Recently the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) announced that AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa, Inc., will be withdrawing from the IA Health Link program. The DHS says it is “focused on ensuring members will continue to receive quality care and to make this transition as smooth as possible.” AmeriHealth Caritas members were tentatively assigned to UnitedHealthcare as Amerigroup Iowa does not currently have the capacity to take additional members. Members were notified they were able to make choice to change their Managed Care Organization (MCO), as member choice is a key component of managed care.

Amerigroup Iowa has informed the Department they do not currently have capacity to take any new members. The Department has been in communication with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to keep them informed of what is happening, and will continue to do so. All new IA Health Link members will be assigned to UnitedHealthcare. In the future members again will have a choice in MCOs and will be notified when that choice is available.

The Department, along with its managed care partners, says it is working diligently to get member information transferred to UnitedHealthcare, to make sure members and providers are informed, and identify and address areas of concern. To learn more about AmeriHealth Caritas withdrawing from the IA Health Link program and about the suspension of MCO choice, visit www.IAHealthLink.org.

(DHS Press Release)