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Magellan Health Services Announces Integrated Health Home Pilot Programs

"There is a compelling need to provide integrated care for this population," said Rene Lerer, M.D., chairman and chief executive officer at Magellan. "It's a national tragedy that individuals with severe mental illness who are served by our public mental health system die 25 years earlier on average than the general population, largely due to treatable, manageable conditions.

"States are under enormous pressure to provide access to quality health care and to control costs, and the challenges will only increase as the population eligible for Medicaid grows after 2014. Our integrated health home programs help by holistically treating the person, not focusing on one specific condition at a time, with the goal of improving the quality of care through prevention, adherence to treatment plans and management of co-morbid conditions. A coordinated approach to care means fewer emergency room and urgent care visits, medical inpatient admissions, behavioral health admissions and long-term care admissions, leading to reduced costs for the state and improved outcomes for the individual."

The Maricopa Integrated Health Home Project is a collaboration between Magellan Health Services of Arizona, Maricopa Integrated Health System (MIHS), Choices Network, People of Color Network, Partners in Recovery Network and Southwest Network. The project's mission is based on shared governance and oversight to more closely integrate the overall delivery of care for individuals challenged with SMI to focus on their whole health and wellness-body and mind—to realize a longer, healthier and more fulfilling life in the community.

The Iowa Integrated Health Home Program is a collaboration between Magellan Behavioral Care of Iowa, the Iowa Medicaid Enterprise/Department of Human Services, behavioral health agencies and federally qualified health centers. Participating providers include Abbe Community Mental Health Center in conjunction with Linn Community Care in Cedar Rapids; Eyerly-Ball Community Mental Health Center in conjunction with Primary Health Care in Des Moines; Siouxland Community Mental Health Center in conjunction with Siouxland Community Health Center in Sioux City; and Heartland Family Services ACT in conjunction with Council Bluffs Community Health Center in Council Bluffs. The Iowa IHH program is tailored to the needs of state residents and is centered on collaboration with primary care providers, a health coordination mode including peer support, "whole person" treatment, and health information technology enhancements to bridge information between behavioral and physical health providers.

"Individuals with severe mental illness face multiple barriers to accessing conventional primary care," said Anthony Kotin, M.D., Magellan's chief medical officer. "That is why our pilots in Maricopa County and in Iowa will start by enrolling each individual into a person-centered integrated behavioral health home where coordination and integration with the physical health delivery system will be managed. They will receive a health and wellness assessment that will offer insight into their risk from several co-morbid medical conditions and apply a comprehensive array of medical management and behavioral health treatment services to engage and address their unique needs. These individuals will also have access to wellness programs, peer support/nurse lines, as well as pharmacy interventions and preventive services. We are committed to developing and implementing innovative solutions to help this population lead healthier lives."

For more information about the Maricopa Integrated Health Home Project, please visit www.MagellanofAZ.com. For more information about the Iowa Integrated Health Home Program, please visit www.MagellanofIowa.com.

About Magellan Health Services: Headquartered in Avon, Conn., Magellan Health Services, Inc. is a leading specialty health care management organization with expertise in managing behavioral health, radiology and specialty pharmaceuticals, as well as public sector pharmacy benefits programs. Magellan delivers innovative solutions to improve quality outcomes and optimize the cost of care for those we serve. Magellan's customers include health plans, employers and government agencies, serving approximately 31.3 million members in our behavioral health business, 18.9 million members in our radiology benefits management segment, and five million members in our medical pharmacy management product. In addition, the specialty pharmaceutical segment serves 41 health plans and several pharmaceutical manufacturers and state Medicaid programs. The company's Medicaid Administration segment serves 25 states and the District of Columbia. For more information, visit www.MagellanHealth.com.

Magellan Health Services, Inc.
Christopher Pearsall, 860-507-1923
CMPearsall@MagellanHealth.com