MANAGED CARE PLAN EXPANDS TO INCLUDE MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES IN MARTIN, ST. LUCIE COUNTIES IN FLORIDA
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved a request by Vista Health Plan of South Florida to expand managed care coverage to Medicare beneficiaries in Martin and St. Lucie counties in southern Florida .
Vista Health Plan of South Florida, based in Hollywood , Fla. , will begin serving beneficiaries on Feb.1 in Martin and St. Lucie counties, including the cities of Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie. Medicare beneficiaries can sign up for the plan during the current open enrollment for Medicare Advantage, formerly known as Medicare+Choice. About 83,000 beneficiaries live in the two counties.
"We are pleased Vista Health Plan of South Florida decided to expand this health plan to include more Medicare beneficiaries in Florida ,” HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said. "Under the Medicare reform law signed by President Bush, Medicare will provide all seniors - no matter where they live - with better health insurance options, including prescription drug coverage and preventive care. The law is achieving the President's goals of strengthening and modernizing Medicare.”
The company, which does business as Platinum Medicare Plan, began serving Medicare beneficiaries in 1997 in Dade and Broward counties in southern Florida . The plan gives another health care choice to beneficiaries in the two counties. The only other Medicare Advantage plan currently operating in these counties is America ’s Health Choice Medical Plan.
“We want to make sure all Medicare beneficiaries, whether in a Medicare Advantage plan or fee-for-service, are receiving the highest quality health care," said CMS Administrator Mark McClellan, M.D., Ph.D. "We are doing more to guarantee that beneficiaries understand the Medicare coverage options available to them. We also are reminding beneficiaries of the need to work closely with the doctors and other health care providers that give them medical care."
Since Dec. 8, 2003, when President Bush signed the Medicare Modernization Act into law, CMS has approved 41 new contracts with Medicare health plans and 56 service area expansions. There are currently 20 applications pending for new contracts and 21 service area expansions pending.
Medicare Advantage HMOs and fee-for-service plans are available where private companies choose to offer them. Currently, about 4.6 million Medicare beneficiaries -- out of a total of about 40 million aged and disabled Americans – have enrolled in Medicare HMOs. Original fee-for-service Medicare, currently chosen by more than 35 million beneficiaries, is available to all beneficiaries.
Medicare has a far-reaching consumer information program that includes a national toll-free phone number -- 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or TTY/TDD, at 877-486-2048 -- an Internet site -- www.medicare.gov -- and a coalition of more than 200 national and local organizations to provide seniors more information.