Important Changes to First Choice/Palmetto Health

Recently First Choice by Select Health of South Carolina announced they would no longer have Palmetto Health Baptist, Palmetto Health Richland and Palmetto Health-owned physician practices (Palmetto Health) in the First Choice network as of December 1, 2014. If you or your child is enrolled in the First Choice plan you should have received a letter from them about this change.

If you or your child has First Choice and uses a Palmetto Health Hospital or Palmetto Health doctor’s office, you will need to use a different hospital or doctor’s office or you may change to another Medicaid Managed Care Plan.
If you want to change to another doctor and have questions about how to do this, contact First Choice at 1.888.276.2020.

If you want to change to another Medicaid Managed Care Plan, you can review the other plans by visiting the Healthy Connections website and clicking “Compare Health Plans” or by calling Healthy Connections Choices at 1.877.552.4642.
Before changing plans, we suggest you contact all of your providers (doctors, therapists, specialists, equipment supplies, etc.) to see which Medicaid Managed Care plans they participate in. If your child is eligible for Medicaid through TEFRA or SSI (and under the age of 19), then you are not required to pick a Medicaid Managed Care Plan and can enroll in Fee For Service Medicaid, sometimes referred to as “regular” Medicaid.

Those eligible for Medicaid through TEFRA and SSI (and under the age of 19) can request to change to another plan or Fee For Service Medicaid at any time. Anyone else who wishes to change to a new plan needs to do so by February 19, 2015.