VCU news

By Gina Waldron
Virginia Premier Health Plan, Inc.

Virginia Premier Health Plan Inc., the state’s second-largest Medicaid health plan, has announced a new Medicaid plan to be introduced this summer: Virginia Premier Elite Plus — a Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) plan providing community-based care to those in need. Virginia Premier’s MLTSS plan will be offered statewide.

The new Medicaid program stems from Virginia Premier’s participation in the Commonwealth Coordinated Care (CCC) Plus Program established by the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS). Under the CCC Plus program, DMAS will arrange for health insurers to cover certain individuals who have disabilities and/or are 65 years of age, getting them the care they need in the communities where they live.

“Elite Plus is another opportunity for us to bring reliable, personable care to the people of Virginia,” said Linda Hines, CEO of Virginia Premier. “There is an ongoing need for health care to be accessible and affordable, especially to the commonwealth’s most vulnerable citizens. Virginia Premier has a rich history of providing accessible and quality care to its members. The MLTSS program is another chance for us to do just that while partnering with Medicaid, providers, members and the community; therefore, we're excited about the opportunity to continue our partnerships."

As an MLTSS plan, Elite Plus will give individuals the standard managed Medicaid benefits — including a care manager assigned to each person enrolled — to help them get the most out of their benefits.

Elite Plus will differ from other Medicaid plans in its focus on personal and respite care, assisted living and residential services — even meal delivery — designed to support the individual’s health within the community where they feel at home.

By keeping people in their community, Virginia Premier’s MLTSS plan will treat healthy living as a social outcome, not merely as an individual one.               

Starting Aug. 1, the CCC Plus program is being phased in across all six regions of Virginia, starting with Tidewater and then moving on to Central, Western/Charlottesville, Alleghany/Roanoke, Southwest, and finally Northern/Winchester regions. Virginia Premier Elite Plus will be available in each region. In January 2018, it will replace Virginia Premier CompleteCare, another CCC program.

For more information on the program, please visit www.vapremier.com.