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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — In a story March 10 about Medicaid managed care in east-central Illinois, The Associated Press incorrectly paraphrased a comment from a state official concerning what Molina Healthcare of Illinois told the state about its contract with Carle, a health care provider. Molina has an existing contract with Carle for managed care plans for two Medicaid programs, but not for two other Medicaid programs.
A corrected version of the story is below:
Medicaid plan gives some Illinois clients few local options
Many east-central Illinois Medicaid clients having trouble finding local doctors under plan
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — More than 11,000 Medicaid clients in east-central Illinois are signed up for a managed-care plan that isn't accepted by many local doctors.
The (Champaign) News-Gazette (http://bit.ly/1wpSDoN ) reports the clients either chose the Molina Healthcare plan or were placed under it by the state. It isn't accepted by Carle Physician Group, Carle Foundation Hospital or Christie Clinic. Nearly 7,000 Medicaid clients in Champaign County are under the Molina plan.
The state has recently worked to put Medicaid clients under managed-care plans, which pay insurers and health networks fixed fees per patient rather than paying separately for services. A 2011 Illinois law required an expansion of managed care to half of the state's Medicaid patients by 2015.
John Hoffman, spokesman for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, said about half of the state's roughly 3 million Medicaid clients are now under managed-care plans. The switch began last summer in 15 central Illinois counties.
Molina told the state it had a relationship with Carle for Medicaid services, Hoffman said, but it didn't mention that two managed-care plans — a family health plan and one for adults eligible under the Affordable Care Act expansion — were not included.
Hoffman said the state is waiving a deadline for clients who want to switch from Molina. Clients of managed-care plans usually have 90 days to switch after signing up.
Molina spokeswoman Leigh Woodward said it has 56 health providers in Champaign County and is working to expand its network. She said Molina is also providing transportation for clients to go to contracted providers outside of the county.
Some clients have been able to get services at Frances Nelson Health Center in Champaign. But the center "can't take 7,000" new primary care patients, said Nancy Greenwalt, executive director of the center's parent organization.
Frances Nelson also doesn't have specialists at the clinic.
"Right now, there's no place in town where they can get referred," Greenwalt said.
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