Reports circulated in late 2018 that Owensboro Health would no longer accept WellCare of Kentucky, one of five managed care organizations (MCO) available to Kentucky Medicaid members, as of April 1, 2019.
Hospital officials told Owensboro Times at that time that they were back at the negotiation table with WellCare, hoping to reach an agreement before that termination date.
According to OHRH Director of Marketing Brian Hamby, the hospital is still accepting WellCare, despite the fact that there is still no agreement.
“Both parties are working toward a long-term solution,” Hamby said. “We have extended the original termination date from April to June 1 and are hopeful that negotiations will be successful.”
Currently 38 percent of patients in OHRH’s 12-county service area are WellCare members, Hamby told Owensboro Times in November 2018. While there are five MCOs available to Kentuckians, OHRH is only in network with four of them — Aetna Better Health of Kentucky, Humana CareSource, Passport Health Plan and WellCare of Kentucky, if a negotiation can be reached. OHRH does not accept Anthem Medicaid.
“We are doing everything we can to build a good relationship with WellCare,” Hamby said in 2018. “We will let the community know when more develops.”
WellCare of Kentucky could not be reached for comment.
