The Hartford, First Health Group Corp. Offer a Certified Workers' Compensation Health Care Network in Texas
Posted on: Wednesday, 4 October 2006, 15:00 CDT
HARTFORD, Conn., Oct. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Embracing recent Texas reform legislation aimed at controlling spiraling workers' compensation costs, The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. announced it has gained certification to offer its workers' compensation clients in the Houston area access to The Hartford Workers' Compensation Health Care Network/FH, a new program which uses First Health Group Corp.'s newly certified group of service providers. Texas last year passed House Bill 7, its comprehensive reform legislation, to help address the rising costs associated with workers' compensation claims and to improve the percentage of workers returning to a job after an employment-related injury.
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Among its provisions, this legislation created the Workers' Compensation Health Care Networks Act that provides standards for certification, administration, evaluation and enforcement in delivering health care services to injured workers. The Texas Department of Insurance recently began certifying these provider networks and also specific insurer plans that use the networks.
State certification enables companies insured by The Hartford to opt-in to the plan and, in most cases, direct their injured workers to the network's extensive group of credentialed medical care providers. Network access will be offered to Houston-area companies beginning in November. The Hartford also plans to apply to extend the network to the Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio areas. If the plan is approved in these areas, more than 80 percent of The Hartford's Texas clients will have access to this highly-regarded health care network.
"We commend Texas for its efforts to lead workers' compensation reform," said Maria MacDonald, assistant vice president of Workers' Compensation Field Operations at The Hartford. "By certifying healthcare networks like ours, which can use workers' compensation dollars more effectively, the state is helping to control high medical costs and return its residents to work more quickly and safely. We're happy to be part of this solution."
Those using the network will benefit from the expertise of two skilled and well-regarded organizations. The Hartford, one of the nation's largest providers of workers' compensation insurance, will leverage its claim management expertise to help workers recover and resume their private and work lives as quickly and safely as possible. First Health Group Corp. will offer a leading network of credentialed medical care and service providers who specialize in the sensitive treatment of injured employees. The network includes an extensive group of credentialed primary and specialty physicians, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, skilled nursing facilities and rehabilitation centers, all located in the greater Houston area.
About First Health Group Corp.
First Health Group Corp. offers a comprehensive suite of health benefits services to a wide variety of clients in the corporate group health, third party administrator, insurance carrier, federal employee benefits, workers' compensation and public sector markets. In August First Health Group Corp. became a certified Health Care Network (HCN) in 30 counties in the Houston market.
About The Hartford
The Hartford, a Fortune 100 company, is one of the nation's largest financial services and insurance companies, with 2005 revenues of $27.1 billion. The Hartford is a leading provider of investment products, life insurance and group benefits; automobile and homeowners products; and business property and casualty insurance. International operations are located in Japan, Brazil and the United Kingdom. The Hartford's Internet address is http://www.thehartford.com/.
HIG-PC
Some of the statements in this release may be considered forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We caution investors that these forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may differ materially. Investors should consider the important risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ. These important risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, those discussed in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, our 2005 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We assume no obligation to update this release, which speaks as of the date issued.
Contact(s): Sue Honeyman Debora Raymond 860-547-4976 860-547-9613 shoneyman@thehartford.com debora.raymond@thehartford.com
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The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.
CONTACT: Sue Honeyman, +1-860-547-4976, shoneyman@thehartford.com, orDebora Raymond, +1-860-547-9613, debora.raymond@thehartford.com, both of TheHartford
Web site: http://www.thehartford.com/
Source: PRNewswire-FirstCall
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