• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Health Net's 'Partners for Quality and Cost-Effective Care' Program Focuses on Prevention to Improve Quality and Lower Costs; Health Net Executive Describes ''Win-Win'' Program in Address at Yale Health Care Conference

Posted on: Friday, 24 March 2006, 12:00 CST

In a speech before a Yale health care conference today, William C. Lamoreaux, chief operating officer, Health Net of the Northeast outlined the company's new program that promotes better health through preventive medicine. The company believes it is the first such program in the state.

Called "Partners for Quality and Cost-Effective Care" (P4Q), it rewards Connecticut physicians for preventive care in such areas as diabetes treatment, breast cancer screenings, and childhood immunizations. The company noted that such programs in other states demonstrate that improved preventive care leads to better health care status for patients and lower costs.

P4Q, developed by Health Net last July in partnership with the Connecticut State Medical Society-Individual Practice Association (CSMS-IPA), provides incentives beyond regular fee-for-service reimbursement for meeting certain preventive care benchmarks established by organizations such as the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA).

"We are very proud of our Partners for Quality program," said Lamoreaux. "Health Net and the CSMS-IPA share the belief that providing physicians the right incentives for preventive care encourages earlier treatment of chronic and acute conditions and this ultimately leads to improved health for all patients."

In the speech to managed care executives in New Haven today, sponsored by the Yale School of Management, Lamoreaux explained that P4Q is a shared risk/reward program that promotes improvements in long-term quality and leads to more cost-effective care for patients.

"By properly managing conditions and diseases as early as possible, outcomes are improved and costs are lowered across the board over time," he added. "This is the ultimate 'win-win' in health care. He cited a New England Journal of Medicine study published this month that indicated patients receive proper care only 55 percent of the time, regardless of income, race or insurance status.

About Health Net

Health Net of the Northeast, Inc., headquartered in Shelton, Conn., employs approximately 1,800 associates in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. Health Net of the Northeast, through its subsidiaries, offers full-service health plans that serve nearly one million members in the tri-state area. The Northeast health plans offer a wide array of products including: Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Point-of-Service (POS), Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), third-party administration, Medicare and Medicaid. With a physician network comprising more than 90,000 physician and provider office locations, Health Net is one of the largest health plans in the northeast, offering a full array of open-access products and coordination for multi-region employers.

Health Net of the Northeast is a subsidiary of Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT). Health Net, Inc. is among the nation's largest publicly traded managed health care companies. Its mission is to help people be healthy, secure and comfortable. The company's HMO, POS, insured PPO and government contracts subsidiaries provide health benefits to approximately 6.3 million individuals in 27 states and the District of Columbia through group, individual, Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE programs. Health Net's behavioral health services subsidiary, MHN, provides behavioral health, substance abuse and employee assistance programs (EAP) to approximately 7.3 million individuals in various states, including the company's own health plan members. The company's subsidiaries also offer managed health care products related to prescription drugs, and offer managed health care product coordination for multi-region employers and administrative services for medical groups and self-funded benefits programs.

For more information on Health Net, Inc., please visit the company's Web site at: www.healthnet.com.

Cautionary Statements

Certain matters discussed in this release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical information provided herein, may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management's analysis, judgment, belief and expectation only as of the date hereof, and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Without limiting the foregoing, the words "believes,""anticipates,""plans,""expects,""may,""should,""could,""estimate,""intend" and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially due to, among other things, rising health care costs, negative prior period claims reserve developments, trends in medical care ratios, issues relating to provider contracts, operational issues, health care reform and general business conditions. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the risks discussed in the "Risk Factors" section included within the company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC and the risks discussed in the company's other periodic filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date of this release.

Source: Business Wire

More News in this Category