Association for Community Affiliated Plans

Association for Community Affiliated Plans
Abbreviation ACAP
Formation 2000 (2000)
Type Trade association
Purpose To represent and strengthen not-for-profit, safety net health plans as they work with providers and caregivers in their communities to improve the health and well being of vulnerable populations in a cost-effective manner
Headquarters Washington, D.C.
Region served
United States
CEO
 Margaret Murray (2001)
Website www.communityplans.net

The Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP) is a national trade association representing 57 Medicaid-focused health plans in 26 states. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., ACAP advocates on behalf of its community-affiliated member health plans operating throughout the United States. ACAP's advocacy work focuses on representing publicly sponsored programs and health care providers who serve vulnerable populations. ACAP also promotes universal access to quality and cost-efficient care.

ACAP members are nonprofit plans that serve public insurance programs and the safety net. Collectively, ACAP plans serve more than 17 million enrollees, which is over 50 percent of individuals enrolled in Medicaid-focused health plans.[1]

History

In the 1980s, as Medicaid managed care expanded across the county, safety net providers, such as Community Health Centers (CHCs) and public hospitals, feared that managed care would reduce reimbursements for Medicaid-eligible services, making it more difficult for them to provide care to the un- and under-insured, and result in a loss of Medicaid volume, as beneficiaries would choose to see other providers once given a choice.

In response to these concerns, community health centers in at least 16 states banded together to establish their own managed care organizations. Often CHCs were the only sponsors, but in other cases, they joined with hospitals or other safety net providers to sponsor a health plan. These organizations were established to support both the financial viability of the CHCs and other sponsors, as well as to support the mission of care for the underserved.

In 2000, seventeen CHC-affiliated plans came together with the help of the US Health Resources and Services Administration to form the Association for Health Center Affiliated Health Plans (AHCAHP). In May 2001, the Board hired Meg Murray as its executive director. Later that year, the AHCAHP Board met in Portland, Oregon to develop a strategic plan to guide the work of the association over the next two years. AHCAHP’s vision, as developed during that meeting, was to improve the health of medically underserved populations through the development, survival, promotion and growth of CHC-affiliated health plans.

In October 2003, the Board agreed to expand full membership to like-minded, community-affiliated health plans that served a majority of members from public insurance programs and shared the same outlook as the existing AHCAHP plans. The name change to the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP) reflected the new mission and membership.

In 2007, ACAP worked with its member plans to expand their mission to include work on Medicare Special Needs Plans (SNPs.)

ACAP members

  • Arizona: University of Arizona Health Plans
  • California: Alameda Alliance for Health, CalOptima, CenCal Health, Central California Alliance for Health, Community Health Group, Contra Costa Health Plan, Gold Coast Health Plan, Health Plan of San Joaquin, Health Plan of San Mateo, Inland Empire Health Plan, Kern Family Health Care, L.A. Care Health Plan, Partnership HealthPlan of California, Santa Clara Family Health Plan, San Francisco Health Plan
  • Colorado: Colorado Access, Denver Health
  • Connecticut: Community Health Network of Connecticut
  • DC: Health Care Services for Children with Special Needs
  • Florida: Prestige Health Choice, Community Care Plan
  • Hawaii: AlohaCare
  • Illinois: Family Health Network
  • Indiana: CareSource, MDwise
  • Kentucky: CareSource, Passport Health Plan
  • Maryland: Priority Partners, Maryland Community Health System
  • Massachusetts: Boston Medical Center HealthNet Plan, Commonwealth Care Alliance, Neighborhood Health Plan
  • Minnesota: Hennepin Health
  • New Hampshire: Well Sense Health Plan
  • New Jersey: Horizon NJ Health
  • New York: Affinity Health Plan, Amida Care, Elderplan & Homefirst, GuildNet, VillageCareMAX, VNSNY CHOICE Health Plans, YourCare Health Plan
  • Ohio: CareSource
  • Oregon: CareOregon
  • Pennsylvania: AmeriHealth Caritas Pennsylvania, UPMC for You
  • Rhode Island: Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island
  • Texas: Children's Medical Center Health Plan, Community Health Choice, Cook Children's Health Plan, Driscoll Children's Health Plan, El Paso First Health Plans, Sendero Health Plan, Texas Children's Health Plan
  • Virginia: Virginia Premier Health Plan
  • Washington: Community Health Plan of Washington
  • Wisconsin: Children's Community Health Plan

Notes

  1. ↑ "ACAP Represents 58 Safety Net Health Plans in 24 States". communityplans.net. Retrieved June 11, 2014.

References

  • "About the Association for Community Affiliated Plans". Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  • "Medicaid-Focused Health Plans Continue Steady Enrollment Growth". Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  • "ACAP Plans". Retrieved June 13, 2012.
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