CONTACT: Dorinda White (DHCF) (202) 727-9226; [email protected]

(WASHINGTON, DC) – The Department of Health Care Finance today announced that the Office of Contracting and Procurement (OCP) has submitted a package to Council with a notice of intent to award the District’s third managed care contract to Medstar Family Choice. Upon approval, the contract will take effect October 1, 2012 and end on April 30, 2013. This would be the first time that the District of Columbia will have three managed care providers since 2010.

“This is an important milestone for the Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF). With the selection of a third managed care provider (MCO), we immediately increase competition in the program and gain a level of security by having one more plan under contract than required by federal law,” said DHCF Director Wayne Turnage. “Moreover, we are not finished.  As we approach the beginning of the new contract year, which will begin in May 2013, we will seriously examine the feasibility of establishing a program that will provide beneficiaries with four plans. Regardless the number of plans however, our objective is to ensure that each MCO in the District’s program will have a demonstrated commitment to innovation as a means to drive increased access and quality care through cost effective management of health services for our beneficiaries in both the Medicaid and Alliance programs.”

This selection ends nearly a 12-month effort by DHCF to secure a third managed care plan for the District’s Medicaid and Alliance programs in response to a directive issued by the Gray Administration in early 2011.