Executive Summary
Background
The Iowa Department of Human Services developed the IA Health Link program by contracting with
three Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) to begin service on April 1, 2016 as part of the Medicaid
Modernization initiative. Most existing Medicaid members were enrolled on April 1, 2016 and most new
members will also be enrolled in IA Health Link. Some Medicaid members will continue to be served
through Medicaid Fee-For-Service. The objectives of this initiative are to improve quality and access to
care, promote accountability for patient outcomes, and create a more predictable and sustainable
budget.
This document offers an explanation of the methodologies used in the development of the capitation
rates for the program effective SFY19 (July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019). Iowa Medicaid Enterprise
(IME) had used another vendor to develop capitation rates prior to SFY19 and has contracted with
Optumas to develop actuarially sound capitation rates for the IA Health Link program effective SFY19.
Through a collaborative approach, IME, the participating MCOs, and Optumas worked to develop
additional cost-saving interventions that could be implemented throughout SFY19. These interventions
are expected to take effect on different dates throughout the SFY19 contract period. Optumas has
developed the rates for IME to be operationalized in three “tiers” throughout the year. These tiers take
into account the interventions that are expected to be in place during each respective time period and
are grouped as follows:
• Tier 1: July 1, 2018 – September 30, 2018
• Tier 2: October 1, 2018 – December 31, 2018
• Tier 3: January 1, 2019 – June 30, 2019
For purposes of this rate certification, the blended annual rates (25% Tier 1, 25% Tier 2, and 50% Tier 3)
and figures will be shown, unless otherwise described. If the interventions do not go into effect on the
dates currently expected an update to this rate certification may be required, and in this scenario will be
submitted to account for necessary changes to the rates.
AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa Inc. withdrew from IA Health Link effective November 30, 2017. The majority
of members previously enrolled with AmeriHealth were transitioned to UnitedHealthcare Plan of the
River Valley, Inc. with coverage beginning December 1, 2017; approximately 10,000 members were
temporarily enrolled in Fee-For-Service (FFS) but have since been enrolled in Amerigroup as of March 1,
2018. The rates in this document were developed with the expectation that members enrolled in the IA
Health Link program will be covered by the two MCOs currently operating in SFY19.
As consulting actuaries to IME, Optumas worked with the State to create a rate setting methodology
determined to be most appropriate for the SFY19 IA Health Link capitation rates. Optumas worked to
ensure the methodology used to develop these rates complies with the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS) guidance for the development of actuarially sound rates. This document is
structured consistent with the CMS “2018-2019 Medicaid Managed Care Rate Development Guide”. The
final rates were developed according to actuarially sound principles and reasonably reflect the
experience projected for the SFY19 IA Health Link program.