This technical assistance brief was developed to help Medicaid stakeholders and others committed to improving care for dual eligibles design more responsive integrated care models. It draws from the experiences of seven innovator states that participated in the Transforming Care for Dual Eligibles national initiative that worked with states to develop integrated care programs. The brief:

• Details nine core program design elements that are critical for achieving high-quality, patient-centered, and cost-effective care for dual eligibles; and
• Illustrates how these core elements look from the beneficiary perspective through the experiences of two actual beneficiaries.

This technical assistance brief is a product of Transforming Care for Dual Eligibles, a national initiative made possible by The Commonwealth Fund. Through this initiative, CHCS is working with seven states — Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Vermont — to develop and implement innovative strategies for integrating care. Participating states are receiving in-depth technical assistance covering program design, care models, financing mechanisms and contracting strategies and CHCS is also facilitating linkages with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to identify new avenues for Medicare-Medicaid integration.