HealthMetrix Research Selects 2010 Medicare Advantage Plans for Best Overall Benefit Value

      

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Medicare Advantage plans in 95 cities will be recognized for best overall value in the design of their 2010 medical and Part D prescription drug benefits for seniors. The 2010 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 2010 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 2010 enrollment season."

The award criteria were based on 2010 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, President - HealthMetrix Research Inc.
               614-236-8345



                       2010 Senior Choice Gold Award Recipients

    East
    Albany                   Fidelis Care
    Baltimore                Kaiser Permanente
    Boston                   Secure Horizons
    Bradenton                Quality Health Plans
    Buffalo                  Today's Options
    Charleston               Southeast Community Care
    Charlotte                BlueCross Blue Shield of North Carolina
    Columbia                 Southeast Community Care
    Detroit                  Molina Healthcare
    Fort Lauderdale          Medica HealthCare Plans
    Fort Myers               Quality Health Plans
    Greensboro               Southeast Community Care
    Greenville               Guardian Healthcare
    Hartford                 Anthem
    Jacksonville             Quality Health Plans
    Lakeland                 Summit Health Plan
    Melbourne                Quality Health Plans
    Miami                    Summit Health Plan
    Naples                   Freedom Health
    New Jersey
     (Bergen, Essex,
     Hudson, Passaic,
     Union)                  Healthfirst
    New York City  (Bronx,   Liberty Health Advantage
     Kings, Manhattan,
     Nassau, Queens,
     Staten Island)
     (Westchester)           Touchstone Health
    Ocala                    Preferred Care Partners
    Orlando                  Freedom Health
    Pensacola                Freedom Health
    Philadelphia             Bravo Health
    Pittsburgh               Unison Health Plan
    Providence               Secure Horizons
    Raleigh                  Southeast Community Care
    Richmond                 Humana
    Rochester                Essence Healthcare
    Savannah                 Southeast Community Care
    Sarasota                 Freedom Health
    Syracuse                 Touchstone Health
    Tallahassee              Freedom Health
    Tampa-St. Petersburg     Optimum Healthcare
    Virginia Beach-Roanoke   Southeast Community Care
    Washington DC            Bravo Health
    West Palm Beach          Physicians United Plan
    Worcester                Fallon Community Health Plan

    Midwest
    Akron                    Kaiser Permanente
    Baton Rouge              Humana
    Birmingham               VIVA Health
    Canton                   SummaCare
    Chicago                  HealthSpring
    Cincinnati               Humana
    Cleveland                Kaiser Permanente
    Columbus                 Mount Carmel Health Plan
    Dayton                   Mount Carmel Health Plan
    Des Moines               Secure Horizons
    Grand Rapids             Priority Health
    Indianapolis             Advantage Health Solutions
    Jackson, MS              Windsor Health Group
    Knoxville                Windsor Health Group
    Little Rock              Physicians Health Choice
    Louisville               Essence Healthcare
    Memphis                  Windsor Health Group
    Milwaukee                Today's Health
    Minneapolis-St. Paul     UCare Minnesota
    Montgomery               VIVA Health
    Nashville                Windsor Health Group
    Omaha                    Coventry Health Care
    St. Louis                Essence Healthcare
    Springfield              Mercy Health Plan
    Toledo                   Anthem
    Wichita                  Secure Horizons

    West
    Albuquerque-Santa Fe     AmeriVantage
    Amarillo                 Texas Community Care
    Austin                   Physicians Health Choice
    Beaumont                 TexanPlus
    Colorado Springs         Kaiser Permanente
    Corpus Christi           Physicians Health Choice
    Dallas-Fort Worth        TexanPlus
    Denver                   Kaiser Permanente
    Fresno                   Aetna
    Houston                  TexanPlus
    Las Cruces               Physicians Health Choice
    Las Vegas                CareMore
    Los Angeles              Citizens Choice Healthplan
    Modesto                  CareMore
    Oakland                  Kaiser Permanente
    Oklahoma City            Generations Healthcare
    Phoenix                  CIGNA
    Rio Grande Valley        Physicians Health Choice
    Sacramento               Molina Healthcare
    Salem                    Marion Polk Community Health Plan
    Salt Lake City           Molina Healthcare
    San Antonio              Bravo Health
    San Diego                Care1st
    San Francisco            SCAN
    San Jose                 CareMore
    Seattle                  Essence Healthcare
    Spokane                  Essence Healthcare
    Tucson                   CareMore
    Tulsa                    Secure Horizons
    Yakima &Tri-Cities       Columbia Community Care

SOURCE HealthMetrix Research Inc.