The head of Illinois’ Medicaid program said they will soon announce the participants in the state’s Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan program.
Medicaid Administrator Kelly Cunningham said Friday the program will enroll individuals who are entitled to both Medicare and medical assistance from Medicaid. It will replace the Medicare-Medicaid Alignment Initiative demonstration, which the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have said they will not extend past this year.
“I wanted to assure everybody that there would be a replacement for this program, and it should be announced very, very soon,” she told members of the Medicaid Advisory Committee.
Contracts will begin in 2026 and run through 2029.
Officials have previously declined to identify the plans that have submitted proposals, citing an active procurement process.
Health Management Associates reported last fall that the plans submitting proposals are Aetna Better Health Premier Plan, Centene/Meridian Health Plan, Molina Healthcare, Humana Health Plan, UnitedHealthcare and Health Care Service Corporation.