Behavioral Health Changes Coming to Delaware County
150,000 Consumers Transitioning from Magellan to Community Care Behavioral Health (CCBH)
The Behavioral Health Managed Care Organization (BH-MCO) for Delaware County is changing from Magellan to Community Care Behavioral Health (CCBH) on July 1, 2022. At a May 25th meeting with state and county officials, consumers, and PHLP, Angelique Hiers, Delaware County’s Interim Human Services Director, presented several updates about this change.
Nearly all the 150,000 Delaware County residents, including 63,000 children, who are enrolled in Medical Assistance (Medicaid) will move from Magellan to CCBH. About 7,000 were actively involved in a course of treatment in the first quarter of this calendar year. Currently, 637 children receive intensive behavioral health services (IBHS) in Delaware County; 27 children live in Residential Treatment Facilities (RTFs); and 25 children are authorized for partial hospitalization programs. 610 adults currently receive methadone maintenance treatment, and 64 adults receive suboxone treatment.
State and county officials stated that these services will not be reduced or denied because of insurance change. Magellan and CCBH staff have been working with Delaware County to plan for this transition. All authorizations will be transferred. Magellan will transfer the data to the county and the county will transfer the data to CCBH. CCBH will be honoring all previously authorized services made by Magellan, regardless of length.
All 150,000 county residents who are transitioning (whether they are being treated) will receive a letter from CCBH. Member information sessions will be held in person and virtually throughout June and July. Delaware County has posted a link on their website.
After July 1, 2022, residents should expect to receive a new member handbook from CCBH, and consumers can contact CCBH at 1-833-577-2682, en Española 1-866-229-3187 or through the PA Relay at 711 for deaf or hard of hearing members.
This change of insurers is occurring because Delaware County officials decided to procure all county services, including county behavior health services. In Pennsylvania, each county has the right to decide which single insurer to use to deliver behavioral health services to Medicaid recipients. In Delaware County behavior health services (BH-MCO) had never been put through a procurement process since the beginning of Magellan’s implementation in 1997. Magellan was invited to bid and did. County officials described the selection process as long and fair. A committee read redacted proposals, and at the end of the process CCBH was chosen.
Crozer Health Agrees to Keep Behavioral Health Services Open
On May 25th Delaware County officials announced that they reached an agreement that will keep Crozer Health behavioral services open through at least August 31, 2022.
Crozer Health has been severely reducing or eliminating medical services throughout Delaware County since the beginning of the year. In May, Crozer Health announced it would shut down most of its mental and behavioral health services in mid-June, including school-based services, intake, assessment and referral, case management, psychiatric rehabilitation, and substance abuse and addiction treatment units. Crozer Health’s decision is unrelated to the change to CCBH described above.
The Delaware County Council filed a petition in the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas for a preliminary injunction against the Crozer Health’s proposed closings. On May 25th, county officials announced that they and Crozer Health agreed to a stipulation with the court for Crozer to voluntarily maintain its behavioral health services through at least August 31, pending continued discussions.
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If you are a Delaware County resident who has difficulty accessing behavior health services, please contact PHLP. Consumers or their family members and advocates can leave a message on PHLP’s HelpLine or email us at staff@phlp.org. Our website and future newsletter articles will keep readers informed about both the transition from Magellan to CCBH and the challenges facing consumers who rely on Crozer Health.
