CMS Mississippi Health First

Situation

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, and it is a major cause of heart disease and stroke. Overwhelmingly, the entire state of Mississippi is part of the 'diabetes belt'.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet, diabetes affects 25.8 million people of all ages (8.3 percent of the U.S. population). Diabetes has been diagnosed in 18.8 million people and there are currently an estimated 7 million people who are undiagnosed. Among U.S. residents aged 65 years and older, 10.9 million, or 26.9 percent had diabetes in 2010.

Task

How do you empower Medicare beneficiaries, the underinsured, and the uninsured living with diabetes in the state of Mississippi to take control of their health?

Action

Mississippi Health First was created in October 2009, as a statewide health initiative for people living with diabetes in the state of Mississippi. MHF provides free diabetes self-management education (DSME) classes in the state of Mississippi for people ages 18 and over. The classes focus on health, nutrition, fitness, and medication monitoring for all people with diabetes. MHF is a 22-month project that concludes on July 31, 2011.

The initiative was made possible through a partnership between The American Association of Diabetes Educators, the American Diabetes Association, U.S. Administration on Aging, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the National Institutes of Health, the National Academy for State Health Policy, and the HHS/Office of Minority Health, along with in-state partners (Mississippi Health First Collaborative), allowing for this initiative to be established. Healthcare Management Solutions, LLC and Information & Quality Healthcare provide the DSME training, and HCD International (HCDI) serves as the Project Coordinator for the entire effort.

As coordinators for the MHF initiative, HCDI provides effective outreach and technical assistance for the Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) to recruit and provide DSME classes to people living with diabetes in Mississippi. Furthermore, a major role for HCDI is to develop strategies for sustainability and best practices once the project concludes. Our focus is to improve the quality of health care while reducing costs for vulnerable populations. HCDI has a cadre of subject matter experts who understand both the policy and clinical application of key elements at the national, state, and local levels. The HCDI approach is to work with the community, faith-based institutions, educational systems, and other trusted sources to overcome the barriers typically confronted in underserved communities.

Result

Haley Barbour, Governor of the State of Mississippi, proclaimed "Mississippi Health First" as the initiative to save lives and improve the health of citizens in the state of Mississippi. During the 22-month period, approximately 3,000 Medicare beneficiaries, the underinsured, and the uninsured are expected to be educated through the MHF project.