Introduction
Wyoming dentists struggled to make Medicaid participation work for their practices despite promising higher reimbursement rates. Even after the state approved a 25 percent increase in dental reimbursement rates during the 2023 legislative session, participation among providers remained limited. Many continued to focus on their existing patient base as they navigated the program’s complex administrative requirements.
This left the Wyoming Department of Health, Division of Healthcare Financing (DHCF), facing a critical question. How could they rebuild trust and strengthen relationships with dental providers to expand care for Medicaid patients? To answer this question, DHCF partnered with Public Knowledge® (PK) to listen to providers, understand their experiences, and chart a path toward a program that works better for both providers and the people they serve.
Background
Increasing reimbursement rates alone was not enough to solve the problem. Many providers felt that the benefits of participation did not outweigh the administrative effort required. Legislators assumed providers wanted higher payments. In reality, providers wanted a more efficient process that allowed them to provide better care for Medicaid patients.
Due to our existing relationship and in-depth knowledge of the department’s Medicaid program, DHCF selected PK to help identify these barriers and develop actionable solutions.
The Problem
Despite a significant investment in reimbursement rates, the program did not see greater provider participation or improved care availability for Medicaid patients. The challenge was centered around how providers experienced the program and how the program communicated with them. From March through June 2024, PK led an initiative to better understand these challenges and provide DHCF with a strategy to re-engage its dental provider community.
The Solution
PK approached this work as part of our program assessment services, listening closely to stakeholders and combining data gathering, direct engagement, and best practice research from other states. Surveys were distributed to both active and non-enrolled providers, targeted interviews were conducted with DHCF staff, and input was collected from the state’s dental advisory group. This local and collaborative process revealed opportunities to strengthen provider relationships and improve how program information was shared.
“Working with Public Knowledge® helped us see the provider experience in a new way. Their approach brought forward the voices of our dental community and helped us understand where real improvements could make the greatest difference,” said Elizabeth Lovell-Poynor, Benefits Quality Control Manager, Wyoming Department of Health, Division of Healthcare Financing
One key recommendation was to make information about the program easier to find and understand. PK developed a promotional toolkit and shared it digitally, by email, and at in-person outreach events, while implementing a communication strategy to ensure consistent, straightforward messaging.
The final assessment provided DHCF with actionable recommendations and ready-to-use communication supports to help implement and sustain these improvements. Our program assessment approach delivers prompt, measurable results within six to eight months. It addresses a wide range of challenges, including low engagement from providers or members, limited community partner involvement, new legislative mandates, heightened oversight, and organizational restructuring.
The Impact
The strategies implemented through this initiative produced measurable results in just a few months. Provider enrollment in Wyoming’s Medicaid dental program increased by 17 percent, indicating that the improvements resonated with dental providers. With well-defined pathways to participate and improved understanding of program details, more dentists were re-engaging and actively serving Medicaid patients. DHCF also gained practical tools and communication support to maintain and build on this momentum.
Conclusion
This engagement delivered measurable improvements quickly and left DHCF with a flexible approach for future program enhancements. PK’s blueprint for program improvement applies our expertise while working closely with clients to collaboratively gain a deep understanding of the challenges they face. Through this partnership, we develop targeted communication strategies and actionable recommendations that drive sustainable change.
Our firm remains committed to helping agencies like DHCF strengthen their programs, build stronger provider relationships, and improve care for the communities they serve.