Another Option For HIP, Hoosier Healthwise

The Indiana Family And Social Services Agency says it made a "number of enhancements" to the new contracts during negotiations.

The state is adding a new option for Healthy Indiana Plan and Hoosier Healthwise enrollees. The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration says approximately one million Hoosiers are signed up to receive health care services through the programs. Starting January 1, CareSource Indiana will join Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, MDwise Inc. and Managed Health Services of Indiana as state-selected vendors.

The contracts will be effective for up to six years.

Indiana Medicaid Director Joe Moser  says "we used this opportunity to really take a fresh look at what we expect the health plans to deliver and the value Hoosier taxpayers are getting from these contracts considering the more than $3 billion a year we are spending on them. We have made key changes to ensure Indiana Medicaid members are getting better coordinated health care and customer service from their Medicaid plan. We are confident we have selected the best managed care entities to meet or exceed these expectations."

The state says, if desired, Hoosier Healthwise members will have an opportunity to switch plans during an open enrollment period later this year. Healthy Indiana Plan members are eligible to select a new plan once a year during their renewal period.

Nearly 400,000 Hoosiers participate in the Healthy Indiana Plan and around 600,000 children and pregnant women are enrolled in the Hoosier Healthwise program.

You can connect to more about the vendor selection by clicking here.