A New Era of Healthcare For Young Texans with Disabilities
Good news for Texans under the age of 21 with disabilities—and for their parents! Beginning November 1, 2016, UnitedHealthcare will offer healthcare services tailored to the needs of young, low-income Texans who are living with disabilities.
“UnitedHealthcare is committed to ensuring our health plan participants have access to not only the necessary health care services they need, but also an approach that puts the patient at the center of the care,” says Don Langer, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Texas.
Selected to participate in the new STAR Kids program, UnitedHealthcare will provide benefits such as primary and specialty care, hospital care, preventive care, prescription drugs, durable medical equipment, private duty nursing and personal attendant services to help with cooking and cleaning.
In addition, UnitedHealthcare will help STAR Kids and their families with coordination of care and long-term support. UnitedHealthcare will provide a health home and develop an individual care plan for each STAR Kid member, based on a thoughtful assessment of his or her individual situation and needs.
One of 10 healthcare organizations selected to participate in STAR Kids, UnitedHealthcare will offer the program in nearly 100 counties across five regional service areas: Harris, Hidalgo, Jefferson, Central and Northeast Texas. These regions include Houston and surrounding counties; the Rio Grande Valley; the Beaumont-Port Arthur area; the Waco-Temple-Belton area and all of Northeast Texas.
STAR Kids was created by the Texas Legislature to provide more customization, better short-term and long-term coordination, improved access and better outcomes for children and youth who receive Medicaid benefits. The program is also designed to reduce administrative complexity and costs.
“This is an important piece of ensuring Medicaid beneficiaries receive the care they need and deserve, in order to live healthier lives,” Langer says.
Dedicated to helping people live healthier lives, UnitedHealthcare serves more than 4 million Texans residents enrolled in employer-sponsored, individual, Medicare and Medicaid health plans with a network of more than 500 hospitals and nearly 66,000 physicians and other care providers statewide.
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