New York's Senator
CHARLES E. SCHUMER
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 3, 2000
SCHUMER: HIP TO CONTINUE
MEDICARE + CHOICE COVERAGE FOR SUFFOLK COUNTY SENIORS
Agreement, Negotiated by Schumer, HFCA and HIP,
Helps Avert Total Loss of Coverage for Thousands of Suffolk County
Seniors
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that HIP
would continue covering Suffolk County seniors enrolled in Medicare
+ Choice. In July, HIP and four other HMOs announced they would discontinue
coverage as of January 1, 2001, leaving 35,000 of Suffolk County's
47,000 Medicare + Choice enrollees scrambling to find health coverage,
and facing the prospect of having to return to the traditional fee-for-service
Medicare program which costs more and does not cover prescription
drugs.
After lobbying HIP for months to continue covering Suffolk County
seniors and after asking HCFA - the Health Care Financing Agency,
the federal agency that administers Medicare - to expedite the process
that would allow HIP to continue its Suffolk County coverage, Schumer
brought HIP and HCFA together to negotiate an agreement.
"Ideally, all five HMOs would continue covering Suffolk County
Medicare + Choice participants, but this is a good start. We'll
keep fighting until every Suffolk County senior is covered,"
said Senator Schumer.
Once HIP expressed interest in continuing its Suffolk County coverage,
Schumer asked HFCA to expedite approval process and convinced Empire
Blue Cross/ Blue Shield - at the time the only remaining HMO provider
in Suffolk County - to agree to HIP's return (since HMOs bid for
government contracts, all approved HMOs normally must submit bids
at the same time; since HIP chose to remain in Suffolk County after
the deadline had passed, HFCA required Empire Blue Cross/ Blue Shield's
consent before approving HIP).
HIP will begin sending information about the plan and an election
slip to Suffolk County Medicare + Choice participants next week.
HIP will offer continuous enrollment, allowing seniors to enter
the plan at any time. Benefits should remain similar to those currently
offered.
# # #
|