Tallahassee, Florida – The Agency for Health Care Administration continues to roll out the Managed Medical Assistance (MMA) program, the second installment of Florida’s new system of Statewide Medicaid Managed Care (SMMC).
This week, the Agency will begin mailing welcome packets to recipients in Medicaid Regions 10 and 11, which include Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe Counties. These packets outline the enrollment timeline and describe the MMA plans available in these regions. Individuals living in Regions 10 and 11 will have until June 19 to make their MMA plan selection.
Eligible recipients in Regions 5, 6 and 8*, which incorporate most of Florida’s Southwest coast, will also be receiving letters reminding them of their enrollment deadline. Recipients in these regions will have until May 22, 2014 to make their plan choice in advance of their go-live date on June 1, 2014.
Recipients are encouraged to make their plan selection online at www.FLMedicaidManagedCare.com, over the phone by calling 1-877-711-3662, or in person with a representative of the Agency’s choice counseling vendor, Automated Health Systems (AHS). AHS also offers remote or in-person choice counseling sessions, where they provide unbiased assistance in helping recipients understand their options and the benefit packages offered by each plan. Choice counseling is free for recipients.
In preparation for the rollout of the MMA program, the Agency has put several program requirements in place that will facilitate seamless continuity of care during the transition period. Of particular importance is the need to ensure that all recipients continue to receive their medication(s) in a timely manner.
“It is extremely important that recipients continue to receive their medications without any interruption of service during the rollout process,” said Agency Secretary Liz Dudek. “We are currently focused on informing both recipients and providers of the upcoming changes to make sure prescriptions are being honored during the transition period.”
To support this effort, the Agency has been providing the following guidance to recipients and community stakeholders:
- During the 30 days before the MMA program starts in your area, ask your pharmacy for a list of all of the prescriptions you have had filled in the last four months.
- If you need to change pharmacies, take your prescription bottles and the list of your prescriptions from the last four months to your new pharmacy.
- Even if your plan changes, you can continue to receive your currently prescribed medications for up to 60 days after you are enrolled in your new MMA plan. This gives you time to see your doctor if you need to update your prescriptions or to have your new plan approve your medications if required.
For more information about Statewide Medicaid Managed Care and the Managed Medical Assistance program, please visit http://ahca.myflorida.com/SMMC.
*Regions 5, 6 and 8 include Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota counties.