HCHC signs agreement with one of three Managed Care Organizations

BY BRYCE KELLY

Mt. Pleasant News

It?s been a matter that has required a great deal of careful study, but Henry County Health Center (HCHC) has officially taken major steps in securing a contract with one of three Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) that are administering the new Iowa Medicaid Program.

HCHC officials announced Tuesday during a regular board of trustees meeting that an agreement was signed to participate with Amerigroup.

?We are still in talks with AmeriHealth Caritas. They have been positive to work with for the most part,? said HCHC CEO Robb Gardner, as he addressed the board of trustees on Tuesday. ?We have not, at this time, had much discussion with United (Healthcare). They have not really moved a lot in past discussions we have had with them, however, we are still assessing them to see if we should or should not participate with them.?

According to Gardner, when official decisions are made regarding the remaining two MCOs, HCHC will communicate that information to the public in a timely fashion.

The Iowa Medicaid program is now being converted to the IA Health Link managed care program. This means that authorized MCOs will administer the program. Current Medicaid members will be moved into this new program by March 1, 2016. Members will be assigned to one of the three MCOs, which include Amerigroup, AmeriHealth Caritas and United Healthcare.

Medicaid members should receive notification from the State of Iowa with instructions to choose an insurance carrier, or a carrier may have been automatically selected for them. Medicaid members are able to choose or change their health plan until Feb. 17, 2016, for coverage beginning March 1, 2016. Members have until May 18, 2016, to make a change for any reason, and then may change for ?good cause? reasons after that.

At HCHC, about 15.8 percent of its patients are currently enrolled in Medicaid, which includes patients receiving long-term care. Gardner also reported that HCHC has registered about 2,800 patients for Medicaid within the first six months of this fiscal year.

And according to a national study presented during the meeting, by the year 2025, estimates show that roughly 80 percent of the U.S. population will be on either Medicare or Medicaid.

?This is still an ongoing challenge for the general community as well as the medical community, and it does effect many patients,? said Gardner. ?We will try to manage things as best as we can and keep the public up to date on changes and information as it is released.?

Medicaid members who want to choose or change their MCO carrier should contact Iowa Medicaid Member Services at 1-800-338-8366. Within HCHC, there will be signs and placards at registration points throughout the health center and at Park Place informing patients of the new changes to Medicaid policy.

For more information from Tuesday?s meeting, read tomorrow?s edition of the Mt. Pleasant News.