The Department of Health Services is holding public meetings to solicit comments on a draft proposal for Virtual PACE, a program to integrate the care for people who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.

More than 120,000 Wisconsin residents receive their health care through a combination of their Medicare and Medicaid benefit. This proposal focuses on the more than 16,000 “dually eligible” nursing home residents in an effort to improve coordination to ensure better physical and mental health and quality of life for people residing in these settings and increase cost-effectiveness for payers.

Wisconsin is one of 15 states that received a demonstration grant from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to develop a care coordination and funding model to integrate the care of individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.

The Department worked extensively with consumers, advocates and partners in developing the draft proposal, which was released for public comment on March 16th.

Public comments will be accepted on the DHS website, by email or regular mail, or in person at one of the following town hall meetings:

Madison
Thursday, April 5, 2012
10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.
Comfort Inn & Suites
4822 E. Washington Ave.
Madison, WI 53704

Stevens Point
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.
Portage County Public Library
1001 Main St.
Stevens Point, WI 54481

Milwaukee
Thursday, April 12, 2012
1:00 PM-3:00 PM
Milwaukee Center for Independence
2020 West Wells St.
Milwaukee, WI 53233