Anthem pulling out of Ohio Medicaid program

"Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is pulling out of the Ohio Medicaid program at the end of March, leaving 87,011 Northeast Ohioans to find another managed care plan." (Source: "Anthem pulling out of Ohio Medicaid program," Crain's Cleveland Business, Jan. 28, 2008.) "Anthem will terminate its business with the Covered Families and Children managed care program on March 31. However, the aged, blind and disabled Ohioans who are covered by Anthem's managed care Medicaid plan will not be affected."

147,036 Ohioans currently covered by Anthem will need to select a new managed care plan by Feb. 25; if they don't do this, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services will automatically select a new plan for them. An Anthem spokeswoman said the company dropped out of the state's medicaid program because Ohio decreased its reimbursement rates for 2008. Now only two managed care plans will provide services in NE Ohio--CareSource and WellCare Health Plans Inc.