COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio's plan to streamline medical care for some of the state's sickest, most expensive and difficult to treat patients includes changes designed to eliminate unnecessary tests, prevent medication errors and keep patients healthier and out of emergency rooms.
State officials who drafted the proposal for individuals enrolled in both Medicaid and Medicare say the plan could become a model for other states.
They plan to send the details Monday to the federal government, which must approve the changes.
Greg Moody, director of the governor's Office of Health Transformation, tells The Associated Press that people who fall under the three-year pilot program would not see any immediate changes to their providers, though they could later.
Services available to beneficiaries aren't expected to change, but how those services are coordinated will.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
