The need for social work social services in managed care has been verified by managed care providers, political leaders and government officials as NASW members have met with them. The efforts of a coalition of social work leaders to have social services become a required service in managed care have continued since a June rally at the Sheraton Center in New York City.

As members of the Coalition meet with officials and others, officials are hearing concerns that Medicaid recipients and children are in jeopardy because of difficulties in obtaining Medicaid eligibility, premature disenrollment issues, access problems and others. There is a general recognition that the absence of social workers has become a serious problem.

Congressman Jerrold Nadler has promised support in the effort to ensure an adequate Federal review of the need to include social services as a required service. Officials of the New York regional office of the Health Care Financing Agency (HCFA) have noted the problem in their own reviews of Medicaid services in New York State. The HCFA Office will soon review the New York State 1115 waiver, the "Partnership Plan". This pre-implementation review will entail the use of a standards guide now distributed for comment. NASW will comment on the Review Guide with particular reference to the need for social services.

There is considerable agreement regarding the need, but there is, as yet, no evident means to implement the service requirement. NASW and the Coalition will continue to work on the problem with the government agencies and the HMO and managed care organizations. Because of the problems in enrollment, access and provider capacity, there will be a further delay in implementation of the Partnership Plan in the New York City area until some time in January or February, 1999.