PacifiCare Launches Nationwide Fee-For-Service Medicare Advantage Plan to Provide Greater Choices and Lower Costs
Posted on: Thursday, 14 July 2005, 12:01 CDT
CYPRESS, Calif., July 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. received approval by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to introduce new Medicare Advantage private fee-for-service plans to Medicare beneficiaries in over 800 counties in 16 states.
The states included in the initial approval are Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington. CMS approval is pending in an additional 33 states and the District of Columbia, covering over 1,500 counties in total.
Called Secure Horizons Direct, the new private fee-for-service plan will be available beginning Sept. 1, 2005. Medicare beneficiaries will have one of five different plan designs available, depending on their county of residence, with three plans having a $0 monthly plan premium. In addition, all of the plans include low office visit co-payments, ranging from $5 to $12 for a primary care physician visit and $20 to $25 for a visit to a specialist. Private fee-for-service plan enrollees can receive covered services from any Medicare-eligible provider in any county, any state regardless of where the services are rendered.
"Recent consumer surveys have shown us that seniors want more choice," said Kathy Feeny, executive vice president, Secure Horizons Senior Solutions. "The new Secure Horizons Direct plan enhances our current product portfolio, which includes Medicare supplement and Medicare Advantage plans, and allows us to bring comprehensive medical coverage and preventive health programs at an affordable price to Medicare beneficiaries, particularly to those in rural areas of the country."
The new Secure Horizons Direct plan will also complement the nationwide standalone prescription drug plans that PacifiCare filed with CMS last month.
"As a company that has served the senior community for 20 years, we feel PacifiCare has the expertise and experience to provide the kind of health care coverage that seniors have been asking for," Feeny added. "We believe the private sector is well-suited to offer Medicare beneficiaries more options and flexibility and at a lower cost. In the wake of the most sweeping legislative reforms in Medicare's 40-year history, we have the opportunity to better deliver on our brand promise to seniors nationwide that 'Caring is good. Doing something is better.'"
In 1985, PacifiCare's Secure Horizons Plan became one of the first Medicare health plans to be awarded a Medicare Advantage contract by the federal government. Twenty years later, Secure Horizons remains one of the nation's largest Medicare Advantage Plans, offering competitive health care coverage and additional benefits to approximately 720,000 members.
Medicare beneficiaries interested in learning more about the new Secure Horizons Direct plan can call 800-592-9777 or visit http://www.securehorizons.com/.
PacifiCare Health Systems is one of the nation's largest consumer health organizations with nearly 3.2 million health plan members and approximately 11.3 million specialty plan members nationwide. PacifiCare offers individuals, employers and Medicare beneficiaries a variety of consumer-driven health care and life insurance products. Today, Secure Horizons offers competitive health care coverage and additional benefits to more than 740,000 members nationwide through its Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans and caregiver services. Specialty operations include behavioral health, dental and vision, and complete pharmacy benefit management through its wholly owned subsidiary, Prescription Solutions. More information on PacifiCare Health Systems is available at http://www.pacificare.com/.
PacifiCare Health Systems Inc.
CONTACT: Tyler Mason, Media Relations, +1-714-226-3530,tyler.mason@phs.com, or Dan Yarbrough, Investor Relations, +1-714-226-3540,dan.yarbrough@phs.com, both of PacifiCare
Web site: http://www.securehorizons.com/
Web site: http://www.pacificare.com/
Source: PRNewswire-FirstCall
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