Purchase of Care Choices Receives State Approval

(GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - April 5, 2007)   The purchase of Trinity Health's Care Choices HMO, Care Choices PPO and Preferred Choices PPO health plans by Priority Health, a Grand Rapids-based health plan, has been approved by the Office of Financial and Insurance Services.  As a result, Priority Health will begin serving more than 122,000 members and 1,500 employer groups in Eastern Michigan, and is adding 83 hospitals and 7,300 physicians to its network.

"By expanding our offices to Eastern Michigan, we now offer employers and providers more choice and value," noted Kimberly K. Horn, president and CEO of Priority Health.  "We are welcoming 137 Care Choices employees to our team and plan to hire additional staff to serve in our new Eastern Michigan office.  Together we will continue to deliver high quality customer service."

Priority Health and Care Choices have a history of delivering high-quality health care services to members and providers, as reflected in their selection by U.S. News  World Report and the National Committee for Quality Assurance as the top-rated health plans in Michigan. 

As part of its transition plan, Priority Health will honor all commitments made by Care Choices to members, employers and physicians.  There will be no immediate changes or interruptions.  Members may continue to see their physician, use their Care Choices ID card and call customer service.

Priority Health is a nationally recognized health plan company based in Michigan. It now serves more than 585,000 members with a broad portfolio of products including commercial and government health plans. Priority Health is a non-profit company governed by a volunteer board of directors. Dedicated to providing all people access to affordable health care, Priority Health ranks number two in Michigan and thirteenth in the nation by U.S. News and World Report magazine and the National Committee for Quality Assurance.