ROUNDTABLE OPENS PAYER AND
PROVIDER DIALOGUE
The GLMS Physician Education and Practice Support Department
hosted a Medicaid Roundtable on April 15 to facilitate an open
dialogue between physician offices and payer representatives.
Multiple payers were present for the event including Anthem Kentucky, Humana CareSource, Passport, Wellcare, DMS and CoventryCares. They welcomed questions from the audience and several
which had been submitted prior to the event.
Queries touched on a wide variety of coverage issues including
timely claim response, network validation and provider relation
connectivity. The GLMS PEPS Department will host additional roundtables later this year. For more information about these events,
contact PEPS at 502-736-6354 or [email protected].
THE OLD MEDICAL SCHOOL HOSTS
HEROIN ROUNDTABLE
were heroin users. Today, that number is 95 percent.
“There are still so many people who don’t understand that addiction is a medical condition. It takes a community to say we’re going
to make a difference,” Hascal said. “We know prevention education
works. Why aren’t we talking about that? Why aren’t we putting every
dollar we have into prevention.”
Department of Corrections Director Mark Bolton said he looked to The
Healing Place for guidance as the prison was flooded with inmates
going through withdrawal. “On any given day, we’re detoxing 50
to 110 people. It became a real challenge for us to take care of the
medical needs of this population.”
Concerned Louisville residents and professionals who have followed
or responded to the rise of heroin in Jefferson County visited The
Old Medical School Building on April 16 to take stock of where the
community is now and what the future may hold.
Hosted by 89.3 WFPL News, the community conversation addressed
the heroin crisis from a variety of different viewpoints including those
of The Healing Place President Karyn Hascal, Louisville Metro Department of Corrections Director Mark Bolton, State Capital Bureau Chief
Ryland Barton, Volunteers of America President Jennifer Hancock,
and WFPL Health Reporter Ja’Nel Johnson.
The 90 minute panel began with each panelist explaining their experiences in relation to the drug’s increasing prominence in the region.
Karyn Hascal noted the dramatic surge in heroin by explaining that
three years ago only five percent of The Healing Place attendees
GLMS NEWS MAY 2015
Looking at The Healing Place model of peer support, Bolton housed
those in detox with inmates who had already gone through the
treatment. The experience of those who have similarly suffered
provides a place of common ground for heroin users in the depths
of withdrawal symptoms.
Ryland Barton and Ja’Nel Johnson both spoke on the recent state
legislature which cracks down on dealers while offering leniency to
users who seek help if they see an overdose or other health emergency. While the law does have the potential for positive change in
Kentucky, there are multiple issues to deal with regarding heroin.
“The face of addiction is changing,” said Volunteers of America
Director Jennifer Hancock. “Addicts are younger than ever before.
They’re more diverse and more challenging to treat.”
Karyn Hascal agreed, saying The Healing Place’s demographics for
heroin users had skyrocketed among 18 to 25-year-olds. “I think we’re
going to see some out-of-the-box solutions from the community in
the coming years.”
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