G-2301-17719

Virginia Health Catalyst (VHC) is the state oral health coalition of Virginia that works to ensure all Virginian’s have equitable access to comprehensive health care, including oral health, through specific strategies focused on public health, policy, public awareness, and clinical-community care partnerships. Historically, CareQuest Institute has partnered with VHC for several years to support policy advocacy aimed at the expansion and implementation of Medicaid adult dental benefits as well as to position safety net clinics within VHC’s network for a move toward oral health value-based care, the priority of this proposal. Additionally, VHC has been particularly intentional in its efforts to establish new, community-based, and state-level partnerships that continue to inform the organization’s approach to health equity work.

Within the past two years, Virginia has expanded adult Medicaid dental benefits, increased Medicaid dental reimbursement rates, and dedicated funds from the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) to the safety net for investments in technology, infrastructure, and clinical staff time to test VBC innovations. Virginia is the only state using ARPA funds to support oral health innovations, which positions VHC to be a national leader in this space and will VHC’s proposal for 2023-24 falls under the Advancing Equity through Oral Health program and focuses specifically on work with two dental safety net clinics in Virginia to pilot a project using dental diagnostic codes to enable care integration and improve provider communication. VHC will support these clinics’ use of CDT and ICD-10 codes, which connect dental services to their related medical diagnoses, to increase use of these diagnostics codes will help to illustrate the persisting oral health needs for vulnerable, historically marginalized communities.

This pilot project initiative will also enable clinics to create and implement culturally responsive, integrated care that leans on VHC’s existing partnerships, communications, and information sharing practices. Throughout the project, VHC staff will work with clinic teams on the coding and care delivery fronts as well as its Community Advisory Board, constructed of community members and patients, to ensure that community continue to be centered as VBC implementation efforts roll out. Additionally, VHC has a diverse and broad range of partners within both the advocacy and clinical arenas who will also be supporting the project, including the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services which manages the state’s Medicaid program.

This proposal included a request for $135,150.90, which amounts to approximately 6% of the organization’s overall budget. Most grant funds will go toward staff time and support eight project roles while the remaining grant funds will support meeting supplies, travel, and consulting, as well as stipends for patient compensation. Based on the scope of work, the project’s alignment with CareQuest Institute’s strategic priorities and internally led programs, and the proposed outcomes, this proposal will capitalize on the financial environment and policy advocacy momentum that exist in Virginia to promote movement to care the integrated and patient centered. This proposed scope of work will build capacity within the oral health field to scale initiatives similar to MORE Care across the country.