Health News
- Coventry Must Extend Contract With Appalachian Regional Healthcare Until Nov. 1, Judge Rules
Conventry Cares must continue its contract with Appalachian Regional Healthcare through Nov. 1 so the 25,000 Eastern Kentucky Medicaid patients affected don't get "thrown under the bus," a federal judge ruled yesterday. "The health and well-being...
- State Takes Medicaid Contractor Coventry's Side At Hearing Over Dispute With Appalachian Regional Healthcare
"Appalachian Regional Healthcare argued for a federal injunction against Medicaid contractor Coventry Cares on Tuesday as negotiations for a new agreement between the two have stalled," reports Mike Wynn of The Courier-Journal. At a hearing before District...
- Coventry Offers To Keep Paying Arh, But Less, For Treating Medicaid Patients; Asks Danville Chain To Renegotiate
Coventry Cares has offered to pay for treatments at Appalachian Regional Healthcare as a "non-contracted provider," which would mean ARH would be paid far less than it is now, but coverage for ARH's 25,000 Medicaid patient members would not be interrupted....
- Coventry, Arh At Impasse Over Medicaid; State Says Service Will Not Be Interrupted For 25,000 Affected
Though negotiations between Appalachian Regional Healthcare and Coventry Cares appear to be futile, the state is taking steps to make sure there won't be an interruption in care for the Medicaid recipients who will be affected by the impasse....
- Appalachian Hospital Chain, Facing Loss Of 25,000 Medicaid Patients, Sues Managed-care Firms And State
"Appalachian Regional Healthcare, the largest health care system in Eastern Kentucky, has filed lawsuits against two of the state's Medicaid managed care companies, alleging that the managed care companies had not paid claims promptly," report Valarie...
Health News
State's largest health care system says it will end contract with Coventry Cares
KentuckyOne Health, the state's largest health-care system with almost 200 hospitals, physician groups, primary care centers and other agencies, is canceling its contracts with Coventry Cares, one of the state's four Medicaid managed-care organizations. Terminations will be effective Nov. 1 for Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's HealthCare and Saint Joseph Health System.
The decision came after Coventry sent a letter announcing it would terminate its contract July 18 with Our Lady of Peace hospital in Louisville. Coventry also terminated its contract with Taylor Regional Hospital in Campbellsville, another KentuckyOne facility, reports Valarie Honeycutt Spears for the Lexington Herald-Leader. She notes that Our Lady of Peace serves high-risk patients with intellectual disabilities. It is one of the largest private, non-profit psychiatric hospitals in the country.
"We feel Coventry Care's actions will ultimately hinder and prevent the care our communities need and deserve," said Barbara Mackovic, a KentuckyOne spokeswoman. "That is especially true when a plan would put our most vulnerable patient populations at Our Lady of Peace at risk."
Issues with Coventry Cares have been mounting ever since it started administering Medicaid Nov. 1. The company, the state and Appalachian Regional Healthcare fought in court after Coventry threatened to terminate its contract. TCoventry temporarily extended its contract, but in in May the firm announced it would also end contracts with Baptist Healthcare System.
Managed care has saved the state money but has caused major headaches, including delayed provider payments and overly-burdensome preauthorizations. Coventry alleges "that it has too many high-risk patients and that the state needs to adjust the risk model so Coventry can receive more money for sicker patients," Spears reported in May. (Read more)
The decision came after Coventry sent a letter announcing it would terminate its contract July 18 with Our Lady of Peace hospital in Louisville. Coventry also terminated its contract with Taylor Regional Hospital in Campbellsville, another KentuckyOne facility, reports Valarie Honeycutt Spears for the Lexington Herald-Leader. She notes that Our Lady of Peace serves high-risk patients with intellectual disabilities. It is one of the largest private, non-profit psychiatric hospitals in the country.
"We feel Coventry Care's actions will ultimately hinder and prevent the care our communities need and deserve," said Barbara Mackovic, a KentuckyOne spokeswoman. "That is especially true when a plan would put our most vulnerable patient populations at Our Lady of Peace at risk."
Issues with Coventry Cares have been mounting ever since it started administering Medicaid Nov. 1. The company, the state and Appalachian Regional Healthcare fought in court after Coventry threatened to terminate its contract. TCoventry temporarily extended its contract, but in in May the firm announced it would also end contracts with Baptist Healthcare System.
Managed care has saved the state money but has caused major headaches, including delayed provider payments and overly-burdensome preauthorizations. Coventry alleges "that it has too many high-risk patients and that the state needs to adjust the risk model so Coventry can receive more money for sicker patients," Spears reported in May. (Read more)
- Coventry Must Extend Contract With Appalachian Regional Healthcare Until Nov. 1, Judge Rules
Conventry Cares must continue its contract with Appalachian Regional Healthcare through Nov. 1 so the 25,000 Eastern Kentucky Medicaid patients affected don't get "thrown under the bus," a federal judge ruled yesterday. "The health and well-being...
- State Takes Medicaid Contractor Coventry's Side At Hearing Over Dispute With Appalachian Regional Healthcare
"Appalachian Regional Healthcare argued for a federal injunction against Medicaid contractor Coventry Cares on Tuesday as negotiations for a new agreement between the two have stalled," reports Mike Wynn of The Courier-Journal. At a hearing before District...
- Coventry Offers To Keep Paying Arh, But Less, For Treating Medicaid Patients; Asks Danville Chain To Renegotiate
Coventry Cares has offered to pay for treatments at Appalachian Regional Healthcare as a "non-contracted provider," which would mean ARH would be paid far less than it is now, but coverage for ARH's 25,000 Medicaid patient members would not be interrupted....
- Coventry, Arh At Impasse Over Medicaid; State Says Service Will Not Be Interrupted For 25,000 Affected
Though negotiations between Appalachian Regional Healthcare and Coventry Cares appear to be futile, the state is taking steps to make sure there won't be an interruption in care for the Medicaid recipients who will be affected by the impasse....
- Appalachian Hospital Chain, Facing Loss Of 25,000 Medicaid Patients, Sues Managed-care Firms And State
"Appalachian Regional Healthcare, the largest health care system in Eastern Kentucky, has filed lawsuits against two of the state's Medicaid managed care companies, alleging that the managed care companies had not paid claims promptly," report Valarie...