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HealthPartners Introduces New Medicare Plan in Western Wisconsin

Posted on: Monday, 1 October 2007, 15:00 CDT

HealthPartners 2008 Medicare plans include a new plan that will be available in western Wisconsin and Greater Minnesota with a monthly premium of $5.60/month. HealthPartners Liberty plan is a Medicare Advantage Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plan. Unlike other Medicare plans, there is no provider network in PFFS plans and enrollees can receive care from any provider that agrees to accept the PFFS plan's terms and conditions.

Low cost generic drug coverage for doughnut hole

HealthPartners is also adding a new benefit option in 2008 that includes coverage for generic drugs in the so-called doughnut hole. The doughnut hole is the coverage gap in which enrollees must pay 100 percent of their prescriptions. Medicare coverage drops to zero after an annual spending limit of $2,510 is reached. Coverage resumes after the beneficiary spends $4,050 for their prescriptions.

"With our new rates and benefits, costs will go down in 2008 for most members enrolled in HealthPartners Medicare plans," said Donna Zimmerman, HealthPartners vice president, government and community relations. HealthPartners has 37,000 members in its Medicare plans statewide and about 26,000 of these members have a HealthPartners drug benefit.

Freedom premium increases $6/month or less

Premiums for HealthPartners individual Freedom medical plans, which are the most popular, will increase less than $72 a year.

                                           2008                2007                                     -----------------   ----------------- HealthPartners Liberty  (available in Greater Minnesota,  western Wisconsin)                                     -----------------   ----------------- Premium (medical, prescription,  generic coverage in doughnut hole) $            5.60                  NA                                     -----------------   ----------------- HealthPartners Freedom Plans  I,II,III                                     -----------------   ----------------- Medical Plan Premiums               $ 55, $ 84, $ 122   $ 52, $ 80, $ 116                                     -----------------   ----------------- Freedom Part D Prescription Drug  Plans                                     -----------------   ----------------- Standard Part D   (no doughnut hole   coverage)                         $  5.60 or $ 8.20   $           23.70                                     -----------------   ----------------- Standard Plus Part D   (includes doughnut  hole   coverage for generic drugs)       $           52.90                  NA                                     -----------------   ----------------- Enhanced Part D   (includes doughnut hole coverage   for generic, brand,specialty   drugs)                            $          125.20   $              68                                     -----------------   ----------------- Classic Plan for Minnesota Senior  Health Options   (low income beneficiaries)                                     -----------------   ----------------- Premiums                            $               0   $               0                                     -----------------   ----------------- Part D                              $               0   $               0                                     -----------------   ----------------- 

For more information, go to http://www.healthpartners.com/portal/184.html or call 952-883-5601 or 1-800 247-7015 or TTY: 952-883-6060.

About HealthPartners

Founded in 1957, the HealthPartners (www.healthpartners.com) family of health care companies serves more than one million medical and dental health plan members nationwide and is the largest consumer-governed, nonprofit health care organization in the nation, providing care, coverage, research and education to improve the health of members, patients and the community. HealthPartners is rated one of the best plans in the nation by U.S. News and World Report in association with The National Committee for Quality Assurance. The HealthPartners family of health plans includes HealthPartners, Inc, Group Health Plan, Inc., HealthPartners Insurance Company, and HealthPartners Administrators, Inc.

 Contact: Patricia Lund 952-883-5308 Pager 612-527-1921 patricia.a.lund@healthpartners.com

SOURCE: HealthPartners

Source: MARKET WIRE

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