7 Years - Partners Health Plan Gets Results

What Did We Do in 2022?

If You Are Concerned About Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that affects how your body turns food into energy. A lot of what you eat turns into sugar (glucose) and goes into your blood. As your blood sugar goes up your body produces insulin to let the blood sugar go into cells to produce energy. If you have diabetes your body doesn’t produce insulin (Type 1) or the cells don’t respond to insulin (Type 2), so too much sugar stays in your blood. 

The biggest health risks of diabetes are associated with high blood sugar, which can increase the likelihood of blood clots and impaired blood flow by making cells sticky and blood vessels stiff.  This can damage tissues, resulting in high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and skin infections, especially on the feet. A blood test called Hemoglobin A1C (HgbA1c) can measure the effects of blood sugar on their cells over time.  Regular measures of blood sugar will allow a person with diabetes or pre-diabetes to take measures to reduce their risks and improve their health.   

Making deliberate food choices is an excellent way to manage your weight, which makes a difference to controlling diabetes. Here are some tips: 

• Load up on proteins first-don’t leave yourself feeling hungry by the time you get to those side dishes!
• Choose high-quality plant-bases carbs instead of sugary items (e.g. sweet potatoes minus the marshmallows) 
• Portions should always be small, with a variety of colors and textures-try shaving your veggies-looks are deceiving, so you’ll load your plate without needing large portion!
• Keep moving! Helping to set/clear the table are simple ways to get some steps in!
• Holiday baking can swap out white flour for a variety of options-no need to skip dessert if you plan right when baking!

Schedule activities such as walking, taking stairs, gardening, house cleaning, playing with a pet, anything that gets you moving!   

If you have diabetes, we are here to support you, your care manager can assist you with making sure you see your PCP and specialist if needed (Diabetes doctor called an Endocrinologist). To support your best health, it is important to see your doctors regularly and make sure you take all medications as prescribed. Your doctor may take a blood sample to check your A1c (this is a test to check how much sugar has been in your blood over the last few months), this test is a great way to see how you have been doing managing your diabetes. 

Schedule a visit with your doctor. And it’s always a good idea to have someone you trust come with you. Sometimes when we get to the doctor, we get nervous and don’t always hear what the  

doctor is saying. Having a second pair of ears helps. Also, that person can help you remember all your questions and give you support during an exam the doctor may need to do. 

Remember if you have any questions or need help to make an appointment, find a doctor to support you or need help getting your medication, your care Manager is here to help. For more information check out this helpful flyer.

Details can be found: https://www.prevention.com/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/g20495209/diabetes-friendly-thanksgiving-recipes/ 

Actual recipes: https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/diabetic-friendly-recipes-for-thanksgiving/ and https://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/holiday-and-special-occasions/thanksgiving-recipes 

Visit Partners Health Plan's Health Resources to learn more about the diabetes as well as other informative health-related articles.

H9869_Diabetes Article_2022

BronxNet Highlights Partners Health Plan's Specialized Dental Care Services

• Watch the BronxNet OPEN BXRX Interview
• Learn More About PHP's Mobile Dental Clinics

This month we celebrate the PHP FIDA-IDD Plan’s 6-year birthday!

It was April 1, 2016, that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and New York State began enrollment in New York, Long Island, Rockland & Westchester counties for the Fully Integrated Duals Advantage for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (FIDA-IDD) Plan. It was designed to test a new model of care for providing Medicare-Medicaid enrollees with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) an opportunity to experience a more integrated, coordinated, and person-centered care focused on individuals’ long-term health and well-being so they may live a quality life.

PHP FIDA-IDD members have more opportunities to direct their own services, be involved in care planning, and live as independently in the community as possible.  Click here for PHP member stories.

As we celebrate the FIDA-IDD’s 6^th birthday, we recognize the commitment of our staff to helping our members achieve their goals and the positive healthcare outcomes they deserve. We look forward to the future and to bringing more options and opportunities for our members.

Kerry Delaney, CEO, Partners Health Plan

​​​​​​​As allies and self-advocates, it is important to remember that LGBTQ+ rights should be celebrated and supported year-round. From organizational policies to legislation, more work is needed to improve inclusive practices that address LGBTQ+ needs. 

Partners Health Plan members are sharing their employment journey stories to elevate disability employment awareness.  These stories describe the diverse experiences of people with disabilities and the employers that are benefiting from the dedication these talented individuals bring to their professional roles.

Did you know that one in four individuals in the U.S. have some type of disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)?  Did you know the employment rate for a New Yorker with a disability (age 18 – 64) is 31.2% compared to 72% for a person without a disability, resulting in a gap of 40.8% according to New York State (click here)?  The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected many who have already faced significant barriers to employment, compounding their economic hardships.

