Tuesday, December 21, 2010
DHHR Delays Medicaid Reorganization
WEST VIRGINIA....
West Virginia currently has contracts with three firms, The Health Plan of the Upper Ohio Valley, Unicare and Carelink, to provide basic health care to more than 160,000 Medicaid recipients. By entering into agreements with these companies, the state controls its costs by paying the companies a lump sum each year, shielding the state from unexpected expenses. The DHHR wants to shift dental and behavioral health benefits and roughly 55,000 recipients of Supplemental Security Income to the three managed care companies. The managed care companies stood to receive an estimated $270 million boost in business. Lawmakers have criticized the plan mainly because competitive bids were not sought. The Department of Health and Human Resources says a plan to reorganize West Virginia's Medicaid program is on hold until after the 2011 legislative session in order to give agency officials and lawmakers more time to review the plan. House Health and Resources Chairman Don Perdue says the delay will give state officials time to make the right decision.
West Virginia currently has contracts with three firms, The Health Plan of the Upper Ohio Valley, Unicare and Carelink, to provide basic health care to more than 160,000 Medicaid recipients. By entering into agreements with these companies, the state controls its costs by paying the companies a lump sum each year, shielding the state from unexpected expenses. The DHHR wants to shift dental and behavioral health benefits and roughly 55,000 recipients of Supplemental Security Income to the three managed care companies. The managed care companies stood to receive an estimated $270 million boost in business. Lawmakers have criticized the plan mainly because competitive bids were not sought. The Department of Health and Human Resources says a plan to reorganize West Virginia's Medicaid program is on hold until after the 2011 legislative session in order to give agency officials and lawmakers more time to review the plan. House Health and Resources Chairman Don Perdue says the delay will give state officials time to make the right decision.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:56 PM 
