Top 25 Managed Care Organizations Lead Increases in Managed Care Medicaid Enrollment Nationally, Though Hold Only One-Third of Its ...( Independence Blue Cross and Aetna...),Health

Independence Blue Cross and Aetna Experienced Greatest Increases in

Medicaid Lives, According to Data from HealthLeaders-InterStudy

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthLeaders-InterStudy, the leading provider of managed care market intelligence, reports that the country's 25 largest managed care organizations lead increases in managed care Medicaid enrollment nationwide. According to data from Managed Market Surveyor-Rx, the top 25 managed care organizations hold one-third of the country's Medicaid managed care enrollment, but represent more than 62 percent of its growth between July 2007 and January 2008.

"States continue to expand managed care into their Medicaid programs. Ohio, Indiana and South Carolina are examples of this trend in practice as they are currently undergoing or have recently completed managed care expansion," said Jane DuBose, Director of Health Plan Analysis for HealthLeaders-InterStudy. "Some states are beginning to contract with managed care organizations for the costlier services associated with the aged, blind and disabled segment of Medicaid."

Between July 2007 and January 2008, Medicaid managed care grew 6.1 percent, or 1.2 million, to more than 21 million lives. Among the nation's largest plans, Independence Blue Cross and Aetna experienced the greatest increases in Medicaid lives. The growth experienced by Independence Blue Cross is attributed to Medicaid expansions in South Carolina and Indiana where the AmeriHealth Mercy affiliate operates plans enrolling beneficiaries of Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program. AmeriHealth, a subsidiary of Independence Blue Cross, has partnerships or ownership of state-sponsored plans in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Indiana and South Carolina and manages a Kentucky Medicaid/CHIP plan. For Aetna, its purchase of Schaller Anderson, a Medicaid management company, helped to boost its Medicaid footprint.

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