NEW HAMPSHIRE'S MEDICAID CONTRACT PROCESS

Over the weekend, I read this interesting snippet from the New Hampshire Union Leader, the state’s largest daily.  New Hampshire is working through it’s contracting process to contract with a health plan for a managed care service covering it’s Medicaid lives.

What I thought was interesting were the subtle differences and similarities to what’s been happening in Washington.  Here are a few.

Insiders, including interest groups, patient advocacy organizations and managed-care companies themselves have speculated about what companies submitted proposals.

Anthem or its affiliate Wellpoint is on several lists. Chris Dugan, the Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield spokesman for New Hampshire, would not comment when contacted by a reporter.

Speculation is also rife about Centene, Aetna, Coventry Health Care, Network Health, which is affiliated with Tufts University, and Harvard Pilgrim.

The number could be even higher. A year ago, the state asked the insurance industry for advice about a managed care program for Medicaid; it received nine responses, according to the Health and Human Services Department website.

Six were national for-profit firms. Three were New England-based non-profit companies.

In Washington State, Wellpoint was openly courted by the administration to come to Washington State.  They ultimately declined, but they have a national reputation for care coordination.

Centene, mentioned here at the front of the list, is active here under the brand Coordinated Care.  They’ve impressed providers during an 18-month long courtship with the method they use to coordinate care.  Interesting that Aetna, which has a strong presence in the ASO market in Washington State, did not respond to the RFP for Medicaid here.