Area residents who receive dual health benefits from Medicaid and Medicare will be moved to one health plan by the State of Illinois.
The state began the migration from dual plans to a single plan in July. This is referred to as Medicare-Medicaid Alignment Initiative or MMAI, which is designed to improve healthcare for dually eligible beneficiaries in Illinois. If recipients don’t select a plan, the state will assign one.
Rich Fanelli, Sarah Bush Lincoln Patient Services Director explained that the issue is that recipients are being assigned to health plans that are not offered at SBL and they do not have access to routine services, just emergent care.
Sarah Bush Lincoln participates in three MMAI plans: Molina Dual Options, Blue Cross Blue Shield MMAI, and Meridian Complete. Sarah Bush Lincoln is not in-network with Aetna Better Health MMAI or Humana Gold MMAI. Individuals enrolled in these plans, who wish to continue non-emergent care at Sarah Bush Lincoln, are encouraged to switch plans. MMAI participants may switch health plans (or switch back to traditional Medicare and Medicaid) at any time by contacting the Illinois Department of Healthcare & Family Services.
For more information, call Patient Financial Services at 800-381-0040.