DALLAS, May 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Aetna Better
Health of Texas, a CVS Health
company (NYSE: CVS), today announced the Texas Health and Human
Services Commission (HHSC) awarded the company a STAR Kids Medicaid
managed care contract in the seven-county Dallas service area. With this new award,
Aetna Better Health will now serve the state's STAR Kids
beneficiaries across the entire Dallas–Ft. Worth Metroplex. Aetna
Better Health's entry into the Dallas service area complements its ongoing,
successful STAR Kids operations in the neighboring six-county
Tarrant (Ft. Worth) service area, where it has served
STAR Kids beneficiaries since 2016. More broadly, Aetna Better
Health of Texas has covered
Medicaid beneficiaries in the state since 2006, beginning with the
state's separate STAR and CHIP programs in the Bexar and Tarrant service areas, which comprise a total
of 14 counties across the state.
"Through our longstanding relationships with the State of Texas, our provider partners and
community-based organizations, Aetna Better Health has provided
Medicaid beneficiaries in Texas
with access to quality care for more than 14 years," said
Cheryl Harding, CEO, Aetna Better
Health of Texas. "By expanding our footprint into the
Dallas service area, we have an
opportunity to help an additional 7,500 children and young adults
in the STAR Kids program achieve better health outcomes."
STAR Kids is a Texas Medicaid managed care program that serves
children and young adults (ages 20 and younger) who have
disabilities. The program provides benefits such as prescription
drugs, hospital care, primary and specialty care, preventive care,
personal-care services, private-duty nursing, and durable medical
equipment and supplies. Children and young adults who receive
additional services through the Medically Dependent Children
Program (MDCP) waiver receive those MDCP services through the STAR
Kids program.
Aetna Better Health of Texas
currently serves 85,000 members across the state through the STAR,
CHIP, and STAR Kids Medicaid programs. The STAR Kids expansion into
the Dallas service area will bring
an additional 7,500 enrollees to Aetna Better Health of
Texas. The Dallas service-area STAR Kids contract is
expected to become operational Sept. 1,
2020 and runs through at least Aug.
31, 2022.
About Aetna Medicaid
Aetna Medicaid Administrators
LLC (Aetna Medicaid), a CVS Health business, has over 30 years of
experience managing the care of the most medically vulnerable,
using innovative approaches and a local presence in each market to
achieve both successful health care results and effective cost
outcomes. Aetna Medicaid has particular expertise serving high-need
Medicaid members, including those who are dually eligible for
Medicaid and Medicare. Currently, Aetna Medicaid owns and/or
administers Medicaid managed health care plans under the names of
Aetna Better Health and other affiliate names. Together, these
plans serve approximately 2.4 million people in 16 states,
including Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey,
New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania,
Virginia, West Virginia, and Texas. For more
information, see www.aetnabetterhealth.com.
Aetna Media Contact:
Leigh Woodward
818-395-0928
woodwardl1@aetna.com
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SOURCE CVS Health