UnitedHealthcare, a UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) company, introduced a new Medicare Advantage plan in the Treasure Coast as well as a new cost-savings opportunity with select Medicare Advantage plans in Central Florida to encourage members to access care from primary care providers affiliated with WellMed.
The more than 150,000 Medicare beneficiaries in Indian River, Martin and St. Lucie counties can enroll in the new AARP MedicareComplete Focus (HMO) Medicare Advantage plan during the Open Enrollment Period (Oct. 15-Dec. 7).* The plan will feature a medical home model of care management, with WellMed coordinating the care for plan members.
In a consumer breakthrough tied to new ways of organizing health care, UnitedHealthcare will offer members enrolled in three of its AARP MedicareComplete (HMO) plans in the Tampa, Orlando and Treasure Coast areas the opportunity to save money on their doctor visit co-pays when they choose primary care providers affiliated with WellMed.
Referred to as “tier 1 care providers” to help members easily identify them, these providers participate in accountable care programs and meet other performance criteria. They have committed to being compensated based on their ability to close gaps in care and improve health outcomes for UnitedHealthcare members while lowering the overall cost of care.
WellMed is a group of employed and contracted primary care physicians, specialists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered nurses and other medical staff who work as a team dedicated to high-quality, efficient and effective health care. Specializing in the complete coordination of care for seniors, WellMed has been serving seniors’ health care needs for 25 years and currently provides care for more than 200,000 patients, primarily in Texas and Florida.** WellMed is part of Optum, a UnitedHealth Group company.
“Medicare beneficiaries in the Treasure Coast will find quality coverage at an exceptional value in our new Medicare Advantage plan, and that value will also extend to many of our AARP MedicareComplete members in Central Florida who choose WellMed as their primary care provider,” said Pete Clarkson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement in North/Central Florida. “WellMed has embraced the concept of population health management and has been fully committed to improving health outcomes as well as the health care experience for our Medicare Advantage members.”
New Medicare Advantage plan offers affordability and a medical home model of care
The new AARP MedicareComplete Focus plan is designed to make it as simple and convenient as possible for beneficiaries to access the care they need while offering benefits, services and support that can help them live a happier, healthier life – and that they won’t find with Original Medicare.
The plan has a $0 monthly premium beyond the Part B premium and includes coverage of prescription drugs, a SilverSneakers fitness membership and UnitedHealthcare’s Passport program, which gives consumers access to their benefits when they travel outside of the plan’s service area.
The plan also covers hearing aids, routine vision, dental and hearing care as well as an annual physical – above and beyond the annual wellness visit available through Original Medicare – to encourage people to build relationships with their primary care physician and get recommended screenings and preventive care services.
The plan’s network is based on a medical home model, meaning WellMed will help ensure members receive the right care at the right time in the most appropriate setting. The goal of care coordination is to improve both health outcomes and members’ health care experience.
AARP MedicareComplete Focus members will have access to a robust network, including approximately 30 primary care physicians, more than 350 specialists and seven hospitals in the Treasure Coast.** Consumers can visit their primary care physician for a $0 copay and can take advantage of the plan’s transportation benefit if they need assistance getting to their doctors’ appointments.
WellMed to be featured as tier 1 care provider for three AARP MedicareComplete plans
Nearly 34,000 beneficiaries enrolled in select AARP MedicareComplete (HMO) Medicare Advantage plans in the Tampa, Orlando and Treasure Coast areas will pay a $0 co-pay for a standard office visit when they choose one of approximately 380 tier 1 primary care providers affiliated with WellMed. The plans are available in the following counties: Brevard, Charlotte, Hernando, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole and St. Lucie.
In addition to this new opportunity to save money, individuals enrolled in these plans will continue to have access to a broad network of doctors. They’ll have a choice of more than 3,300 primary care doctors and 21,000 specialists. Consumers who prefer to access care from a tier 2 primary care provider will pay a $10 co-pay.
“We’re committed to changing the face of health care delivery for seniors by providing quality, results-driven care with a focus on prevention and wellness,” said Jeff Maloney, president of WellMed Florida. “Collaboration with insurers is central to our approach, so we’re pleased to expand and strengthen our relationship with UnitedHealthcare. We look forward to serving even more UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage members in 2016.”
UnitedHealthcare and WellMed intend to deepen their collaboration in the years ahead to enable more UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage members to experience the benefits of a closely integrated health care delivery network: better health outcomes, an improved consumer experience and lower costs.
Serving nearly one in five beneficiaries, UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage, Medicare supplement and Part D prescription drug plans nationally.* UnitedHealthcare serves 3.2 million people in Florida, including nearly 1.1 million Medicare beneficiaries.*
To learn more about the AARP MedicareComplete Focus plan as well as UnitedHealthcare’s full portfolio of Medicare plans, visit www.UHCMedicarePlan.com.
About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers, military service members, retirees and their families, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 850,000 physicians and care professionals, and 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company. For more information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com or follow @myUHC on Twitter.
About WellMed
WellMed is a health care delivery system serving 130,000+ members in Texas and Florida through primary care clinics, multi-specialty clinics and contracted medical management services.** Most patients are Medicare-eligible seniors.
WellMed is an industry leader in medical risk management, highly effective disease management and chronic care programs, health care delivery services, and more. With a growing roster of providers and specialists in primary care, cardiology, podiatry, dermatology, rheumatology, palliative care and hospital medicine, WellMed specializes in the complete coordination of care for patients. The vision of the physician-led company is to change the face of health care delivery for seniors.
*CMS Data, 2015
**WellMed Internal Data, 2015
All other statistics in this document can be attributed to UnitedHealthcare internal data, 2015.
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