New Medicare Advantage plan for seniors aimed at cutting costs
A new Medicare Advantage plan, offered in partnership with WVU Medicine and The Health Plan, will allow seniors to access the WVU Medicine network of hospitals, clinics, and healthcare providers, but at lower monthly premiums and lower out-of-pocket expenses.
The WVU Medicine/The Health Plan SecureCare (HMO) is a Medicare Advantage Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). It covers all aspects of healthcare, including preventive care, doctor visits, hospital stays, and surgery – and offers the option of also covering prescription drugs. In most cases, members must access care from a network of providers. Out-of-network coverage is limited to emergency services, urgently needed services, out-of-area renal dialysis, and prior authorizations.
Medicare managed care plans have been designed to focus on choosing a doctor familiar with the patient, a hospital that is close to home, access to doctors who specialize in care of seniors, and service that is responsive and personal.
Click here for more detailed information about the plan, including links to documents that offer more information about coverage.
An Oct. 8 article in The Intelligencer Wheeling News-Register outlined details of the new plan and the planned merger between WVU Medicine and The Health Plan. Medicare Advantage is "the first big step in the partnership between The Health Plan and WVU Medicine since the two companies announced their merger to create an integrated healthcare network deal on May 7," the article said.
The video below, produced by WVU Medicine, also highlights the new plan and features WVU football coach Neal Brown: