Des Moines, Iowa – AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa, a Medicaid managed care health plan that will serve Iowa Medicaid beneficiaries as part of the state's new IA Health Link program beginning March 1, 2016, announced today that it has signed an agreement with UnityPoint Health® that will give AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa's members access to UnityPoint Health's hospitals, home care experts, primary care physicians and specialists throughout Iowa and the Illinois Quad Cities.
UnityPoint Health is one of Iowa's largest providers of hospital, home health, telehealth and other health care services. It includes more than 3,500 doctors and specialists, eight hospitals and clinics in Anamosa, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Dubuque, Fort Dodge, Quad Cities, Muscatine, Sioux City and Waterloo in Iowa, as well as Madison, Wis. and Peoria, Ill.
"We are excited to add UnityPoint Health to our network," said Cheryl Harding, market president for AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa. "For more than 30 years, our family of companies has specialized in helping individuals who are most in need to access quality health care and services. Our partnership with UnityPoint Health will allow our members throughout the state access to the more than 28,000 dedicated health care professionals who make UnityPoint Health one of the most respected health systems in the state."
"Establishing this new relationship with AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa enables us to ensure that the best access to health care services is available to our patients," said Brian Jones, vice president of payor innovation, UnityPoint Health. "In partnership with the State of Iowa, it allows us to continue to provide high-quality service to some of our most vulnerable patients at UnityPoint Health."
The new IA Health Link program will serve the majority of Iowa's Medicaid population, or about 560,000 Iowans, through select managed care plans. For more information about the IA Health Link program, visit http://dhs.iowa.gov/.
Des Moines, Iowa – AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa, one of the Medicaid health plans selected to administer the state's new IA Health Link program beginning March 1, 2016, and University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa's only comprehensive academic medical center announced today that they have signed an agreement that will give AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa members access to a health system recognized as one of the best health care providers in the United States.
University of Iowa Health Care, which is comprised of University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Carver College of Medicine, and University of Iowa Physicians, includes a 730-bed hospital that annually admits more than 32,000 patients for in-patient hospital care. It also represents more than 200 outpatient clinics and care areas receiving just over 914,300 clinic visits. Together, these partners provide patient care, conduct biomedical research, and train the next generation of health professionals.
AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa Market President Cheryl Harding was excited to share the news of another hospital system aligning themselves with the AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa team. "University of Iowa Health Care will allow us to reach a tremendous number of Medicaid recipients at a hospital system that is committed to providing quality care and excellent service that produce exceptional outcomes," said Cheryl Harding, market president for AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa. "This is a winning situation for our members who need these services the most."
AmeriHealth Caritas has successfully implemented Medicaid managed care plans throughout the country that utilize its integrated model of care which includes physical and behavioral health, pharmacy benefit management and specialty pharmacy. AmeriHealth Caritas' unique model of care, along with more than 30 years of experience caring for populations with complex health conditions, confirms AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa is well-prepared to serve the individuals who will participate in IA Health Link.
About AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa
AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa, part of the AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies, is one of the Medicaid managed care plans that will participate in IA Health Link beginning in March 2016. AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa will help Iowans get proper care and stay well, working with communities in need to achieve positive health outcomes throughout the state. For more information, visit www.amerihealthcaritasia.com.
