Three Health Plans Sign 5-Year Contract with Rhode Island’s Medicaid Program

Published on Thursday, April 20, 2017

Tufts Health Plan Joins Neighborhood Health Plan of RI and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan to Serve Rhode Island’s 250,000 Medicaid Members

CRANSTON, R.I. (April 20, 2017) –The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) announced today that three health plans: Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, Tufts Health Plan, and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan have signed contracts with the State of Rhode Island to provide comprehensive health care services for Rhode Island’s Medicaid population. The contract is effective for five (5) years with five (5) optional one-year extensions.

Tufts Health Plan is new to the Medicaid market in Rhode Island. Currently, the state contracts with Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan to provide comprehensive healthcare coverage to approximately 250,000 Rhode Islanders enrolled in Medicaid managed care. With Tufts Health Plan entering the market, now Medicaid-eligible Rhode Islanders will have a choice of three health plans to choose from.

“This is great news for Rhode Island,” Patrick Tigue, Rhode Island’s Medicaid Director said. “We are fortunate to have longstanding relationships with Neighborhood and UnitedHealthcare and are happy to have Tufts Health Plan join Medicaid. This provides another great option for our Medicaid members and increases members’ choice of providers.”

Rhode Island has contracted with Neighborhood Health Plan of RI and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan since 1994. The most recent contract rebid was in 2010. All three health plansare highly rated by the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA) and have consistently ranked among the top Medicaid health plans in the country for many years.

Tufts Health Plan currently offers employer-sponsored health plans in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, as well as Medicare, Medicaid and Marketplace plans in Massachusetts. Its health plans continually rank among the top health plans in the country 2 based on quality and member satisfaction. “With our mission to improve the health and wellness of the diverse communities we serve, the opportunity to serve more Rhode Island residents is exciting for us,” said Tom Croswell, president and CEO of Tufts Health Plan. “We look forward to working with Governor Raimondo and the state to support their efforts to improve Medicaid in Rhode Island. It’s our intent to offer a Medicaid plan that provides excellent value and service.”

“UnitedHealthcare is proud to have the opportunity to continue to serve the people and communities of Rhode Island,” said Patrice E. Cooper, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan. “We have partnered with the state for more than 20 years to build a strong and sustainable value-based Medicaid program that meets the health care needs for Rhode Island’s most vulnerable populations.”

“Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island is the state’s longest-standing Medicaid partner for good reason: we have consistently taken excellent care of our state’s families and made sure they have access to high-quality, affordable health care at a price taxpayers can afford,” said Peter Marino, Neighborhood’s President and CEO. “We are proud the state has once again recognized the value Neighborhood’s managed care plans offer our members and Rhode IslandMedicaid as a whole.”

The State anticipates holding an Open Enrollment period this summer to allow Medicaid members the option to stay in their current health plan or switch health plans. Currently, Neighborhood’s membership represents approximately 66 percent of the total Medicaid managed care population in Rhode Island and UnitedHealthcare represents 33 percent of the total. The new Tufts Health Plan will be called RITogetherand will begin enrolling new Medicaid members as early as June 2017.

CONTACT:

Ashley G. O’Shea – EOHHS

O: 401-462-6394

C: 401-318-1228

ashley.g.oshea@ohhs.ri.gov