INDIANAPOLIS, May 19, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- MDwise, an Indiana-based, provider-sponsored, not-for-profit managed care organization, announced its intent to bid on the State's Hoosier Healthwise Medicaid program as a statewide bidder, expanding far beyond its current service areas in central and northwest Indiana.
According to Charlotte A. MacBeth, president of MDwise, MDwise would utilize an arrangement with AmeriHealth Mercy, a nationally known Medicaid managed care organization, to enhance its business model to include providers beyond those who are affiliated with hospital systems for the first time. "We now have a collaborator who will allow us to expand our provider-focused approach statewide," said MacBeth.
Daniel J. Hilferty, president and CEO of AmeriHealth Mercy, said that the alliance with MDwise is a perfect fit. "MDwise and AmeriHealth Mercy have a shared mission of serving the poor and disadvantaged and have designed programs that work for providers, Medicaid beneficiaries and state governments," Hilferty said. "These successful programs have an emphasis on provider involvement, quality improvement and an understanding of the populations they serve."
MDwise intends to emphasize several unique initiatives in its statewide approach, and will expand its current philosophy of using provider input in the programs and activities of the organization. An example of these programs is the "Reach Out For Quality" initiative that rewards providers for successful clinical outcomes like increased childhood immunization rates or improved prenatal care. In addition, MDwise intends to roll out two additional educational and outreach programs (developed by AmeriHealth Mercy in other markets) that will complement provider efforts to improve health outcomes: "Healthy Hoops," an asthma management program that uses basketball as a platform to teach participants how to manage asthma; and "Health Ministry Program for Women," a preventive health education program for women of all ages that links the educational and pastoral capacity of church groups with other community-based medical and social services. All of these programs have documented health outcomes and have been embraced by the providers and beneficiaries within their communities.
MDwise is a not-for-profit corporation, created by hospitals, which began its operation in 1994. Today, MDwise provides Hoosier Healthwise services to approximately 122,000 members in partnership with 440 primary medical providers and approximately 2,800 specialists through its delivery systems. The MDwise corporate members are the Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County (Wishard Memorial Hospital) and Clarian Health Partners (Methodist Hospital, Indiana University Hospital and Riley Hospital for Children). MDwise uses a delivery system model of managed care to provide a coordinated, comprehensive approach to improving clinical outcomes and managing the cost and utilization of health care services. Current delivery systems include Methodist (Clarian), Wishard, St. Francis, ProHealth, St. Vincent, St. Catherine, and Saint Margaret Mercy. For more information about MDwise visit www.mdwise.org
With more than 20 years of experience exclusively serving the Medicaid population, AmeriHealth Mercy and its affiliates comprise one of the largest families of Medicaid service entities in the United States, touching the lives of nearly 2 million members in 16 states. For more information on AmeriHealth Mercy visit www.amerihealthmercy.com