Transition to HMOs for Georgia Medicaid, PeachCare Beneficiaries Set for June 1
Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue (R) on Wednesday urged Medicaid and PeachCare beneficiaries in areas of the state implementing his reform plan on June 1 to enroll in HMOs, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. About 600,000 Medicaid and PeachCare beneficiaries in the Atlanta, Columbus and Macon areas will be enrolled automatically in an HMO on June 1 if they do not choose a plan. The plans chosen by the state are being administered by Amerigroup, Centene and WellCare, with state contracts totaling $3 billion a year. Rhonda Medows, commissioner of the state Department of Community Health, said about 42% of eligible beneficiaries have picked a plan. Perdue's plan will transfer about one million Medicaid beneficiaries and 250,000 children enrolled in PeachCare from a fee-for-service system to HMOs. Perdue said, "Giving people a choice of private health plans is a more efficient way to deliver quality health care services to Medicaid and PeachCare members" (Miller, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 4/27).
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