Iowa Total Care

What Iowa Total Care does

Iowa Total Care is a Medicaid Managed Care Organization (MCO) headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC). Founded in 2019, the company operates under contract with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services as one of three MCOs serving Iowa Medicaid beneficiaries through the Iowa Health Link program. It serves low-income families, children, pregnant women, disabled individuals, and adults meeting Iowa Medicaid eligibility requirements, with comprehensive benefits spanning medical, pharmacy, behavioral health, transportation, telehealth, and a 24/7 nurse advice line.

The company's core product is the Iowa Health Link Medicaid Plan, augmented by an ecosystem of value-added services including the My Health Pays rewards program (redeemable at Walmart, Sam's Club, and Hy-Vee), the Be Well. Eat Well. nutrition initiative, the Iowa Total Care Literacy Program, Doc's Kids Club for pediatric engagement, Caregiving Collaborations, Healthy Solutions for Life telephonic coaching, and the Findhelp social determinants platform. The underlying technology stack consists of HIPAA x12 EDI transaction processing delivered via Centene's corporate infrastructure, a secure provider web portal, automated eligibility verification (IVR and web), InterQual clinical decision support, and the Payspan Health EFT/ERA platform for provider payments. The sub-brand Ambetter Health extends the company's footprint into the federal Health Insurance Marketplace for 2026 across 58 Iowa counties.

Iowa Total Care generates revenue primarily through capitation payments from the Iowa Medicaid program on a subscription-recurring basis, with its financial results consolidated within Centene Corporation rather than separately disclosed. The company has NCQA accreditation, partners with the Iowa HHS on the HOME Project for behavioral health and aging services, and operates community initiatives such as a $10,000 literacy grant to Reach Out and Read Midwest in December 2025. Mitch Wasden serves as Chief Executive Officer.

Name

Iowa Total Care

Legal name

Iowa Total Care

Website

https://iowatotalcare.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Iowa Total Care is a Medicaid Managed Care Organization and subsidiary of Centene Corporation that, under contract with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, delivers the Iowa Health Link Medicaid plan and value-added services to low-income families, children, pregnant women, disabled individuals, and adults across Iowa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medicaid Managed Care

NAICS

Direct Life, Health, and Medical Insurance Carriers (52411)

SIC

Hospital & Medical Service Plans (6324)

akta.pro primary industry

Managed Care Entity Administration for Medicaid (MCO/PHP/PIHP/PAHP) (HLAEAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Medicaid Managed Care HMOs (HLAEAMAI), Medicaid Expansion (ACA Adult) Managed Care Plans (HLAEAEAB)

Keywords

• Medicaid managed care
• Health insurance plans
• Care coordination services
• Behavioral health services
• Value-based care

Headquarters

HQ city

West Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Medicaid Capitation Payments: Iowa Total Care operates as a Managed Care Organization (MCO) receiving capitation payments from the state of Iowa's Medicaid program. The company assumes responsibility for providing healthcare coverage to enrolled Medicaid members in exchange for fixed per-member-per-month payments.
2. Ambetter Health Marketplace Plans: Ambetter Health, a product of Centene Corporation company, offers health insurance plans in Iowa through the federal Health Insurance Marketplace for 2026.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Iowa Total Care is a Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) that provides health insurance coverage through Iowa's Health Link program. The company delivers comprehensive Medicaid benefits including medical, pharmacy, behavioral health, transportation, telehealth, and wellness programs to enrolled Iowa residents such as families, children, pregnant women, disabled individuals, and adults. As one of three MCOs under contract with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, it operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation.

Product overview

Iowa Total Care is a Medicaid Managed Care Organization (MCO) and subsidiary of Centene Corporation, providing Iowa Health Link — a comprehensive Medicaid health insurance plan. The core product is the Iowa Health Link Medicaid Plan, which is augmented by multiple value-added programs including the My Health Pays Rewards Program for incentivizing healthy behaviors, Telehealth services for remote care delivery, a 24/7 Nurse Advice Line, Transportation Services, and the Be Well. Eat Well. nutrition program. The company also offers specialized initiatives like the Iowa Total Care Literacy Program, Caregiving Collaborations for caregivers, Doc's Kids Club for children's health engagement, and the Healthy Solutions for Life coaching program. The Findhelp platform addresses social determinants of health, while the HOME Project collaboration focuses on behavioral health, disability, and aging services. Together, these products form an integrated Medicaid managed care ecosystem designed to improve health outcomes for Iowa's Medicaid population.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ambetter Health: Ambetter Health is a product offered by a Centene Corporation company in Iowa for 2026 through the federal Health Insurance Marketplace, providing coverage for essential health benefits, online enrollment, rewards for healthy activities, and telehealth services to residents in 58 counties.

