A joint venture by Caritas Christi Health Care, the second-largest health care system in New England, and St. Louis-based provider Centene was the lowest bid among five insurers seeking to contract with the Commonwealth Care program, the Boston Globe reports. About 163,600 adults are enrolled in Commonwealth Care. The board also reviewed proposals from Boston Medical Center HealthNet Plan, Fallon Community Health Plan, Neighborhood Health Plan and Network Health -- all of which already participate in the state's subsidized health system. The Caritas-Centene bid includes several perks for beneficiaries, such as a prepaid debit card that can be used to purchase health care products. Incentives from the other bidders included reimbursements of up to $150 for acupuncture, massage therapy or for joining a fitness center.

If the Caritas-Centene bid is approved, most beneficiaries in the subsidized program would automatically be assigned to the plan unless they request to enroll in another plan, according to the Globe. In addition, officials say that once a new contractor is chosen, most beneficiaries will not experience monthly premium increases and some might have their payment slightly reduced. The board is scheduled to vote on the five bids on March 12 (Lazar, Boston Globe, 2/27).

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