Fallon Community Health Plan cuts premiums for its 2009 Medicare Advantage plans

#1 Medicare Advantage plan in America also expands Fallon Senior Plan into Hampden County

Worcester, Mass., October 1, 2008—For the first time in four years, Fallon Community Health Plan announced today that existing Fallon Senior Plan™ members will see their premiums remain the same or decrease in 2009. Members of Fallon Senior Plan Preferred Enhanced Rx will see their premiums decrease by close to 50 percent, from $212 to $120 per month. FCHP will continue to offer 12 Medicare Advantage health plan choices next year, including those with $0 monthly premiums.

Medicare beneficiaries who choose Fallon Senior Plan will continue to receive more benefits than traditional Medicare, including Weight Watchers^®, the SilverSneakers^® Fitness Program, health and wellness education, dental care and chiropractic services, and discounts on acupuncture and massage.

Beginning in 2009, Fallon Senior Plan HMO will introduce a new U.S. Travel Benefit, which provides the opportunity for members to receive care from a provider who accepts Medicare while traveling. The benefit does not require referrals or authorizations for certain routine services, such as diagnostic tests, X-rays, lab services and doctor visits, and members are responsible for any applicable copayments.

Members can utilize the benefit when they are traveling within the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii, however, the benefit cannot be utilized in New England, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia.

Of the 10 health plans offered below, seven will provide Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. Basic Rx provides members with standard Medicare prescription drug coverage, while Enhanced Rx provides the same coverage as Basic Rx, but without an upfront deductible.

Fallon Senior Plan in 2009

Fallon Senior Plan will continue to offer health plans with $0 premiums for Fallon Senior Plan Saver No Rx plans, and for those individuals who are dual-eligible, which means the individual is enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid (MassHealth), or a Medicare Savings Program. In addition, Fallon Senior Plan also will continue to be a valued option for employers who want to offer health insurance coverage to their retirees.

In response to a growing senior market, Fallon Senior Plan will now include additional providers in the Western Massachusetts area of Hampden County, which encompasses Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke, Palmer, and many other towns and cities. In previous years, Fallon Senior Plan provided coverage for portions of Hampden County, but now certain plans are available for the entire county. Fallon Senior Plan will continue to be available in Worcester County, and portions of Franklin, Hampshire, Middlesex and Norfolk counties.

In 2007, Fallon Senior Plan was named the number one Medicare Advantage plan in the nation in a joint ranking by U.S.News & World Report and the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), which demonstrates FCHP’s continued effort to ensure members receive the highest level of care and service.

Since becoming one of the first health plans in the nation to offer a Medicare HMO plan in 1980, Fallon Community Health Plan has been a leader in providing comprehensive coverage for those with Medicare.

“At FCHP, we have a rich history of providing health coverage to meet the needs of everyone in our community and are pleased to offer our Fallon Senior Plan members lower premiums than in years past,” said Eric H. Schultz, President and CEO, FCHP. “We have many different plan designs to choose from and I encourage everyone to learn more about the number one Medicare Advantage plan in America.”

Medicare beneficiaries who would like more information about Fallon Senior Plan are invited to call 1-800-868-5200 or e-mail seniorplan@fchp.org.

Lauren M. Petit
lauren.petit@fchp.org

About FCHP
Founded in 1977, Fallon Community Health Plan provides health care services designed to meet the unique and changing needs of all we serve. FCHP is the only health plan in Massachusetts that is both an insurer and provider of care. Our product portfolio includes a variety of group and individual health plan options (HMO, POS, PPO, Medicaid and Medicare Advantage plans) featuring flexible and innovative benefit designs. We administer fully-insured and self-insured funding arrangements with customized services for employers. Our uniquely developed provider networks offer high-quality, cost-effective, coordinated care and give our members access to doctors and hospitals throughout Massachusetts. We also offer a broad spectrum of services and programs to ensure our members, at every stage of life, remain as healthy and productive as possible. FCHP is a provider of care through its Summit ElderCare® program, an advanced and completely integrated program that offers seniors and their caregivers an alternative to nursing home placement. Our continued commitment to deliver high-quality health care and exceptional customer service has earned FCHP consistent ratings as one of the nation’s top health plans, and in 2007, placed our Medicare and Medicaid health plans as the best in the nation. FCHP is the only health plan in Massachusetts to have been awarded “Excellent” Accreditation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance for our HMO, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid products.

NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality.

“America’s Best Health Plans” is a trademark of U.S.News & World Report.

Weight Watchers^® is a registered trademark of Weight Watchers International Inc.

SilverSneakers^® is a registered trademark of HealthCare Dimensions, Inc.