AmeriHealth Caritas Shares Open Letter to Iowa’s Health Care Providers

DES MOINES, Iowa–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AmeriHealth
Caritas Iowa, a Medicaid managed care health plan that will
serve Iowa Medicaid beneficiaries as part of the state’s new IA
Health Link program beginning on March 1, 2016, shared the below open
letter today, which was sent to all of Iowa’s health care providers.

OPEN LETTER:

To all of Iowa’s Medicaid health care providers:

Since the moment we received word that we had been selected for IA
Health Link, we have worked hard to get to know you and we appreciate
you taking the time to get to know us. Our team has logged thousands of
miles of travel across Iowa, meeting individually and in groups with
representatives of hospitals, physician groups and community health
organizations — approximately 300 provider office visits and 100 public
meetings in all. The meetings have been exceptionally productive and we
couldn’t be more excited to work with you and your teams.

We know the state’s move to managed care has been the subject of robust
debate. But without fail, we have been welcomed hospitably to Iowa and
providers across the state have engaged in honest, candid dialogue
around how we can best work together. It’s clear that you are deeply
committed to improving the health and well-being of Iowans. And it’s
been very meaningful, in turn, how so many of you have shared your
impression that we, at AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa, are focused on exactly
the same thing.

We are a mission-based health care company with roots as a neighborhood
health plan started by the Sisters of Mercy to meet the growing need for
quality care for the underserved, many of whom turned to emergency rooms
as their primary source of care. Improving health care for those most in
need is what we do every day. We have seen across the nation what
managed care can do to help Medicaid recipients live better, healthier
lives. We are incredibly excited to see those same benefits in Iowa.

We are grateful for the cooperation we have received in preparing to
implement the many “extras” and programs that our integrated model of
care brings to those who need those services most, such as personal,
coordinated care, assistance with scheduling doctor’s appointments,
arranging transportation and providing education about how to take
medications properly. It is well documented that the personal attention
Medicaid recipients receive under managed care programs such as ours
help them to overcome the disproportionate health adversity they face.
We appreciate you working with us to make those “extras” work extra hard.

We are particularly grateful to the providers who have agreed to be part
of our network – a network, which is growing daily. With your help and
partnership, we are on track to begin serving Iowans on March 1.

Thank you for welcoming us. And thank you for partnering with us. We are
more confident than ever that IA Health Link will make a real difference
in the lives of thousands of Iowans.

Very truly yours,

Cheryl Harding
Market President
AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa

About AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa

AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa, part of the AmeriHealth Caritas Family of
Companies, is one of the Medicaid managed care plans that will
participate in IA Health Link beginning in March 2016. AmeriHealth
Caritas Iowa will help Iowans get proper care and stay well, working
with communities in need to achieve positive health outcomes throughout
the state. For more information, visit www.amerihealthcaritasia.com.

About AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies

AmeriHealth Caritas is part of the Independence Health Group in
partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. AmeriHealth Caritas
is one of the nation’s leaders in health care solutions for those most
in need. Operating in 16 states and the District of Columbia,
AmeriHealth Caritas serves more than 6.9 million Medicaid, Medicare and
CHIP members through its integrated managed care products,
pharmaceutical benefit management and specialty pharmacy services,
behavioral health services and other administrative services.
Headquartered in Philadelphia, AmeriHealth Caritas is a mission-driven
organization with more than 30 years of experience serving low-income
and chronically ill populations. For more information, visit www.amerihealthcaritas.com.

Contacts

AmeriHealth Caritas
Joshua Brett, 1-215-863-5458
jbrett@amerihealthcaritas.com