We must use our voices and advocate for creating more accessible and inclusive workplaces by becoming informed on the value of hiring people with disabilities.

 A person with a disability recently summed it up the best by stating, “my disabilities do not define me.  My abilities do.”

Please join us in widening the lens by elevating awareness on what needs to be done to remove barriers in the workplace, so individuals who have a disability have the opportunity to access meaningful and well-paying jobs.  Do you know an organization that is moving the dial on disability employment by removing barriers?

DentaQuest, one of the nation’s largest and most experienced Medicaid dental benefits administrators, today announced its new engagement with Partners Health Plan (PHP) to increase access to oral health care and improve outcomes for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD).

Partners Health Plan (PHP), a nonprofit managed care organization serving individuals with I/DD, selected DentaQuest to administer dental benefits and specialized services for its members. With the addition of PHP to its other government clients, DentaQuest now serves 63% of Medicaid enrollees in the state.

“We are honored to support Partners Health Plan in its commitment to serving adults with I/DD,” said Steven Pollock, president of DentaQuest. “We’ve long recognized the importance of increasing health equity for all, and health plans like PHP that focus on underserved populations are critical to making it happen. Oral health is often overlooked as more immediate medical needs take precedence, but as we know good oral health drives overall health and everyone can benefit from routine, preventive care. Innovative approaches, such as our industry-leading case management program, provide an extra level of support for individuals with I/DD and their caregivers to navigate a complex, imperfect health system to ultimately get the right treatment, at the right time.”

DentaQuest’s case management program helps identify appropriate resources needed to resolve a member’s issue – often unrelated to health care – and coordinates access to those resources with PHP care managers to ultimately achieve optimal oral health. Together, DentaQuest’s case management team and PHP care managers partner to secure transportation, medical clearance, sedation and anesthesia, hospital level care and other dental services.  The collaboration between PHP and DentaQuest has led to a substantial increase in member utilization and appears to be addressing long standing access challenges faced by the I/DD population.

Launched in 2016, PHP develops and coordinates personalized life plans that ensure participants receive the essential medical, behavioral, dental, habilitation, and other services and supports needed. Dental care is the primary unmet need for adults with I/DD. More than 30% of children with I/DD are likely to have their first dental visit delayed, and in general, individuals with I/DD are less likely to receive necessary restorative care. Addressing this disparity is a critical component in impacting overall health equity for individuals with I/DD, as poor oral health can result not only in dental caries and gum disease, but can impact overall health, potentially leading to heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

“The work we are accomplishing with DentaQuest shines a light on what is possible across the nation – people with I/DD deserve and can achieve lifelong optimal oral health and wellness when we create the right partnerships and invest in the right programs,” said Kerry Delaney, CEO, PHP. “We look forward to continuing our partnership and the measurable results we are seeing in dental care for PHP members.”

In the future months, PHP will also be piloting teledentistry and mobile dentistry programs in partnership with DentaQuest to increase access to oral health care for members.

About DentaQuest

DentaQuest is a purpose-driven health care company dedicated to improving the oral health of all. We do this through Preventistry® — our inclusive approach to quality care and expanded access built on trusted partnerships between patients, providers and payors. As one of the nation’s largest and most experienced Medicaid dental benefits administrators, we manage dental and vision benefits for more than 33 million Americans through a nationwide network of providers in all 50 states. Our outcomes-based, cost-effective dental solutions are designed for Medicaid and CHIP, Medicare Advantage, small and large businesses, and individuals. At the same time, we are expanding our footprint of more than 70 oral health centers in six states to deliver direct patient care in rural and underserved populations. Learn more at www.DentaQuest.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

About Partners Health Plan

Partners Health Plan (PHP) is the first-in-the-nation, provider-led managed care organization that fully integrates Medicare and Medicaid for individuals 21 years and older with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), so they have the most complete care package. PHP provides person-centered care for whole-person wellness addressing the physical, behavioral, and social needs of individuals to assist them in living a quality life. The plan operates in 4 New York State regions (nine downstate counties): New York City, Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk counties), Rockland County, and Westchester County. For more information, visit www.phpcares.org.

