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Amerigroup Louisiana Recommended for Contract Award to Provide Medicaid Managed Care through the Bayou Health Program
[October 27, 2014]

Amerigroup Louisiana Recommended for Contract Award to Provide Medicaid Managed Care through the Bayou Health Program


BATON ROUGE, La. --(Business Wire)--

Amerigroup Louisiana, a wholly owned subsidiary of WellPoint, Inc., today announced that it has been recommended by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH), to receive a contract award to continue providing Medicaid managed care services through the Bayou Health Program. The contract is contingent upon successful contract negotiations with DHH, and approval by the Division of Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Regional Office.

Services under a new contract are expected to begin in Feb. 2015, and Amerigroup will continue to serve Bayou Health beneficiaries statewide, including eligible families, pregnant women, children, seniors, people with disabilities, and 18 - 20 year olds who have aged out of foster care. With the start of the new contract term, Amerigroup will also have the opportunity to serve Medicaid-eligible individuals under the age of 21, who are listed on the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities' Request for Services Registry, also known as Chisholm Class Members.

"Amerigroup has been a committed partner to the state of Louisiana since the initial launch of the Bayou Health Medicaid program in 2012, positively impact lives, while helping our government partners to be fiscal stewards of our state's tax dollars," said Sonya Nelson, president of Amrigroup Louisiana. "We are pleased that our dedication to serving Louisiana's most vulnerable residents has been acknowledged through an award recommendation, and we look forward to continuing our progress on improving quality of care and health outcomes across our state."



More than 900,000 residents currently receive Medicaid managed care health services through the Bayou Health program. When the renewed program launches in 2015, it will feature more core and value-added benefits, the addition of new member groups, new provider incentives, additional coordination between behavioral and physical health services, new geographic breakouts, and added quality measures to ensure enhanced health outcomes. The program will also roll out new processes for members who require hospice services, medical transportation and in-home personal care assistance for children under 21 to improve continuity of care.

"In the past year alone, Amerigroup has helped our Louisiana Medicaid members coordinate more than 860,000 doctors' visits, fill more than 1.5 million prescriptions, birth more than 5,500 babies and address more than 8 million call center questions," said Dr. Marcus Wallace, chief medical director for Amerigroup Louisiana. "We have worked hard to build an integrated care model that effectively serves members from birth to end-of-life, and as we embark on a renewed commitment with our state, we will remain dedicated to working collaboratively as a trusted partner to enhance lives and build a foundation for a healthier Louisiana."


Amerigroup currently serves approximately 129,000 Bayou Health members. Amerigroup is part of the WellPoint Government Business Division, which serves more than 7.7 million seniors, people with disabilities, low income families and other state and federally sponsored beneficiaries, including people enrolled in federal employee programs, across 26 states-making the organization the nation's leading provider of health care solutions for public programs.

ABOUT AMERIGROUP LOUISIANA

Amerigroup Louisiana helps improve health care access and quality for more than 129,000 low-income Louisiana citizens by developing innovative care management programs and services. Members are assured care that is not only accessible, but also accountable, comprehensive, integrated and patient-centered. Amerigroup Louisiana provides ongoing community relations and outreach to encourage members to become active participants in their health care. Through health education programs, members are empowered to choose and sustain a healthy lifestyle.


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