Are you treating your contracted Medicaid Managed Care Plans (MCPs) like customers—a relationship that must be valued, nurtured, and constantly maintained?

If not, it’s time to shift your mindset.

Just like with any customer relationship, the key to success is understanding their needs—and then finding ways to meet them. So, the question is: What do Medicaid MCPs need from behavioral health providers like you?

What Medicaid MCPs Need from You

Medicaid MCPs are contracted by the Ohio Department of Medicaid to manage the care—and costs—of Ohio’s Medicaid recipients. Their mission is to provide timely, high-quality, cost-effective care while “bending the cost curve.” In fact, many of their contracts include financial incentives tied to improving quality and outcomes for their members.

They’re not just looking for providers—they’re looking for partners.

Partners who understand their mission.
Partners who can deliver measurable outcomes.
Partners who can help them meet quality benchmarks while improving the lives of our shared clients.

Building a Managed Care Customer Service Mindset

To serve as true partners, behavioral health organizations must develop a Managed Care Customer Service Mindset. That means understanding the needs of both the MCP and the client—and aligning your operations accordingly.

It starts by looking within.

Ask yourself: Can your organization clearly define what a successful clinical outcome looks like?

If not, here are three essential metrics to begin tracking:

  • Access: How quickly are clients scheduled for their initial assessment and subsequent treatment visits?

  • Engagement: How quickly and consistently are clients participating in the treatment your clinical staff recommends?

  • Results: Are clients improving in your care? Would outcomes be the same—or better—if they went elsewhere?

Understanding and improving these performance indicators positions your organization as a high-value partner—not just a service provider.

Looking Ahead: Value Over Volume

The future of healthcare is rooted in value-based reimbursement. The days of fee-for-service dominance are numbered. MCPs—and other payers—will increasingly reward outcomes, not just activity.

Organizations that fail to adapt may survive. But those that embrace a customer service mindset and align with MCP priorities? They’ll thrive.

We Can Help

At G&M Consulting, we bring nearly 43 years of managed care expertise to the table. We understand the evolving expectations of Medicaid MCPs—and we know how to help community-based organizations align with them for long-term success.

Let us know how we can support your team on the path to becoming a high-value, high-impact managed care partner.