Published: Jun 01, 2004
CYPRESS,
Calif., June 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. is
reaching out to fixed-income Medicare beneficiaries in Texas with an expanded
benefit plan called Secure Horizons Secure Gold.
Available June
1, Secure Gold is the first health plan of its kind approved by the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), in conjunction with Section 231 of the
Medicare Modernization Act of 2003.
The new Secure
Gold plan features a $0 premium and is designed for fixed- income Medicare
beneficiaries who want a health plan that has more benefits and is more
affordable than original Medicare. For example, the plan design has no primary
care physician office-visit copayments, low specialist and hospital copayments,
generic and brand-name prescription drug coverage, and no-cost non-emergency
medical transportation among its core benefits. In addition, members can
receive routine dental and vision coverage, hearing aids and eyeglasses as well
as caregiver support via PacifiCare's A Solution for Caregivers.
"Recent
consumer surveys have shown that 93 percent of seniors want more choice,"
said Howard Phanstiel, chairman and chief executive officer of PacifiCare
Health Systems. "For those who qualify, the Secure Horizons Secure Gold
plan provides more affordable options with better benefits than original
Medicare."
Secure Gold is
available to qualified Medicare beneficiaries in Dallas, Tarrant, Bexar, Comal
and Guadalupe counties in California. Secure Gold utilizes PacifiCare's
Medicare+Choice (M+C) network, which includes more than 3,000 providers. To
qualify, Medicare beneficiaries must be enrolled in the state's Medicaid
program available through the Texas Department of Health, which helps
fixed-income seniors pay for some of the costs of participating in Medicare.
Recent CMS data
report that 15 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are already enrolled in these
state-sponsored Medicaid programs, but that as many as another 15 percent are
qualified but have never applied. Secure Gold has a dedicated team available at
888-810-6605 that can help individuals determine whether they are eligible for
these programs and apply for the state's MediCal program if they qualify.
"Secure
Horizons Medicare+Choice plans have provided seniors affordable health care
benefits for years; Secure Gold goes a step further to reduce financial
barriers to quality health care for those who qualify," said Kathy Feeny,
PacifiCare's executive vice president of Secure Horizons Senior Solutions.
"We believe that many of these seniors will appreciate Secure Gold because
it offers more comprehensive benefits than original Medicare and all of the
benefits of a Medicare+Choice plan -- and more -- with a lower out-of- pocket
cost."
Additionally,
Secure Gold members are automatically enrolled in PacifiCare's no-cost Drug
Discount Program that saves members between 10 percent and 30 percent off the
cost of their prescription drugs. Also, most Secure Gold members will be
eligible for Medicare's new transitional assistance benefit of up to $600 per
year to cover their drug copayments as well as any medications not covered by
the health plan.
Feeny added:
"Secure Gold's prescription drug coverage, combined with the $600 Medicare
transitional assistance benefit and the Medicare-endorsed drug discount card --
all at no charge -- enable seniors to more easily afford their prescription
drugs today. They don't have to wait until Medicare includes a pharmacy benefit
in 2006 to get relief from the increasing cost of prescription drugs. Secure
Horizons is proving that health care coverage can be more affordable for
seniors. It is a reflection of our theme that 'Caring is Good. Doing Something
is Better.'"
PacifiCare
Health Systems is one of the nation's largest consumer health organizations
with more than 3 million health plan members and approximately 9 million
specialty plan members nationwide. PacifiCare offers individuals, employers and
Medicare beneficiaries a variety of consumer-driven health care and life
insurance products. Currently, more than 99 percent of PacifiCare's commercial
health plan members are enrolled in plans that have received Excellent
Accreditation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).
PacifiCare's specialty operations include behavioral health, dental and vision,
and complete pharmacy and medical 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, PHS Media Relations, +1-714-226-3530,tyler.mason@phs.com or Suzanne
Shirley, PHS Investor Relations,+1-714-226-3470, suzanne.shirley@phs.com
Web site: http://www.pacificare.com/
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