BRONX, NY, October 4, 2022— On September 1, 2022, Stony Brook Medicine joined the Partners Health Plan (PHP) provider network offering services to PHP members.
Kerry Delaney, PHP CEO stated, “We are very happy to welcome them back into our network. This will expand care options for PHP members. Stony Brook Medicine is an extensive health care system. It includes three acute care hospitals and many affiliated specialty groups and physicians with specialized services for individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). This relationship will deepen the care choices that PHP members and their families have come to expect from us in providing state-of-the-art supports and services.”
For more information on the Stony Brook Medicine providers and locations that are now part of the PHP provider network, please contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
About the facilities and services in the Stony Brook Medicine – PHP relationship
3 Acute Care Hospitals:
• Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook, NY
• Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital, Greenport, NY
• Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, Southampton, NY
Affiliated specialty groups and physicians that offer the following services:
• Ambulatory Health Centers
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Dialysis
• Family Medicine
• GI and Hepatology
• Inpatient/Outpatient Psychiatry
• Mammography
• Oncology
• Orthopedics
• Podiatry
• Radiology
• Sleep Disorders
• Urology

Join Partners Health Plan at the 2022 Hudson Valley Autism Conference: Living Your Best Life Neurodiverse Partnerships

Medical Director Dr. Steven Merahn, MD
Featured on ABA Podcast

• Listen to the Podcast
• Learn more about Steven Merahn, MD

Members Only Event: Partners Health Plan (PHP) Seeks to Overcome Dental Health Disparities For Individuals with IDD

“Our overarching goal is to improve the quality of life of our members and the relationship between oral health and overall well-being is well established.”

BRONX, NY, July 6, 2022— Partners Health Plan (PHP), a nonprofit managed care organization dedicated to serving individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), is pleased to announce that the results of an independent evaluation funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) indicate positive returns for enrollees in the New York Fully Integrated Duals Advantage for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (FIDA-IDD) demonstration.

The FIDA-IDD demonstration is a pilot program established to test the success of delivering services that address the whole person and promote community involvement and independence for people with IDD eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid benefits. According to the findings, PHP is well on its way toward meeting those objectives.

“This is an extremely positive report,” said Kerry Delaney, CEO of PHP, “but also acknowledges in a realistic way the challenges we have faced.” Those challenges stemmed from the newness of managed care for providers in the space, lack of plan coverage awareness for covered entities, and providers’ refusal to participate or offer services to the population just to name a few. Despite these challenges, key findings reflect that if implemented correctly, managed care can be a viable option to serve people with IDD.”

Key Findings:

• Through the comprehensive “It’s All About Me” (I AM) assessment tool, PHP effectively elicited responses from the IDD population about health and wellness needs allowing enrollees to leverage control over benefit options impacting their everyday lives.
• Innovative solutions like the pharmacy management program reduced errors, unnecessary emergency department visits, and length of hospital stays. Similarly, the telehealth program successfully resolved 90% of consultations virtually. The rewards incentive program “Choose Health” also received positive feedback for motivating members to achieve preventive health goals.
• While the new rate payment method has been a challenge to cover certain member populations, like older and frailer members, programs like pharmacy management are viewed as innovative cost-savings strategies.
• Regularly engaging stakeholders from the Participant Advisory Committee helped to address real-time needs, like improvements to transportation services and communications efforts.

One of the best measures of the impact Partners Health Plan has had on member health and experiences comes from the members themselves. PHP FIDA-IDD plan member, Jessica, stated, “Recently I needed special comprehension therapy for my legs and was able to get something to help me at home. This keeps me healthy and helps my ability to walk. I want to keep my independence. I also have support from my Care Manager and my Broker with my self-direction!”

As the agency responsible for the IDD program in New York State, the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) was integral in the demonstration’s design and implementation. “OPWDD has been pleased to collaborate with Partners Health Plan on the FIDA-IDD program, which has offered people an opportunity to coordinate their health and long-term care services in a new and innovative way,” said OPWDD Commissioner Kerri Neifeld. “We look forward to continuing to work with Partners Health Plan and the larger provider community to ensure quality supports and services are available to NYers with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”
Read the full report here: https://innovation.cms.gov/data-and-reports/2022/fai-ny-fida-idd-prelim-firstsecondevalrpt.

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About Partners Health Plan: Partners Health Plan (PHP) is the first-in-the-nation, provider-led managed care organization that fully integrates Medicare and Medicaid for individuals 21 years and older with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD), so they have the most complete care package. PHP provides person-centered care for whole-person wellness addressing the physical, behavioral, and social needs of individuals to assist them in living a quality life. The plan operates in 4 New York State regions (nine downstate counties): New York City, Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk counties), Rockland County, and Westchester County. For more information, visit www.phpcares.org.

About CMS Financial Alignment Initiative: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) created the Medicare-Medicaid Financial Alignment Initiatives (FAI) Demonstrations to test in partnership with States integrated care models for dually eligible beneficiaries with the goal to improve care for dually eligible beneficiaries and reduce program costs through an aligned financial and person-centered care coordination structure. A longstanding barrier to coordinating care for Medicare-Medicaid enrollees has been the financial misalignment between Medicare and Medicaid. For more information, visit Financial Alignment Initiative (FAI) | CMS.

