Turquoise Health & Wellness Plans To Close New Mexico Operations

In early January 2015, Turquoise Health and Wellness (Turquoise) informed the New Mexico public behavioral health and Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) that it planned to close by March 31, 2015, citing financial stress due to Medicaid MCO payment delays and funding reductions to its non-Medicaid contracts.  Turquoise made the announcement after less than two years in operation providing community-based mental health services in four eastern New Mexico counties.

Turquoise was formed in July 2013 by Lifewell Behavioral Wellness (Lifewell), an Arizona-based non-profit behavioral health provider organization. Lifewell was one of five Arizona-based behavioral health . . .