PriorityMedicare

Medicare Recipients Have More Options with Priority Health

(Grand Rapids, Mich. – June 13, 2005) — Priority Health received approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to offer PriorityMedicare^SM to Medicare beneficiaries in Kent, Ottawa and Allegan counties.  Priority Health is the first company to offer a Medicare Advantage plan with limited prescription coverage in West Michigan.

PriorityMedicare, a Medicare Advantage HMO plan, provides access to Priority Health's Medicare network of physicians and hospitals through a co-pay arrangement, reducing out-of-pocket costs for individuals.  The plan also includes additional coverage for limited prescriptions, preventive services and wellness programs not otherwise available to Medicare recipients.  Medicare recipients may begin to enroll in PriorityMedicare on July 1, 2005.

"We are driven to provide people with access to affordable and excellent healthcare," said Kim Horn, president and CEO for Priority Health. "That is why it became critical for Priority Health to create a Medicare program that provides an affordable solution to access quality care."

There are an estimated 100,000 eligible Medicare beneficiaries in Kent, Ottawa and Allegan counties. Michigan is ranked 29th in the nation for the number of enrollees in the Medicare Advantage plans reports the Kaiser Family Foundation.  There are 19,000 people in Michigan currently enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans.  

"We are excited to offer this new plan," said Mark Zickel, vice president, sales and client service. "With PriorityMedicare it will be easier for Medicare recipients to get the care they need.  Our network has some of the area's top doctors, our customer service is top ten in the nation, and I think there is comfort in having coverage through a well-respected local company."
 
Company Information:
Priority Health has nearly 450,000 members and is locally owned by Spectrum Health of Grand Rapids, Holland Community Hospital of Holland, Munson Healthcare of Traverse City and Healthshare, Inc., of Petoskey. The health plan earned an "Excellent" accreditation for its commercial and Medicaid HMO products from the National Committee for Quality Assurance, an independent organization that reviews the quality of health plans nationwide.