Reminder: Deadline Approaching for Families Affected by Managed Care Transition

Families transitioning to Medicaid managed care must select a health plan by or shortly after Jan. 10.

HealthChoice Illinois is the new Medicaid managed care program that is now required statewide.

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) will move children with special healthcare needs into a HealthChoice Illinois health plan on Feb. 1, 2020.

These families must choose a HealthChoice Illinois health plan and primary care provider (PCP) by or shortly after Jan. 10. (Please note the specific deadline for your family is included in the enrollment packet you received from HealthChoice Illinois last month).

The University of Illinois at Chicago’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) urges families affected by this transition to research which plan is right for them.

If a family does not choose a plan before the deadline, HFS will automatically assign them a plan and PCP.

Enrollment in a HealthChoice Illinois plan is mandatory for most DSCC families who both:

• Receive Medicaid and
• Do not have private health insurance

Note that if your child is a Home Care Program participant, your child will not transition to a HealthChoice Illinois plan. This transition only affects DSCC’s Core Program participants who meet the criteria above.

There are at least four HealthChoice Illinois health plans to choose from.

We developed a list of questions to help our participant families select the best plan for their family’s needs. The “MCO Selection Tip Sheet for Families” is available at https://dscc.uic.edu/browse-resources/available-brochures-pamphlets/. (Note the tip sheet is also available in Spanish.)

We strongly encourage families to use these tip sheet questions and reach out to a HealthChoice Illinois enrollment broker.

More information about Illinois’ managed care program is available at https://enrollhfs.illinois.gov/choose/compare-plans.

DSCC staff is working with HFS and its partners to continue our care coordination services for affected families beyond the Feb.1 transition.

We remain committed to supporting our families and making this transition to a new health plan as seamless as possible.

Families may contact their local DSCC regional office with questions. They may also reach us at (800) 322-3722 or dscc@uic.edu.