Wichita Eagle Blog: Insurance companies lack track record on DD care

By Phillip Brownlee
Wichita Ealge Editorial Department Blog

Insurance companies lack track record on DD care

The announcement last week that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas would not bid on the state’s managed-care contracts for Medicaid raised more concern about the wisdom of including long-term care for the developmentally disabled in the contract. “Because there were new populations in new settings that we can’t serve in our current business model, we decided to not submit a bid,” Blue Cross spokeswoman Mary Beth Chambers said. Wichita-area service providers complained to The Eagle that the insurance companies looking at bidding on the contract don’t have a track record of providing services to the developmentally disabled.

ReThe announcement last week that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas would not bid on the state’s managed-care contracts for Medicaid raised more concern about the wisdom of including long-term care for the developmentally disabled in the contract. “Because there were new populations in new settings that we can’t serve in our current business model, we decided to not submit a bid,” Blue Cross spokeswoman Mary Beth Chambers said. Wichita-area service providers complained to The Eagle that the insurance companies looking at bidding on the contract don’t have a track record of providing services to the developmentally disabled.