Medicaid Managed Care and STD Prevention

The shift from fee-for-service reimbursement to Medicaid managed care is intended to expand access to the uninsured and simultaneously control costs. Specific attention must be paid to sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention because the Medicaid population and STD at-risk groups overlap in their demographic descriptions. Costly, long-term sequelae can be avoided by early treatment of many STDs. Specific agreements between Medicaid and public health agencies may encourage managed care organizations to improve service in the areas that have traditionally been the territory of public health.