TEXAS — Nearly 2 million women and children will be forced to find a new health insurance plan if Texas Health and Human Services finalizes its current procurement plan that removes some long-standing providers from its Medicaid and children’s health insurance contracts.
Karen Love is the president for the Cook Children’s Health Plan, one of the providers that was not awarded a bid from the state.
“They’ll have to change providers because not all of the providers in my networks may not be in the networks of the new insurance companies. It could mean the need to get new prior authorizations or new paperwork filed with the new insurance companies so they can continue with their treatment. They may have people fall through the cracks,” said Love.
Cook Children’s, Texas Children’s Health Plan and Driscoll Children’s Hospital make up the largest three largest nonprofit children’s health plans in the state. They all are poised to not get a contract.
“We were able to lower NICU days and save the state of Texas a lot of money. I’m talking over a billion dollars over 10 years with a $10 million per year investment though the health plan. If the health plan goes away through this procurement, I worry about that whole program,” said Dr. Mary Dale Peterson, Driscoll Children’s Hospital executive vice president and COO.
Source: Insurance providers petition possible changes to the state Medicaid plans / Spectrum News 1