State awards new Medicaid contracts / LJWorld.com

Archive for Saturday, August 26, 2006

By Scott Rothschild

August 26, 2006

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Topeka — Two new providers have been hired to deliver health care to 160,000 Kansans under Medicaid and HealthWave, it was announced Friday.

The change means the state contract with Centene-First Guard will expire Dec. 31.

UniCare Health Plan of Kansas Inc. has been awarded the statewide contract. Children's Mercy Family Health Partners will have a contract for northeastern Kansas, including Douglas County, and southeastern Kansas. In those two areas, recipients will have a choice of which plan to pick.

While an exact dollar amount for the contracts can't be determined yet, the health care costs combined will exceed $250 million annually, officials said.

Dr. Marcia Nielsen, interim executive director of the Kansas Health Policy Authority, said the contractors were selected after a thorough and competitive bidding process.

She said UniCare had reduced hospital stays through case management in other states.

In addition, she said, the company offers a nationally recognized asthma disease management program, sports physicals for children and a statewide childhood obesity program tailored for Kansans.

UniCare plans to have two education outreach vans to help Kansans learn the importance of health and wellness.

Children's Mercy Family Health Partners offers nonemergency medical transportation to all members and a disease care management program for children with ADHD.

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