PacifiCare's HealthCare Cost Estimator Empowers Consumers by Providing Insights Into Costs for Health Care Services

PacifiCare's HealthCare Cost Estimator Empowers Consumers by Providing Insights Into Costs for Health Care Services

* Online Tool Provides Cost Information on 200 Diseases, Conditions and Common Procedures

CYPRESS, Calif., Dec. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Consumers who want to better gauge their health care costs and know more about the types of services and procedures used to treat a specific condition or disease now have access to a new online tool launched by PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. (NYSE:PHS).

PacifiCare's new HealthCare Cost Estimator is an innovative, unique Web-based tool that provides cost ranges and information for 200 of the most common diseases, conditions and medical procedures. It also helps users identify the services commonly associated with specific conditions and highlights cost information for services based on the user's specific geographic area.

HealthCare Cost Estimator is available at no charge to PacifiCare SignatureOptions(SM) PPO and PacifiCare SignatureFreedom(SM) Self Directed Health Plan members. Members simply log on to PacifiCare's Web site, www.pacificare.com, enter their member ID and password, click on "Resource Center" and then "HealthCare Cost Estimator." Once in the tool, members can enter their zip codes and the diseases or services they wish to research. The HealthCare Cost Estimator offers low, average and high costs for services both within and outside PacifiCare's networks of doctors and hospitals. Diseases and conditions are listed alphabetically for easier search.

PacifiCare developed HealthCare Cost Estimator with independent information provided by Integrated Healthcare Information Services Inc. (IHCIS), a Waltham, Mass.-based provider of innovative predictive modeling and information solutions to the health care industry. The IHCIS data allow HealthCare Cost Estimator to provide insights culled from more than 30 health plans that serve more than 25 million unique individuals nationwide.

"Now more than ever, consumers are playing a more active role in their health care by gaining a better understanding as to the underlying costs of the treatments and services they receive," said Brad Bowlus, president and chief executive officer of PacifiCare Health Plans. "HealthCare Cost Estimator is an integral part of PacifiCare's commitment to offer consumer-driven health care programs that help our members become active health care consumers who are more engaged and informed participants."

The HealthCare Cost Estimator complements myriad PacifiCare consumer decision-support tools aimed at empowering consumers to become more involved in their health care. PacifiCare's QUALITY INDEX(R) profiles of Medical Groups and Hospitals help consumers assess clinical and service performance of hundreds of PacifiCare-contracted hospitals and medical groups. HealthCredits(SM) is a suite of services that provides consumers with tools to make better health care decisions as well as a rewards system for those who take active steps to improve their health. PacifiCare's 24-Hour Health Information Program includes a host of phone and Web-enabled services designed to provide members with live, interactive and easily accessible health care information.

PacifiCare Health Systems is one of the nation's largest consumer health organizations with more than 3 million health plan members and approximately 10 million specialty plan members nationwide. PacifiCare offers individuals, employers and Medicare beneficiaries a variety of consumer-driven health care and life insurance products. Currently, more than 99 percent of PacifiCare's commercial health plan members are enrolled in plans that have received Excellent Accreditation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). PacifiCare's specialty operations include behavioral health, dental and vision, and complete pharmacy benefit management through its wholly owned subsidiary, Prescription Solutions. More information on PacifiCare Health Systems is available at www.pacificare.com.


Source: PacifiCare Health Systems Inc.

CONTACT: Dan Miller, PHS Media Relations, +1-714-226-3726,
Dan.Miller@phs.com

Web site: http://www.pacificare.com/


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