WellSense, CareSource & GroundGame.Health: Medicaid Work Requirements and the New Engagement Playbook

In this Bright Spots in Healthcare episode, host Eric Glazer brings together senior Medicaid health plan leaders to explore how organizations are rethinking communication strategies in response to redetermination and upcoming work requirements. The conversation dives into how plans are combining cultural competency, behavioral insights, and data-driven personalization to strengthen member connections, improve retention, and support equity-focused outcomes. 

Real-world examples and best practices provide actionable guidance for health plans navigating these sweeping policy changes.

Our guests include:
Molly Whittle, Vice President, Medicaid Fiscal Strategy, WellSense Health Plan
Terrie Hottle, Director of Product Implementation and Deployment, CareSource
Abner Mason, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, GroundGame.Health

Together, they explore:

• How Medicaid health plans are adapting communication priorities in response to redetermination and evolving work requirements.
  
  

• Innovative strategies to reach and retain hard-to-contact populations through culturally responsive and personalized engagement.
  
  

• How to transform compliance-driven outreach into trust-based, member-focused communication that supports long-term retention and health outcomes.
  
  

• Practical examples of leveraging behavioral insights, life coaching, and personalized messaging to improve engagement, close care gaps, and support members’ social and health needs.
  
  

Panelist Bios:
https://www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com/events/medicaids-communication-wake-up-call-how-redetermination-and-work-requirements-are-forcing-a-new-member-engagement-playbook/

Download the Episode Guide:
Get key takeaways and expert highlights to help you apply lessons from the episode.
https://www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Episode_Guide_121125.docx.pdf

Download the Key Insights Summary:
Find key insights from the discussion: https://www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Key-Takeaways-Medicaids-Communication-Wake-Up-Call.docx.pdf 

Resources: 

HMA’s new report on the CareSource JobConnect Program:

https://www.healthmanagement.com/insights/briefs-reports/the-impact-of-the-caresource-jobconnect-program-a-benefit-cost-and-return-on-investment-roi-analysisthe-impact-of-the-caresource-jobconnect-program/

 

Report: How Medicaid Payers can Prepare for New Work Requirements Coming in Early 2027  

The Reconciliation Act of 2025, signed on July 4th, introduces new Medicaid work requirements. Beginning in January 2027, states will be required to verify at both application and renewal that members of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) expansion group meet these requirements. A few highlights that stood out:

• The disruption will be significant: The CBO projects 10 million people could become uninsured by 2034 due to work requirements.

• Most losses aren’t intentional: In Arkansas, 18,000 individuals lost coverage in seven months—largely because the reporting system was too complex to navigate.

• Waiting is the biggest risk: The report states plainly: “Payers need to act now… the biggest issue is waiting too long to engage.”

• Five practical steps to start today: From identifying high-risk members early and communicating before the state does, to automating exemption processes and enabling consent-based data sharing.

To request your copy, email show producer, Vekonda Luangaphay at [e-mail]

Thank You to Our Episode Partner, GroundGame Health:

GroundGame is a human impact company that helps Medicaid members stay covered and get care by removing the real-world barriers that stand in their way. They do this through human connection. Community-based engagement. Meeting members where they are and creating a culturally tailored experience at the level of the individual.

Their Right Touch model blends personalized outreach with deep relationships across community organizations to close quality gaps, surface hidden needs, and actually solve them.

 Learn more at https://www.groundgame.health/

 

Schedule a Meeting with Abner Mason, Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer at GroundGame.Health.

To explore how GroundGame.Health can help your organization reduce churn, build trust, and keep Medicaid members connected to care through human-to-human, community-based engagement, reach out to show producer, Vekonda Luangaphay, [e-mail] to schedule a meeting with Abner Mason, Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer, GroundGame.Health.

About Bright Spots Ventures:

Bright Spots Ventures is a healthcare strategy and engagement company that creates content, communities, and connections to accelerate innovation.

 

We help healthcare leaders discover what’s working, and how to scale it. By bringing together health plan, hospital, and solution leaders, we facilitate the exchange of ideas that lead to measurable impact. Through our podcast, executive councils, private events, and go-to-market strategy work, we surface and amplify the “bright spots” in healthcare, proven innovations others can learn from and replicate. At our core, we exist to create trusted relationships that make real progress possible. Visit our website at www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com.