Saint Paul, MN — Throughout 2017, TakeAction Minnesota has lifted up the voices of Minnesotans who rely on Medicaid for health care and long term care to defend the program from devastating cuts and promote critical innovations, through a Consumer Voices for Innovation grant from the Center for Consumer Engagement in Health Innovation (the Center), an initiative of Community Catalyst.
“We all need to be able to go to the doctor, not just when we get sick but also to make sure we stay healthy,” said David Zaffrann, Health Care Program Director at TakeAction Minnesota. “Medicaid is a critical source of coverage for health care and long term care in our state, and we still have room for improvement when it comes to the delivery of that care in a holistic way.”
Minnesota has a long history of innovations in our public health care programs that center the needs and experiences of patients by encouraging care coordination. From the state’s groundbreaking Senior Health Options program to the current development of Integrated Health Partnerships, Minnesota’s Medicaid reforms have saved money while maintaining high quality care.
“The way health care is delivered is changing – fast. And the people who have the most at stake, the consumers, are often not at the table when important decisions about the care they receive are made,” said Ann Hwang, MD, Director of the Center. “A high value program must reflect the values of the people it intends to serve and we believe that the best way to do that is to support advocates around the country who are working to systematically and emphatically build in the consumer voice.”
TakeAction Minnesota and the other grantees in the Consumer Voices for Innovation program are all working toward raising consumer voices in favor of models of delivery system reform that are person-centered, consumer led and responsive to the needs of the community. All grantees are focusing on organizing in low-income communities, communities of color, and/or among seniors and people with disabilities.
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The Center for Consumer Engagement in Health Innovation at Community Catalyst is a hub devoted to teaching, learning and sharing knowledge to bring the consumer experience to the forefront of health innovation in order to deliver better care, better value and better health for every community, particularly vulnerable and historically underserved populations. The Center’s work is supported through investments in state and local advocacy, leadership development, research and evaluation, and consultative services to delivery systems and health plans. Visit healthinnovation.org or follow them on Twitter @CCEHI to learn more and follow their work.
