HealthMetrix Research Selects 2009 Medicare Advantage Plans for Best Overall Benefit Value

HealthMetrix Research Selects 2009 Medicare Advantage Plans for Best Overall Benefit Value

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Medicare Advantage plans in 87 cities will be recognized for best overall value in the design of their 2009 medical and Part D prescription drug benefits for seniors. The 2009 Senior Choice Gold Award recipients were selected from over 200 Medicare managed care plans based on independent cost-sharing comparisons conducted annually by HealthMetrix Research Inc. and MedicareNewsWatch.com. According to HealthMetrix Research Inc. president Alan Mittermaier:

"These forward-looking independent comparisons provide Medicare beneficiaries with true out-of-pocket costs associated with joining a Medicare Advantage plan. Each award recipient has demonstrated a commitment to excellence in the design of their 2009 Medicare plan benefits, copayments, deductibles and premiums including the Part D prescription drug benefits. HealthMetrix Research applauds these organizations and we are confident that informed seniors can rely on the Senior Choice Gold Award recognition when selecting a Medicare Advantage plan during the 2009 enrollment season."

The award criteria were based on 2009 benefits and cost-sharing approved by Medicare for the selected plans. Estimated annual out-of-pocket costs consider beneficiaries' health status (healthy, episodic, chronic) and utilization of the most common health plan benefits (physician office visits, emergency care, hospital care, prevention care, prescriptions). HealthMetrix Research cost-sharing comparisons for over 100 cities are available at www.MedicareNewsWatch.com. HealthMetrix Research neither recommends nor endorses specific Medicare plans.

Contact: Alan Mittermaier 614-236-8345 614-236-8034 Fax

2009 Senior Choice Gold Award Recipients

East
Albany Fidelis Care
Allentown Unison Health Plan
Atlanta WellCare
Boston-Worcester Secure Horizons
Bradenton-Sarasota Optimum Healthcare
Buffalo WellCare
Charleston Southeast Community Care
Fort Lauderdale Optimum Healthcare
Fort Myers Optimum Healthcare
Greensboro Coventry Health Care
Greenville-Spartanburg Southeast Community Care
Harrisburg Unison Health Plan
Hartford-Bridgeport WellCare
Jacksonville Optimum Healthcare
Lakeland Optimum Healthcare
Miami Summit Health Plan
New Haven Secure Horizons
New Jersey (Bergen, Ocean) Secure Horizons
(Essex, Hudson, Middlesex,
Passaic, Union) WellCare
New York City (Bronx, Liberty Health Advantage
Kings, Manhattan, Nassau,
Queens, Staten Island)
(Rockland) Fidelis Care
(Suffolk) HIP
(Westchester) Touchstone Health
Ocala Optimum Healthcare
Orlando Optimum Healthcare
Pensacola Optimum Healthcare
Philadelphia Bravo Health
Pittsburgh Unison Health Plan
Providence Secure Horizons
Raleigh Coventry Health Care
Richmond Secure Horizons
Rochester WellCare
Savannah WellCare
Tallahassee Freedom Health
Syracuse Touchstone Health
Tampa-St. Petersburg Optimum Healthcare
Washington DC Bravo Health
West Palm Beach Quality Health Plans

Midwest
Akron-Canton WellCare
Baton Rouge Humana
Champaign-Urbana WellCare
Chattanooga Windsor Health Group
Chicago-Joliet WellCare
Cincinnati WellCare
Cleveland WellCare
Columbus WellCare
Des Moines Coventry Health Care
Fort Wayne WellCare
Grand Rapids Secure Horizons
Jackson, MS Windsor Health Group
Kansas City Coventry Health Care
Knoxville Windsor Health Group
Indianapolis WellCare
Little Rock Physicians Health Choice
Louisville Essence Healthcare
Memphis Unison Health Plan
Milwaukee Today's Health
Minneapolis-St. Paul UCare Minnesota
Mobile HealthSpring
Nashville Windsor Health Group
Omaha Coventry Health Care
St. Louis WellCare
South Bend WellCare
Springfield-Joplin Coventry Health Care
Wichita Coventry Health Care

West
Austin Physicians Health Choice
Bakersfield GEMCare
Colorado Springs Colorado Access
Corpus Christi Physicians Health Choice
Dallas-Fort Worth WellCare
Denver Kaiser Permanente
Flagstaff Desert Canyon Community Care
Fresno Aetna
Honolulu WellCare
Houston WellCare
Las Cruces Physicians Health Choice
Las Vegas Humana
Los Angeles (Los Angeles County) Citizens Choice Healthplan
(Orange County) Citizens Choice Healthplan
(Riverside County) Care1st
(San Bernardino County) Care1st
(Ventura County) Aetna
Oakland-Walnut Creek Secure Horizons
Phoenix CIGNA
Reno Health Plan of Nevada
Sacramento Secure Horizons
Salt Lake City Humana
San Antonio WellCare
San Diego Care1st
San Francisco Secure Horizons
San Jose CareMore
Spokane Secure Horizons
Tucson Humana
Tulsa Generations Healthcare
Yakima & Tri-Cities Community HealthFirst

Source: HealthMetrix Research Inc.

CONTACT: Alan Mittermaier, HealthMetrix Research Inc., +1-614-236-8345,
+1-614-236-8034 Fax

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

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