It’s easy to feel bombarded by the latest healthy eating trend or buzzworthy ingredient. But good nutrition is really about consistently choosing healthy foods and beverages. With healthy eating patterns, it’s possible to enjoy food and beverages that reflect your preferences, cultural traditions, and budgetary considerations.

Tips for a healthy diet in 2023: 

• Bump up your Fiber intake
• Increase Calcium and Vitamin D 
• Add more Potassium **People with chronic kidney disease and people taking certain medications may have too much potassium in their blood, speak with your doctor before making a change to your Potassium intake**
• Limit added Sugars
• Replace Saturated Fats
• Cut back on Sodium
• Keep Hydrated **At a minimum 4-6 cups per day**
• Limit Sugary drinks
• Limit processed foods 

** Please note that fluid intake & Potassium intake needs to be done in consideration of your current health condition diagnosis and discussed with your primary health care provider.

Healthy eating emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and protein. A healthy and balance diet can have great overall effects for your health and wellbeing. You should always consult with your doctor before making any major changes to make sure the choices are right for you.

References/Resources:

• Healthy Eating Tips | DNPAO | CDC
• Water: How much should you drink every day? - Mayo Clinic

Strategies For Improving Care Coordination for Individuals With Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities

Stephan Deutsch, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Partners Health Plan (PHP), a nonprofit managed care organization dedicated to serving individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), will be a featured presenter at a Resources for Integrated Care (RIC) webinar on August 9 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm. The webinar will discuss strategies for providing coordinated care for individuals with IDD, risk stratification strategies to drive interventions, and family or caregiver support, education, and outreach.

Other webinar presenters include Joan Beasley, PhD, Research Professor, National Center for START Services, Director, National Research Consortium on MH-IDD, Institute on Disability (UCED), University of New Hampshire; and Emily Lauer, PhD, MPH, Director, Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center, UMass Chan Medical School.  Presenters will describe the current gaps in care for individuals with IDD and they will share strategies for delivering person-centered care using interdisciplinary teams (IDTs) and innovative care coordination models.

Partners Health Plan has operated the New York Fully Integrated Duals Advantage for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (FIDA-IDD) demonstration since 2016. It is the only FIDA-IDD plan in the nation and has been successfully delivering services that address the whole person and promote community involvement and independence for people with IDD who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid benefits.

“Webinar participants will understand the impact of person-centered coordinated care strategies based on data,” stated Dr. Stephan Deutsch, Chief Medical Officer for Partners Health Plan, “in a managed care environment to enhance the quality of care for each individual with IDD so he/she may achieve optimal healthcare and social outcomes.”

Webinar Registration

Click here to visit the RIC website to complete the webinar registration form. If you need assistance in registering, please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Continuing Education (CE) credits are available for Continuing Nursing Education and the National Association of Social Workers. Individuals are encouraged to check with their specific licensing boards or other agencies to confirm that courses taken from these accrediting bodies will be accepted by that entity.

About Partners Health Plan

Partners Health Plan (PHP) is the first-in-the-nation, provider-led managed care organization that fully integrates Medicare and Medicaid for individuals 21 years and older with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD), so they have the most complete care package. PHP provides person-centered care for whole-person wellness addressing the physical, behavioral, and social needs of individuals to assist them in living a quality life. The plan operates in 4 New York State regions (nine downstate counties): New York City, Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk counties), Rockland County, and Westchester County.

Partners Health Plan is Featured Guest on MediSked Podcast

Partners Health Plan Presents at The Arc National Convention

Partners Health Plan Presents:
Leadership Speaking Engagements 

Partners Health Plan Presents: Leadership Speaking Engagements at the NY Alliance Annual Conference

Partners Health Plan (PHP) submitted a proposal to The Arc of the United States to present at the National Conference of Executives (NCE) Summer Leadership Institute (July date TBD) on the “Positive Impact of Telemedicine in the IDD Field.” It was successfully selected from a competitive submission process.

Scott Doolan, RN, BSN, MBA, AVP Health Care Management, will present and provide participants with details related to the PHP telemedicine program and provide a detailed analysis of emergency room and admission avoidance related to the program with the clinical and positive financial implications leading to the justification in maintaining a proactive member/caregiver-initiated telemedicine program post- pandemic to improve the quality of care for the IDD population.

The NCE unites executives, leaders, and professionals from across the disability sector in pursuit of a shared mission. This summer’s conference will focus on the most pressing issues faced by the disability community, including COVID-19 vaccination, HCBS developments, the DSP workforce crisis, the American Rescue Plan, and more.

For more information, please contact Elizabeth Wales, AVP Communications at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

PHP Expands Dental Services to Members With Mobile Clinics