Medicare News
| For Immediate Release: | Contact: |
| Wednesday, October 20, 2004 | CMS Office of Public Affairs 202-690-6145 |
For questions about Medicare please call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit www.medicare.gov. |
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MANAGED CARE PLAN EXPANDS TO INCLUDE MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved a request by SelectCare of Texas L.L.C. to expand managed care coverage to Medicare beneficiaries in Montgomery County in southeastern Texas.
SelectCare of Texas, based in Houston, Texas, is now serving beneficiaries in Montgomery County, north of Houston. Medicare beneficiaries can sign up for the plan during the current open enrollment for Medicare Advantage, formerly known as Medicare+Choice. About 35,000 beneficiaries live in the county.
"We are pleased SelectCare decided to expand this health plan to include more Medicare beneficiaries in Texas,” HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said. "Under the Medicare reform law signed by President Bush, Medicare will provide all seniors - no matter where they live - with better health insurance options, including prescription drug coverage and preventive care. The law is achieving the President's goals of strengthening and modernizing Medicare.”
The company, which does business as TexanPlus, began serving Medicare beneficiaries in 2001 in the counties of Fort Bend, Harris including the city of Houston, Hardin, Jefferson, Orange and parts of Brazoria and Galveston.
The plan gives another health care choice to beneficiaries in Montgomery County. Texas HealthSpring L.L.C. is the only Medicare Advantage plan currently operating in the county.
“We want to make sure all Medicare beneficiaries, whether in a Medicare Advantage plan or fee-for-service, are receiving the highest quality health care," said CMS Administrator Mark McClellan, M.D., Ph.D. "We are doing more to guarantee that beneficiaries understand the Medicare coverage options available to them. We also are reminding beneficiaries of the need to work closely with the doctors and other health care providers that give them medical care."
Since Dec. 8, when President Bush signed the Medicare Modernization Act into law, CMS has approved 11 new contracts with Medicare health plans and 34 service area expansions. There are currently 39 applications pending for new contracts and 23 service area expansions pending.
Medicare Advantage HMOs and fee-for-service plans are available where private companies choose to offer them. Currently, about 4.6 million Medicare beneficiaries -- out of a total of about 40 million aged and disabled Americans – have enrolled in Medicare HMOs. Original fee-for-service Medicare, currently chosen by more than 35 million beneficiaries, is available to all beneficiaries.
Medicare has a far-reaching consumer information program that includes a national toll-free phone number -- 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or TTY/TDD, at 877-486-2048 -- an Internet site -- www.medicare.gov -- and a coalition of more than 200 national and local organizations to provide seniors more information.
