The Rhode Island Department of Human Services announced today that it has made its recommendations to the Rhode Island Department of Administration in the selection of contracted health plans for the Rhode Island Medicaid Managed Care programs, RIte Care and Rhody Health Partners. The State received two bids – from UnitedHealthcare of New England and Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island - for the contract period, which begins September 1, 2010.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI), a RIte Care participating health plan for the past 16 years, did not submit a proposal to participate in RIte Care. The State will be working closely with BCBSRI in the next few months to assure a smooth transition of approximately 15,000 RIte Care members from Blue Cross to a participating health plan prior to the end of the current contract period, which ends December 31, 2010. Blue Cross will notify their RIte Care members about transition plans.
RIte Care members currently enrolled with BCBSRI can be assured that their medical benefits will continue without interruption, and they will have comprehensive health coverage through one of the available participating RIte Care health plans. Both Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island and UnitedHealthcare have large networks of providers and an initial review by the State has determined that 98% of those enrolled with BCBSRI will be able to continue to receive care with their current primary care providers.
“We look forward to our continued partnership in working with both UnitedHealthcare and Neighborhood Health Plan to provide quality health care to more than 132,000 Rhode Islanders,” said Gary Alexander, Secretary for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. Both Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island and UnitedHealthcare of New England rank among the top dozen Medicaid managed care plans in the country according to the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA).
Currently, the RIte Care program covers approximately 120,000 Rhode Islanders, mostly children and families. Rhody Health Partners covers 12,000 adults with Medicaid who have disabilities or chronic conditions.