The
Louisiana Department of Health is requesting proposals from managed care
companies for the state’s Medicaid managed care program. The state’s current
Medicaid-managed care contracts will expire on Dec. 31, 2019 with the new
contracts procured through this RFP beginning January 2020.
Currently, the state has contracts with five managed care plans to provide
specific Medicaid benefits and services to eligible children and adults in
Louisiana. The current contracts are with Aetna Better Health, AmeriHealth
Caritas Louisiana, Healthy Blue, Louisiana Healthcare Connections and United
Healthcare Community Plan.
The Department designed its procurement to find the best health plan partners
to achieve the “Triple Aim” of better care, better health and lower costs in
the Medicaid managed care program.
This included focusing on improving the patient experience of care, including
quality and patient satisfaction, improving the health of populations and
managing costs within the program.
“Our managed care organizations are expected to demonstrate innovation. There
should be an increased focus on health equity and social determinants of
health,” said Dr. Rebekah Gee, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health.
“The managed care organizations will be expected to work with each enrollee to
drive behavior change and encourage health choices.”
The Department increased requirements placed on managed care organizations in
terms of access to and use of primary care and the integration of physical and
behavioral health care services.
“It’s important to invest in primary care and to make primary care even more
accessible for members. We’re looking to find ways to work together in
communities to meet people where they are,” Gee said. “In addition to that, we
are working together to integrate primary care and behavioral health services
to improve overall care.”
More than 1.5 million Louisiana residents are enrolled in Healthy Louisiana,
Medicaid’s managed care program.
Click here to review the complete RFP.
