Care Coordinators Face Persistent Barriers in Medicaid SUD Programs, Survey Finds
A new survey of Virginia Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) care coordinators highlights significant challenges in providing services to patients with substance use disorders (SUD). The findings highlight persistent barriers to accessing resources, managing administrative and regulatory tasks, and integrating data systems, all of which may impact both care delivery and workforce well-being.
In the survey of 322 MCO care coordinators, between 49% and 82% reported each of 15 care coordination challenges as “somewhat” or a “major” problem. Using principal components analysis, researchers identified 3 main categories of barriers: accessing resources, administrative and regulatory burden, and data integration issues.
“Care coordinators with a greater proportion of their caseload having a substance use disorder were more likely to report barriers to job performance,” the authors wrote.
Having a high percentage of patients with SUD was associated with more difficulty accessing services and integrating patient data. Administrative burdens were higher for coordinators managing increasing caseloads or serving patients needing assistance with activities of daily living.
Job satisfaction remained generally high but was inversely correlated with the severity of reported barriers. Burnout was most strongly associated with an administrative and regulatory burden.
“Care coordinators face frequent barriers to performing their jobs,” the authors concluded.
The study suggests variation across MCOs in reported challenges, indicating that some organizations may offer models for addressing system-level obstacles. The authors call for enhanced policy and infrastructure solutions, including better resource availability and interoperable data systems, to improve support for Medicaid care coordinators working with SUD populations. Further research is recommended to guide future policy efforts and assess strategies that reduce the burden and improve workforce sustainability.
Reference
Marks SJ, Vega V, Zhu D, et al. Challenges faced by Medicaid managed care coordinators working with members with substance use disorder. Am J Manag Care. 2025;31(6):e159-e166. doi:10.37765/ajmc.2025.89752
