New insurer for Medicaid program

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Amerigroup Nevada has replaced Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield as a health maintenance organization for the state’s Medicaid program, state officials have announced.
Starting Feb. 1, Amerigroup, a subsidiary of Virginia-based Amerigroup Corp., will provide health care coverage to more than 49,000 Medicaid recipients. Anthem is ending its two-year contract with Nevada Medicaid at the end of the year.
Health Plan of Nevada, a subsidiary of Sierra Health Services, is the other HMO plan. It covers 61,838 Medicaid recipients, according to Chuck Duarte, administrator of the state’s Division of Health Care Financing and Policy.
Duarte said the move isn’t going to impact Health Plan of Nevada or cause any disruption in coverage to Anthem members transitioning to Amerigroup, which has a contract for 2 1/2 years. He added that the state is working with Amerigroup to notify Anthem enrollees about the change.