By KPR
Frankfort, KY – Statewide Medicaid managed care is coming to Kentucky, but maybe not as fast as some lawmakers thought. Governor Steve Beshear says the state can save millions of dollars by letting private health care organizations manage services for the state's 820 thousand Medicaid recipients. Acting Medicaid Commissioner Neville Wise says proposals from interested organizations are under evaluation. "Once the details of the negotiation are complete and we have signed contracts, obviously, there's a whole lot of what we can describe at that point of how everything's going to work." Some lawmakers were under the impression statewide Medicaid managed care would begin July 1st, the start of the state's new fiscal year, but Wise could not make that guarantee. He says July 1st is the target date for contract signatures, with the state aiming to begin managed care "as soon as we can."