Independence Care System to Cease Operations
The Department of Health (DOH) has announced that Independence Care System (ICS) will cease operations as a Managed Long Term Care (MLTC) plan as of March 31st. Its members will be auto-enrolled in VNSNY CHOICE MLTC if they do not select a different plan within 60 days of receiving notice of the transition. It is anticipated that notices will be disseminated to members in the last two weeks of January.
The transition plan for ICS includes reimbursement of a portion of the funds owed to providers that have served ICS members. Providers can expect to be paid a substantial portion of their receivables but are not likely to receive the entire amount. The amount to be paid and the process for recovering those funds will be communicated to providers in the next several weeks. Payments will begin after April 1st.
ICS has a unique history and mission of serving people with physical disabilities. Its transition plan recognizes its expertise and the unique needs of its members. ICS members that enroll in VNSNY CHOICE will be guaranteed one year of continuity of care – they will be entitled to the same level of care with the same providers for one year, rather than 120 days. Members that opt for a different plan will receive only the standard 120 days of care continuity. Maximus will make available a helpline with specially trained agents to answer members’ questions.
VNSNY CHOICE has agreed to engage ICS as a care management administrative services provider and to use ICS’s specialized care management modules for people with physical disabilities. VNSNY CHOICE will also retain the specialized wheelchair repair vendor that ICS has provided for its members. In addition, DOH has designated ICS as a Health Home dedicated to serving people with physical disabilities. As such, ICS will be able to provide health home care coordination services to Medicaid beneficiaries in the fee-for-service program, mainstream managed care plans, and MLTC plans.
We will provide updates to members as information becomes available. Please do not hesitate to contact Darius Kirstein or Karen Lipson with any questions or concerns.