Anthem Lands Medicaid Contract for Northern Ohio Region

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is expected to enroll up to 75,000 Medicaid beneficiaries through a new agreement with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. The company, an operating unit of WellPoint, Inc., said the three year contract will cover individuals in and around the Toledo, Cleveland and Youngstown areas. Anthem will become one of six managed care plans to provide such services in these regions, where there are about 460,000 Medicaid-eligible adults and children. Services will include hospital care, physician and specialist visits, prescription drug coverage as well as vision, dental and behavioral health benefits. The contract with the state will run from July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2009 and is part of the overall plan to expand Medicaid managed care as part of the state legislature's effort to slow increasing costs in the program.