BRIEF: Sentara insurance arm expands into Alabama

June 11--NORFOLK -- Sentara Healthcare announced Wednesday that its insurance subsidiary intends to expand into Alabama through a partnership with another health system.

The new organization formed by Optima Health and Huntsville Hospital Health System could employ as many as 400 people in Virginia and Alabama, according to a news release from Sentara.

The nonprofit is expected to provide health care services to more than 120,000 Medicaid enrollees in 10 counties in northern Alabama.

Optima Health has provided Medicaid managed care services in Virginia for nearly two decades. Overall, more than 444,000 people are covered by Optima health plans.

The affiliation is pending final approval from Alabama state officials. Executives said they anticipate the new organization to be up and running by October 2015.

Amy Jeter, 757-446-2730, [email protected]

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