|
www.humana.com
Move aimed at controlling health care costs
MILWAUKEE, WI - Jul 6, 2006 - The Business Health Care Group of Southeast Wisconsin (BHCGSW) and Humana (NYSE: HUM) announced today that the City of Milwaukee will join the BHCGSW and will transition HMO health benefits for its workforce to Humana beginning January 1, 2007.
During open enrollment, city employees and family members will be able to choose either a Humana HMO health plan with Humana's Premier HMO network or a Humana HMO health plan with Humana Preferred - a health insurance plan offering available only to companies belonging to the BHCGSW. More than 12,000 City of Milwaukee employees, retirees and family members are currently enrolled in HMO plans.
Humana Preferred includes access to Humana's narrower, high performance network of health care providers, comprised of approximately 4,000 of the area's most efficient physicians, as well as 26 hospitals. Humana Preferred is designed to control health care cost trend by including participating physicians who have demonstrated patient-centered care and have shown the ability to guide members through treatment using resources efficiently. Humana Preferred also promotes consumer engagement by giving consumers access to price and performance information about health care providers.
"The City is committed to working with its employees and retirees to control health care costs, which have risen more rapidly in southeastern Wisconsin than in many other, comparably-sized metropolitan areas," said Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. "With its high performance network and consumer information, Humana brings a wealth of capabilities that can help slow the growth of health care costs and - in the case of our retirees - even reduce their cost in 2007."
Humana will also provide City employees with a variety of wellness, clinical and care management programs, including Humana's innovative Personal Nurse service, as well as online resources to help consumers make educated and confident health care buying decisions.
"Humana shares the City's belief in wellness as an essential component of any health benefits program," said Alderman Michael Murphy, chair of the city's Finance and Personnel Committee. "I am encouraged that the City will work with Humana to provide City employees with health risk assessments and important follow-up services like disease management programs."
As a member of the BHCGSW, the City of Milwaukee joins many of the largest and most prominent employers in southeastern Wisconsin which have agreed to collectively purchase health coverage as part of a long-term strategy to contain health care cost growth in the region. At present, more than 200 companies belong to the BHCGSW, with approximately 95 percent of those member companies currently offering health plans tied to Humana Preferred.
"No company by itself can move the market for health care in the Milwaukee area," said Dianne Kiehl, executive director of the Business Health Care Group of Southeast Wisconsin. "But walking in unison, the business community can make a significant impact by holding the health care system's many stakeholders accountable. The addition of the City of Milwaukee represents an important endorsement of the BHCGSW's strategy for improving the local health care landscape."
"We at Humana are pleased to have been selected to provide health benefits for one of the area's largest municipalities," said Larry Rambo, chief executive officer of Humana's Wisconsin and Michigan markets. "It's gratifying to know the City of Milwaukee recognizes the cost-saving potential of Humana's integrated consumer-centered approach, where provider networks, consumer information and clinical programs each complement one another to help our health plan members."
The decision marks the City of Milwaukee's return to Humana. The company provided HMO health benefits for the City of Milwaukee for seven years prior to 2002.
About BHCGSW
The Business Health Care Group of Southeast Wisconsin (BHCGSW) was launched in January 2003 to drive southeastern Wisconsin health care costs to the Midwest average, using a strategy that includes consumer education, providing cost and quality information on health care providers, structuring accountability of all stakeholders and collective purchasing. In early 2005, the BHCGSW chose Humana as its administrative partner to assist in executing its strategy. Today, the BHCGSW represents more than 200 member companies, including large and small employers representing more than 150,000 health care consumers in southeastern Wisconsin. More information is available at www.bhcgsw.org.
About Humana
Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the nation's largest publicly traded health benefits companies, with approximately 7 million medical members located primarily in 15 states and Puerto Rico. Humana offers a diversified portfolio of health insurance products and related services - through traditional and consumer-choice plans - to employer groups, government-sponsored plans, and individuals.
Over its 44-year history, Humana has consistently seized opportunities to meet changing customer needs. Today, the company is a leader in consumer engagement, providing guidance that leads to lower costs and a better health plan experience throughout its diversified customer portfolio.
More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company's web site at www.humana.com, including copies of:
Annual report to stockholders;
- Securities and Exchange Commission filings;
- Most recent investor conference presentation;
- Quarterly earnings press releases;
- Audio archive of most recent earnings release conference call;
- Calendar of events (includes upcoming earnings conference call dates, times, and access number, as well as planned interaction with institutional investors);
- Corporate Governance Information.
To get your free Humana Individual, Family or Small Business Health Insurance Quotes enter your zip code at the top of the page.Back to top
|
(877)567-5267
