Magellan Health Services Recommended for Louisiana Statewide Behavioral Health Management Contract

On September 1, 2011, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) announced it had recommended Merit Health Insurance Company, an affiliate of Magellan Health Services, to become the DHH statewide management organization (SMO) for behavioral health. If approved by the Louisiana Division of Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the contract (valued at $150 million annually) would begin March 1, 2012 and run through February 28, 2014, with an optional one-year extension period. DHH also received proposals from Value Options Louisiana; Cenpatico of Louisiana, Inc.; and Perform . . .