Care Improvement Plus Unveils 2013 Medicare Advantage Plans

BALTIMORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Care Improvement Plus debuted its 2013 Medicare Advantage health plan offerings in preparation for the Oct. 15 start of the Medicare Open Enrollment Period. Care Improvement Plus’ health plan solutions for Medicare beneficiaries have expanded to new service areas for 2013, and now include plans customized for beneficiaries with chronic lung disorders.

“With a broader service area and new plan options, more beneficiaries than ever will have access to Care Improvement Plus plans designed to manage their individual needs, including specialized services provided at no additional cost to help ensure they get the right care at the right time.”

Now part of the UnitedHealthcare® Medicare solutions product portfolio, Care Improvement Plus provides Medicare Advantage plans including comprehensive and specialized support for beneficiaries living with chronic lung disorders, diabetes or heart failure, as well as people with both Medicare and full Medicaid coverage.

“Care Improvement Plus provides Medicare beneficiaries with low-cost options for comprehensive health care coverage including added benefits and personal support to help maintain their health,” said UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement CEO Jack Larsen. “With a broader service area and new plan options, more beneficiaries than ever will have access to Care Improvement Plus plans designed to manage their individual needs, including specialized services provided at no additional cost to help ensure they get the right care at the right time.”

2013 Service Area Expansion

Care Improvement Plus is adding 160 new counties to its service area in 2013 including 132 new counties across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, New Mexico, New York and Wisconsin, which the plan first added to its service area in 2012.

About 250,000 Medicare beneficiaries across 28 counties in Alabama, Nebraska, North Carolina and Pennsylvania will gain access to Care Improvement Plus plans in 2013. This is the first time Care Improvement Plus is offering its plans in each of these four states.

A variety of Care Improvement Plus plan options including its suite of Chronic Condition Special Needs Plans will be available in these new service areas, providing Medicare beneficiaries with access to the plans’ added benefits, services and innovative model of care aimed at helping people live healthier lives.

Renewed Commitment to Affordability and Stability; New $0 Premium Plan

Care Improvement Plus’ 2013 Medicare Advantage plan options are designed to provide Medicare beneficiaries with affordable coverage and access to high-quality benefits and services. For the first time, Care Improvement Plus will offer traditional Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plans with a $0 monthly premium. Plan members will continue to have access to additional benefits and services, such as:

vision, dental and transportation benefits;
a care provider network that provides access to any Medicare-approved care provider that accepts payment from the plan with no referral required for Medicare-covered services;
$0 copays for important preventive care services; and
Part D prescription drug benefits at no additional premium cost.

As a result of legislative changes to Part D prescription drug coverage, Medicare beneficiaries in the coverage gap will pay 47.5 percent of the total cost for brand name prescriptions and 79 percent of the total cost for generic prescriptions through Care Improvement Plus’ 2013 plans.

New Special Needs Plans for Beneficiaries with Chronic Lung Disorders

Also new for 2013, about 570,000 Medicare beneficiaries across the span of Care Improvement Plus’ 15-state service area will be eligible to enroll in the plan’s new Chronic Conditions Special Needs Plan for people diagnosed with chronic lung disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. According to recent data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 15 percent of Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older suffer from one or more chronic lung disorders.¹ These plans join Care Improvement Plus’ existing Chronic Conditions Special Needs Plans designed to support Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes and/or heart failure.

“Ninety-three percent of surveyed plan members say Care Improvement Plus has helped them better understand their health issues and get more involved in their health care,” said Larsen. “With the addition of these new Special Needs Plans, we will focus on leveraging our specialized benefits and services to empower Medicare beneficiaries with COPD and other chronic lung disorders to better manage their symptoms and reduce their risk of future complications.”²

Innovative Model of Care Offers Personalized Services

Care Improvement Plus’ innovative model of care helps ensure that plan members receive care for their individual health needs, which is especially important for medically underserved Medicare beneficiaries, including those with chronic conditions such as chronic lung disorders, diabetes and heart failure, and those with both Medicare and full Medicaid. With the support of no-cost services included in the care management model, plan members indicate they have been able to manage their health and improve their quality of life.² Featured services include:

annual in-home visits with a licensed health care practitioner through UnitedHealthcare’s HouseCalls service;
nurse care management services including coaching and a 24/7 nurse hotline;
medication monitoring and personalized counseling with plan pharmacists;
transitional support following hospital stays; and
assistance with accessing social support services.

In a recent study, Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Care Improvement Plus with chronic conditions experienced 7 percent more primary care visits and 9 percent fewer hospitalizations compared with similar beneficiaries enrolled in Original Medicare.³ Care Improvement Plus’ care management approach is an example of how health plans can manage and coordinate care to help improve health care outcomes, bolster primary care and reduce health care spending.

Care Improvement Plus will be open for enrollment Oct. 15, 2012, for services effective Jan. 1, 2013. People interested in learning more about Care Improvement Plus may call 1-800-711-1656, TTY: 711, seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., or visit www.careimprovementplus.com for more information.

About Care Improvement Plus
Care Improvement Plus is a leading provider of Medicare Advantage plans uniquely designed for beneficiaries with chronic conditions including diabetes, heart failure and chronic lung disorders, as well as those with both Medicare and full Medicaid. A UnitedHealthcare^® Medicare Solution, Care Improvement Plus is committed to delivering high-quality benefits and specialized services.

About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 650,000 physicians and care professionals and 5,000 hospitals nationwide. UnitedHealthcare serves more than 38 million people and is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company.

Care Improvement Plus is insured through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company and its affiliated companies, a Medicare Advantage organization with a Medicare contract. The benefit information provided is a brief summary, not a complete description of benefits. For more information, contact the plan. Limitations, copayments and restrictions may apply. Members must continue to pay their Medicare Part B premium. Benefits, formulary, pharmacy network, premium and/or co-payments/co-insurance may change on Jan. 1 of each year. You must continue to pay your Medicare Part B premium, if not otherwise paid for under Medicaid or by another third party. Benefits, formulary, pharmacy network, premium and/or co-payments/co-insurance may change on Jan. 1 of each year. Premiums, co-pays, co-insurance and deductibles may vary based on the level of Extra Help you receive. Please contact the plan for further details. To enroll in Care Improvement Plus Silver Rx or Gold Rx you must have diabetes and/or heart failure. To enroll in Care Improvement Plus Chrome Rx or Copper Rx, you must have a chronic lung disorder. To enroll in a Care Improvement Plus Dual Special Needs Plan, you must have full Medicaid.

¹ (2011) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Chronic Conditions Among Medicare Beneficiaries, Chartbook.
² (2012) DSS Research, Care Improvement Plus Member Research. Sample size: 1,333
³ (2012) Health Affairs, 31(1): 110-119. Sample size: 36,000

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