Itasca County in Minnesota has terminated its contract with Lakeview Behavioral Health — one of the largest behavioral health providers in the area, The Minnesota Reformer reported Sept. 26.
Itasca County is the only county in the state that operates its own public health insurance program as part of an effort to improve healthcare access in rural areas. The program, which is called ImCare, announced its plans to discontinue coverage of Lakeview Behavioral Health Aug. 31.
Lakeview is a Grand Rapids, Minn.-based for-profit provider offering individual and group therapy, addiction treatment and sober living houses and serves as the sole provider of medication-assisted treatment for addiction in the county.
"We are working hard to ensure that there are no gaps in care for enrollees," ImCare CEO Sarah Anderson said to the Minnesota Reformer. "There are many other mental health care providers in the county, and we are working to get enrollees all the information they need to select new providers."
ImCare coverage of Lakeview's services will officially end Dec. 29, the report said.