NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — More than 200,000 Virginians will be impacted by a new Medicaid program that starts Aug 1.
The Virginian-Pilot reports that the program will move many people with complex medical issues from a “fee for service” system to a managed care format.
Affected enrollees will include so-called “dual eligibles.” They are people who receive both Medicare, which is federal insurance, and Medicaid, the state-and-federally funded insurance.
Six insurance companies that have contracted with the state will guide enrollees’ care and prevent duplication of services. The change comes as more people live longer, sometimes exhausting their savings, and as concerns rise about the Medicaid budget.
The disabled and elderly make up less than a quarter of Medicaid’s population. But their expenses make up almost 70 percent of the annual Medicaid budget.
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Information from: The Virginian-Pilot, http://pilotonline.com
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