MEDIA CONTACT
Barb Tyler, (531) 530-7484,
barb.tyler@nebraska.gov
Lincoln, Neb. – The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has announced its plan to interview each of the five bidders who responded to the state's request for proposals (RFP) to provide Medicaid managed care services. These interviews are an optional part of the procurement process and add to each bidder's written proposals submitted to the state.
Medicaid will interview representatives from each of these five bidding companies the week of September 12. To allow bidders the opportunity to prepare for these interviews, DHHS will adjust its previously shared schedule for announcing the winning bidders. DHHS will now announce the winning bidders by Friday, September 23 to allow time to review and score the interviews. DHHS had previously announced plans to name the winning bidders in late August.
Five companies bid on new managed care contracts. Of these five, up to three will be awarded contracts. The five bidders are:
- Community Care Plan of Nebraska, Inc. d/b/a Healthy Blue
- Medica Community Health Plan
- Molina Healthcare of Nebraska, Inc.
- Nebraska Total Care, Inc.
- UnitedHealth Care of the Midlands, Inc.
Each of these five companies provided quality bids to the state. These interviews will allow the Medicaid program to ask additional questions of each of the bidders, which will assist the program in determining which companies are best suited to provide important health care services to hundreds of thousands of Nebraskans eligible for Medicaid.
“Throughout the RFP process, our goal has been to do this right, even if it takes some time," Medicaid Director Kevin Bagley said. “I'd like to thank each of the five companies that responded for their great bids. We know stakeholders are eager to learn who will be chosen for the next managed care contracts, and we appreciate their patience as we meet with the bidders to ensure the right plans are trusted with the care for our Medicaid beneficiaries."
Each of the proposals from the five bidders includes information on how they will cover a variety of health care services for Medicaid beneficiaries, including physical health, behavioral health, and pharmacy services. These new contracts will also require the managed care plans to cover dental services and ease the administrative burden on health care providers by streamlining provider credentialing.