Tagged: Medicaid Managed Care

As Kentucky moves to a new Medicaid arraignment in the Louisville region, the publisher of the Louisville-based Medical News is organizing community meetings to help Medicaid recipients avoid confusion about the changes.

For more than a decade, Passport was the exclusive managed care operator for the region. But, starting in January, the Louisville Medicaid region will be served by four managed care operators: Passport, Humana CareSource , WellCare and Coventry Cares.

A recent decision on drug co-pays by a statewide Medicaid operator has independent pharmacists upset -- again.

In January, complaints from a group of pharmacists drew attention to problems in Kentucky’s Medicaid managed care system.

Back then, they were angry over a lack of co-pays on drugs. Now, managed care operator Coventry Cares has reversed course, claiming it will now charge co-pays.

But in doing so, Kentucky pharmacist Jason Wallace said the managed care operators are just moving money around, not actually compensating pharmacists any better than before.

Kentucky officials are once again facing the prospect of lawsuits over efforts to expand managed health care within  Medicaid. 

This time, it's Passport Health Plan that is threatening to sue, based on what they call broken rules and promises made to them. 

(Read the letter here.)

Struggling Medicaid operator Kentucky Spirit has followed through and is suing to end its contract with the state.

Kentucky Spirit announced last week it was leaving the commonwealth, because it could not operate without massive losses.  Now, it is suing in Frankfort courts to make it official.