Amerigroup Wins New Business in Washington State
/PRNewswire/ -- Amerigroup Corporation (NYSE: AGP) announced today that it is expanding operations to the West Coast. The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) announced its intent to contract with Amerigroup Washington, Inc., and four other health plans as a result of a statewide competitive bidding process.Amerigroup Washington will participate in the Healthy Options program and provide services for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), TANF-related Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and seniors and people with disabilities who are not also eligible for Medicare. Additionally, Amerigroup will participate in the state's Basic Health program, which currently provides subsidized health coverage for approximately 40,000 low-income adults.
The Healthy Options program currently provides fully capitated, managed care services for approximately 700,000 TANF and CHIP recipients, which is about 60 percent of Washington's total Medicaid/CHIP population. HCA intends to add 100,000 Medicaid beneficiaries who are eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) but not Medicare under the new contracts at this time.
"We are grateful for Washington's confidence in our abilities to manage these vulnerable populations and are committed to helping the state achieve its health care and fiscal goals," said Amerigroup Chairman and Chief Executive Officer James G. Carlson. "Amerigroup has been building relationships with providers and community organizations in the state for the past 18 months in an effort to ensure members have access to quality care and improved health outcomes."
HCA is expected to finalize contracts with successful bidders by late February. Amerigroup Washington will operate out of Seattle, and subject to finalization of its contract with HCA, is expected to begin serving members on July 1, 2012.
Washington represents the 13th state in which Amerigroup will serve members and is the second contract for a new state, in addition to Louisiana, to be awarded to the Company within the past six months.
Low Ine Health Insurance Washington State - News
Additionally, Amerigroup will participate in the state's Basic Health program, which currently provides subsidized health coverage for approximately 40000 low-income adults. The Healthy Options program currently provides fully capitated, managed care
The law calls for states to build new health insurance markets called exchanges, so that millions of middle-class people who are currently uninsured can buy taxpayer-subsidized private coverage. It also expands eligibility for Medicaid so low-income
Many receive benefits provided under Medicaid, including the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), as well as Aged, Blind or Disabled (ABD), Foster Care and long-term care, in addition to other state-sponsored programs, and Medicare
If passed, the law would be the first of its kind in the nation. “This is Washington's way of saying [abortion services] are basic health care coverage,” said Sara Kiesler, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest, which is part of the
WASHINGTON – More than one half of states expanded and simplified their Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs' eligibility, enrollment and renewal procedures in 2011, often using technology to streamline and automate processes.
Small Enterprise Owners Spend too much For Health Insurance ...
Small Enterprise Owners Spend too much For Health Insurance Washington
Article by Harold Maynard
There is a huge false impression out there that if you have a business, you get a much better deal on health insurance. The fact is, many group health insurance plans come with higher price than individual health policies.For a small business proprietor with les than 10 employees, offering to pay employees for their individual health insurance policies through an HRA (Health Reimbursement Arrangement) may show a significant cost savings to the business, while giving more freedom of Washington Health Insurance plan option for their workers.In addition, the workers own their individual plans, that means there is no need for COBRA coverage if they leave their current employer since businesses with less than 20 workers do not offer COBRA coverage anyway, individual health plans become even more attractive.The biggest benefit of individual Health Insurance Washington plans over small group plans is the price. Individual health plans usually offer lower premiums compared to group plans. Most individuals pass the list of questions with ease. When they do, they all fall into the same group as everyone else who also passed the same questionnaire, which signifies a lower risk for the insurance company, therefore reducing rates. (Individuals who do not pass the health questionnaire are provided the opportunity to sign up on the Washington State Health Insurance Pool, a high-risk pool with significantly higher premiums) If a company has a staff who does not pass the health questionnaire, then it may still prove less expensive to cover the high risk pool premium for that employee versus spending higher group rates for all employees.Group plans in Washington do not have a health questionnaire, so the insurance firm has no way of “weeding out” the unfit employees. The rates have a “built-in” risk factor given that the insurance provider has no way of separating the high risk groups from the low risk. Groups with less than 50 employees are “community rated” which means that they are in the same risk pool no matter if their workers have low utilization or high. Therefore, the small company with healthy employees results in paying a higher rate due to other businesses that may have employees with expensive high risk chronic health problems.Offering individual health plans to employees comes with more benefits than just reduced price. They also come with much less administration. In contrast to group plans, there are no renewals every year to go through, no minimum participation needed imposed by insurance carriers, and also no required minimum employer contribution either.