MIHS Teams with State, Count, Private Sector to Maintain Home Care Program for Elderly and Disabled

Successful Transition Completed on October 1st of Former Maricopa County Long Term Care Plan Enrollees to Evercare and Mercy Care Plan - October 3, 2005

On October 1, 2005, more than 6,000 enrollees of the recently dissolved Maricopa County Long Term Care Plan completed a successful transition to health plan providers Evercare and Mercy Care Plan. The smooth handling of the transition was a win for a frail, elderly and disabled population that often falls through the cracks. In this case, the government and private sector health care companies came together to do the right thing for some of the most vulnerable citizens of Maricopa County.

In June, Maricopa County announced that the Maricopa Long Term Care Plan (MLTCP) part of AHCCCS' Arizona Long Term Care System would be dissolved. The health plan was losing money and could not be sustained with the existing business model. But there was a problem. The lives of 6,000 disabled and elderly patients depended on the care they received through the long term insurance.

With the clock ticking, Maricopa Integrated Health System (MIHS), along with county and state officials, worked to find a solution for 1,000 clients receiving care at home through MIHS' Attendant Care Program. Another 5,000 clients who are in assisted living residences throughout the Valley also needed a new plan. Evercare and Mercy Care Plan were selected to pick up where the former plan left off on October 1st. The result was a triple win for everyone involved.

Evercare and Mercy Care Plan are companies dedicated to working with Medicare and Medicaid members to ensure that they receive the best possible care and both are equally equipped to handle the influx of enrollees. The State, MIHS, Evercare and Mercy Care Plan followed a rigorous analytical process to determine the most sensible choice of plan for enrollees. As a result, the more than 6,000 clients were split evenly between the two companies, and a seamless, well managed transition was orchestrated. All parties worked hard to ensure that, where possible, enrollees would be able to see the same providers of care and continue to receive the same health-related and home- and community-based services.

Our clients were so worried they would have to change doctors and caretakers, said Deborah Terdine, manager of the Attendant Care Program for MIHS. Evercare and Mercy Care worked side by side with us to ensure that didn't happen. These clients are vulnerable, and easing their minds about the future was key to maintaining their well being.

Charles Dow, Executive Director, Evercare of Arizona, said: Our goal was to make sure these frail elderly and disabled people, who need high-touch care, experienced no interruption in healthcare service. This has been a very smooth process thanks to extensive preparations and a true working partnership with MIHS, Mercy Care Plan and the State. Through Evercare Select and our Care Managers, our new enrollees will receive the same highly personalized, well-coordinated care along with extra services aimed at keeping them healthier and able to stay in the community that we have provided Arizonans since 1989.

Stan Aronovitch, Chief Executive Officer of Mercy Care Plan, said: This humanitarian effort came together because Mercy Care Plan, Evercare and MIHS never lost sight of the importance of providing uninterrupted care to these members of our community. Mercy Care Plan has a long-standing commitment of caring for the elderly and disabled, and we are proud to be part of the solution to this challenging situation.

About MIHS Attendant Care Program

The Attendant Care Program offers clients assistance with basic personal care needs such as planning and preparing meals, scheduling daily activities and providing reminders regarding medication, among many other valuable services. The Attendant Care Program is the only program of its kind in Maricopa County that is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Additionally, caretakers are certified in CPR and first aid. More information on the Attendant Care Program is available by calling 602.344.2700.

About MIHS

Maricopa Integrated Health System ( www.mihs.org ) is headquartered in Phoenix. The cornerstone of the system is Maricopa Medical Center (MMC), a major teaching hospital with a history dating back more than 100 years. Best known for its critical care services, the hospital offers Level 1 trauma and intensive care for adults, babies and children. Two in-patient psychiatric care centers with nearly 200 beds provide services in behavioral medicine. The nation's second largest burn treatment facility, the Arizona Burn Center, located on the main hospital campus, treats more than 800 patients per year. Eleven family health care centers are located throughout the Valley, providing primary and specialty care ranging from well baby to HIV-AIDS patient services.

About Evercare

Evercare ( www.evercareonline.com ) coordinates health care and well-being services for the frail elderly, chronically ill, and disabled in the home, the community and skilled nursing facilities. Started in 1987 as a CMS demonstration project, Evercare today serves more than 72,000 people nationwide through a variety of Medicaid, Medicare, and private-pay health plans. Evercare is part of Ovations, a division of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) dedicated to the healthcare needs of over-50 Americans. Evercare has operated in Arizona since 1989, and today serves more than 9,000 elderly, chronically ill and disabled individuals across the state in the community and nursing facilities

About Mercy Care Plan

Mercy Care Plan is one of Arizona's oldest and most-respected Medicaid plans, known for our commitment to family, service and community. Serving members enrolled in the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) since 1985, Mercy Care Plan values our diverse membership and makes every effort to meet our members' needs in a culturally appropriate manner. Mercy Care Plan is Arizona's fourth-largest health plan and second-largest AHCCCS acute care program with 265,000 enrollees. Mercy Care Plan is administered by Schaller Anderson of Arizona, an affiliate of Schaller Anderson, Incorporated, named in September as the fastest-growing private company in Arizona.

Last updated on October 7, 2008