Medicaid Managed Care Causes Harsh Changes for CSA Case Management Program
After providing Case Managment services to hundreds of Central Iowans with disabilities for over 20 years, Community Support Advocates is forced to discharge most of their Case Management members by the end of this month. “Between December 1st and December 31st, we will discharge 588 individuals from our Case Managment program and transition them to services with United HealthCare. Many are individuals we have supported for over 10 years,” said CEO Christina Smith, “and I have talked with members and families who do not understand why they can no longer work with CSA or the Case Manager they have grown to trust.”
After the onset of Medicaid Managed Care, Amerihealth Caritas was the only Managed Care Organization that contracted with community based Case Management organizations to provide this service. The announcement last month that Amerihealth Caritas would leave Iowa on December 1st and transition all of their 218,000 members to United HealthCare, has had a harsh and sudden impact on community based Case Management programs and their members.
“This change is not only impacting our members, but also has resulted in the elimination of 24 jobs within the organization. Our employees are like family, and we are heartbroken to see them leave,” said Smith. “Some of the impacted employees have worked for CSA for 20 years. They are in the process of accepting new positions within the system and we hope that some will be able to follow their members to United HealthCare to support them through this abrupt transition.”
After December 31st, Community Support Advocates will continue to provide Case Management services to individuals who are funded through the Fee for Service Program through the State of Iowa. These changes do not directly impact other programs provided by CSA, such as our Integrated Health, Service Coordination, Integrated Services, Knowledge Empowers Youth, SAGE, and Momentum Art Program.