Products and services

• Iowa Health Link (Iowa Total Care Medicaid Plan) A Medicaid managed care organization plan providing health insurance coverage for Iowa residents enrolled in Medicaid. The plan offers comprehensive healthcare benefits including medical coverage, pharmacy, behavioral health, and value-added services through a network of providers.
• My Health Pays Rewards Program A rewards program allowing members to earn rewards by completing healthy activities such as annual wellness visits, HbA1c tests, and health coaching sessions. Rewards can be used at Walmart, Sam's Club, and Hy-Vee stores for utilities, transportation, telecommunications, childcare, education, rent, and everyday items.
• Telehealth Services Remote healthcare services allowing members to receive care from anywhere via video or telephone consultations with healthcare providers, expanding access to medical services especially in rural areas of Iowa.
• Transportation Services Non-emergency medical transportation services providing rides to medical appointments, gas reimbursement, and other transportation assistance to ensure members can access healthcare services.
• 24/7 Nurse Advice Line A round-the-clock nurse hotline providing answers to health questions anytime, every day, helping members make informed healthcare decisions and assess when emergency room visits are necessary.
• Be Well. Eat Well. A wellness program offering free recipes, cooking classes, and nutrition education to help members maintain healthy eating habits and improve overall wellbeing.
• Findhelp Social Determinants Platform A social determinants of health platform connecting members to local aid programs and services for food, shelter, healthcare, work, financial assistance, and more to address non-medical factors affecting health.
• Caregiving Collaborations Program A special program providing caregivers with online tools, information, a Caregiver Journal guidebook, and dedicated Care Team staff support to assist those caring for children or family members.
• Doc's Kids Club A children's health engagement program designed to make healthcare fun and educational for young members, encouraging regular checkups and healthy habits.
• Healthy Solutions for Life (Diabetes Management) A telephonic health coaching program providing outreach, education, and support services for members with chronic conditions like diabetes, including care plan development and goal tracking with rewards up to $150 for completing management activities.
• Iowa Total Care Literacy Program An early literacy initiative that provides books and reading resources to young members, promoting language development and healthy reading habits during pediatric visits.
• HOME Project (Behavioral Health, Disability and Aging) A collaborative initiative with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services dedicated to improving and ensuring equal access to high-quality behavioral health, disability, and aging services within Iowa communities.
• Ambetter Health Marketplace Plans Health insurance plans offered by Centene Corporation's Ambetter Health brand in Iowa through the federal Health Insurance Marketplace, providing coverage for essential health benefits to individuals in 58 Iowa counties.

Quantifiable outcome

• Distribution of 30,000 children's books across Iowa through Reach Out and Read Midwest partnership
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Reach Out and Read MidwestcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 December 2025Iowa Total Care partnered with Reach Out and Read Midwest to distribute 30,000 children's books across Iowa, supported by a $10,000 grant. The initiative includes the purchase of 10,000 new books and 20,000 copies of specific titles to encourage language development and healthy habits. The program aims to make literacy and health education more accessible for Iowa families.
• Payspan HealthcoreTechnology or IntegrationIowa Total Care partners with Payspan Health to provide electronic funds transfers (EFTs) and electronic remittance advices (ERAs) for providers. This web-based solution is provided at no cost to providers and allows online enrollment.
• Iowa Department of Health and Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIowa Total Care is one of three managed care organizations (MCOs) operating under contract with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS) to provide Medicaid coverage through the Iowa Health Link program. The company actively works with Iowa HHS on the HOME Project for behavioral health, disability, and aging services.
• Centene CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIowa Total Care is a subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a Fortune 500 healthcare enterprise. The company operates under the Centene corporate umbrella alongside other Centene health plans including Ambetter Health.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Centene Corporation: Parent company of Iowa Total Care. Centene is the largest U.S. Medicaid managed care operator and provides shared services, technology, and capital; comparable as the ultimate scale benchmark for Iowa Total Care's operating model.
• UnitedHealthcare Community & State: UnitedHealth Group's Medicaid MCO division. Operates Medicaid health plans across dozens of states, competes for state contracts, and represents a comparable incumbent in the broader Medicaid MCO category.
• Humana Healthy Horizons: Humana's Medicaid managed care arm operating in multiple states. Comparable in product structure (Medicaid capitation + value-added benefits) and increasingly relevant given Humana's expansion into Medicaid and D-SNP markets.
• Anthem / Elevance Health Medicaid: Operates state Medicaid health plans (including the Amerigroup brand). A comparable large incumbent with similar capitation-based revenue model and value-added service programs.
• Aetna (CVS Health) Medicaid: Aetna Better Health operates Medicaid managed care plans in several states. Comparable as a broad incumbent with capitation-based revenue, care management programs, and similar value-added service design.

Others

• WellCare Health Plans: WellCare is now part of Centene Corporation, making it a sister brand under the same parent. Comparable as a Medicaid-focused MCO brand within the Centene portfolio, relevant for understanding how Iowa Total Care's playbook fits the broader Centene Medicaid franchise.

Emerging players

• CareSource: Nonprofit Medicaid MCO operating across multiple states with focus on government-sponsored healthcare. Comparable as a Medicaid-only MCO with similar value-added and care management programs, though not currently active in Iowa.
• Highmark Wholecare: Highmark's Medicaid MCO arm (formerly Gateway Health). Comparable as a regional Medicaid managed care operator with similar Medicaid-focused product structure and care management emphasis.

Direct peers

• Molina Healthcare of Iowa: The third Medicaid MCO in the Iowa Health Link program. Molina Healthcare of Iowa offers the same Medicaid managed care plan to Iowa residents and competes directly for state contract performance and member enrollment.
• Amerigroup Iowa: Direct competitor in the Iowa Health Link Medicaid MCO program. Amerigroup Iowa is an Elevance Health subsidiary offering the same Medicaid managed care product to Iowa residents and competes head-to-head for members and provider contracts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IowaTotalCare
• Facebookfacebook.com/IowaTotalCare

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Iowa Total Care