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News release: Colorado - Denver/BoulderMarch 21, 2002 For more information, call: Kaiser Permanente scales back its Medicaid participation Denver, CO – Kaiser Permanente's Medicaid program will scale back to care only for the elderly and disabled children and adults, effective June 1, 2002. As a result of an agreement between Kaiser Permanente and state Medicaid officials, 2,300 patients will be able to maintain their relationships with their Kaiser Permanente doctors and skilled providers.This agreement ensures that elderly and disabled patients who have ongoing relationships with Kaiser Permanente doctors and specialists will not have to change providers. About 7,800 other Medicaid clients will have to switch from Kaiser Permanente to another health plan by June 1, 2002. They are being notified by mail. Generally, Kaiser Permanente will care for Medicaid patients who also have Medicare coverage, or who are in the Aid to Needy Disabled and the Old Age Pension programs. Kaiser Permanente has no Medicaid patients outside of its six-county Denver metro service area. State Medicaid officials said they recognize that this segment of Medicaid patients is well cared for at Kaiser Permanente. Kaiser Permanente has chronic disease management programs, senior care coordinators, a computerized patient record system, and on-site pharmacy consultants. Also as part of the agreement with the state, Kaiser Permanente will remain in the Child Health Plan Plus program for low-income children. More than 2,600 children receive care from Kaiser Permanente through this state program. Kaiser Permanente's Medicare members are not affected by this change in the Medicaid program. Kaiser Permanente remains a full participant in Medicare, a federal program for the disabled and elderly. Kaiser Permanente is a nonprofit health care organization that cares for 380,000 members in the six-county Denver metro area. Care is provided by an integrated team of physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, mental health counselors, and physical therapists. Kaiser Permanente also cares for 35,000 members in the Colorado Springs area. However, it does not offer Medicare or Medicaid plans in Colorado Springs.
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