing family preservation and reunification outcomes for vulnerable children in Georgia.
CareSource and Safe Families for children partner to relaunch program to support foster families and families in crisis
CareSource and Safe Families for Children jointly announced the relaunch of Safe Families for Children in Georgia, supported by a $200,000 donation from CareSource. This initiative expands the Safe Families for Children model by introducing "health care friends" who will act as mentors, helping Georgia parents, foster parents and relative caregivers navigate Medicaid resources, health care options and assistance programs. The program aims to provide long-term mentoring resources, improve family life and prevent children from entering the foster care system by offering guidance, support and maintaining safe and healthy home environments.
CareSource Bolsters Commitment to Child Welfare with $1.5M CarePortal Partnership
CareSource has strengthened its commitment to removing barriers to prosperity through a $1.5 million partnership with CarePortal-- a digital platform designed to connect local government agencies, schools, pregnancy centers, and other organizations with churches, businesses, and individuals who are willing to provide assistance to meet the needs of vulnerable children and their families. The platform serves as a communication and coordination tool to streamline the process of identifying and addressing the immediate needs of at-risk children and families in real-time. This partnership will allow an additional 700 organizations in Georgia to join the CarePortal network, reaching 6,000 more vulnerable children without incurring licensing fees and associated costs. By covering these expenses as the exclusive managed care partner, CareSource is working to facilitate meaningful change for families, prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences, and enhance child welfare by connecting various stakeholders through the CarePortal network in real-time.
TeamSmile, CareSource & Atlanta Falcons provide free dental services
TeamSmile collaborated with CareSource and the Atlanta Falcons to offer free dental care and oral health tips to local elementary and middle school students during the holiday season. Held at the Mercedes Benz Stadium, the event aimed to make the dental experience enjoyable for children, many of whom were seeing a dentist for the first time. CareSource's Dental Director, Dr. Judy Greenlea Taylor, emphasized the importance of early dental care and hygiene education to the whole health of each child and their future success.