(WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – November 15, 2017) UnityPoint Health announced today it is notifying approximately 54,000 patients that its contract with Amerigroup of Iowa (Amerigroup) may end on December 31, 2017. Amerigroup is one of the two remaining managed care organizations (MCOs) that participate in Iowa Health Link, Iowa’s managed Medicaid program. While UnityPoint Health is continuing contract discussions with Amerigroup, if an agreement is not reached by the end of the year, UnityPoint Health will no longer be part of the provider network for Amerigroup beginning January 1, 2018. UnityPoint Health is notifying patients of this potential change now so they can start to consider their health care options.
“We are disappointed that our contract issues with Amerigroup are not yet resolved and know the announcement of a possible change may cause confusion for our Amerigroup patients,” said Sabra Rosener, vice president, government and external affairs, UnityPoint Health. “We feel an obligation to inform our patients now about this possible change so they can begin to think about what’s best for them and their families if the change occurs.”
If UnityPoint Health is no longer in the Amerigroup network, UnityPoint Health hospitals, UnityPoint Clinic and UnityPoint at Home will no longer provide care for Amerigroup members beginning April 1, 2018, except for emergency care as required by law. UnityPoint Health will continue to be in-network for Iowa’s other MCO network, UnitedHealthcare.
At this time, UnityPoint Health will continue to provide care for Amerigroup members as usual. However, if this change occurs, Amerigroup patients will need to choose either to:
· Stay with their UnityPoint Health provider and change their MCO; or
· Keep the Amerigroup plan and change to an in-network provider.
For more information, Amerigroup members can:
· Visit the UnityPoint Health website for more information and updates as they become available at www.unitypoint.org/IowaMedicaid.
· Contact Iowa Medicaid Member Services toll-free Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at (800) 338-8366 or (515) 256-4606 in the Des Moines area; or visit http://dhs.iowa.gov/iahealthlink.
“We will notify our patients regarding any additional changes that may affect their care, and do our part to help them know how to maintain their relationship with UnityPoint Health if they choose,” said Rosener. “UnityPoint Health remains committed to serving Medicaid members and improving the experience, quality and cost of care for Iowans.”
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