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Virginia Premier, Optima Health plans to combine into one Medicaid option

Virginia Premier and Optima Health support nearly 750,000 Medicaid members in the Commonwealth.

Owned by Sentara Health, the two plans will combine into a single plan. Effective July 1, 2023, the two plans will move Medicaid membership to Optima Health.

“Bringing the Virginia Premier Medicaid membership over to Optima Health will enable us to continue to provide a superior customer experience for our Medicaid membership — while also creating efficiencies that support lower costs for the state and reduced administrative burden on health care providers.” Colin Drozdowski, president of Sentara Health Plans and executive vice president of Sentara Health, said. “This will allow Sentara to invest even more resources back into our communities and design a more seamless care and service experience.”

Virginia Premier Medicaid members enrolled as of June 30, 2023 will keep their same health coverage and benefits, but will become members of Optima Health. The Virginia Premier D-SNP will continue to operate under the Virginia Premier name and no changes in benefits and services will be necessary. Following the combination of the plans, Virginia Premier will not be a Medicaid plan option during open enrollment, but enrollees will be able to choose Optima Health for their Medicaid plan.

Sentara Health Plans is guiding members through the Medicaid Eligibility redetermination effort following the end of the national Public Health Emergency created by the COVID-19 pandemic by either renewing their benefits or finding new healthcare coverage.

Sentara Health announced a new name for its facilities and for its health plans, Sentara Health Plans. As an Integrated Delivery Network (IDN) the change deepens the alignment between Sentara’s healthcare services and health plans. Sentara Health Plans will begin introducing the brand to the market this fall. Health plan members in Virginia will receive Sentara Health Plans ID cards around January 1, 2024.

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca J. Barnabi is the national editor of Augusta Free Press. A graduate of the University of Mary Washington, she began her journalism career at The Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star. In 2013, she was awarded first place for feature writing in the Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia Awards Program, and was honored by the Virginia School Boards Association’s 2019 Media Honor Roll Program for her coverage of Waynesboro Schools. Her background in newspapers includes writing about features, local government, education and the arts.