Affinity Health System and Humana sign new multi-year network agreement expanding local access to quality health care
Effective January 1, 2011, Affinity’s latest move in marketplace offers patients even more choice and access
01 / 21 / 2011
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Maria Nelson, Media Relations
Affinity Health System
(920) 720-1752
(920) 554-0686 (pager)
MENASHA, Wis. - Affinity Health System (Affinity) announced today a new agreement with Humana Wisconsin Health Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM). The agreement provides expanded access for Humana commercial and Medicare members to care from the award-winning health system at in-network rates and benefit levels. Affinity now accepts nearly every insurance carrier in the state.
Effective Jan. 1, 2011, the new multi-year agreement adds more than 260 Affinity Medical Group providers and access to comprehensive services at St. Elizabeth Hospital, Mercy Medical Center, Calumet Medical Center and 26 clinics located throughout Northeast Wisconsin to Humana’s network. This means Humana members now can choose the Affinity provider or hospital they prefer.
"We are excited to welcome Humana members to experience personalized care from our providers," said Daniel E. Neufelder, president and CEO of Affinity Health System. "Accepting Humana members at our hospitals and clinics is part of our long-term strategy to provide greater access to health care for residents of Northeast Wisconsin."
Humana insures approximately 330,000 commercial and Medicare medical members throughout Wisconsin. The agreement with Affinity allows Humana commercial members with Health Maintenance Organization, Point of Service, National Point of Service and Preferred Provider Organization plans to access Affinity physicians and hospitals at in-network rates. The agreement also applies to Humana Medicare members with Private Fee-for-Service, Preferred Provider Organization and Health Maintenance Organization plans.
"We are pleased that this collaborative approach with Affinity Health System will benefit our members – our focus is always on doing what’s best for them," said Kristine Seymour, president of Humana’s Commercial operations in Wisconsin. "It’s our mission at Humana to help our members achieve life-long well being, and our relationship with Affinity is a perfect extension of our commitment to our members."
This agreement continues Affinity’s long-term strategy of opening health care access in the Fox Valley. Last year Affinity signed a contract with Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield and in July, Affinity’s health insurance company, Network Health Plan, signed a contract with ThedaCare. Then last month Affinity signed a contract with UnitedHealthcare. This agreement with Humana creates new opportunity for the community to access Affinity Health System.
Widely recognized for its commitment to excellence, Affinity Health System is nationally listed among the top integrated health care systems by SDI Health Integrated Health Network Top 100, and both Mercy Medical Center and St. Elizabeth Hospital were ranked in the top one percent of all hospitals nationwide in terms of quality and efficiency as determined by the 2007 Premier|CareScience Select Practice National Quality Award.
About Humana
Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the nation’s largest publicly traded health and supplemental benefits companies, with approximately 10.1 million medical members, 7.0 million specialty members, and operates more than 300 medical centers and 240 worksite medical facilities. Humana is a full-service benefits and well-being solutions company, offering a wide array of health, pharmacy and supplemental benefit plans for employer groups, government programs and individuals, as well as primary and workplace care through its medical centers and worksite medical facilities.
Over its 50-year history, Humana has consistently seized opportunities to meet changing customer needs. Today, the company is a leader in consumer engagement, providing guidance that leads to lower costs and a better health plan experience throughout its diversified customer portfolio.
More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s web site at www.humana.com, including copies of:
- Annual reports to stockholders
- Securities and Exchange Commission filings
- Most recent investor conference presentations
- Quarterly earnings news releases
- Replays of most recent earnings release conference calls
- Calendar of events (includes upcoming earnings conference call dates and times, as well as planned interaction with research analysts and institutional investors)
- Corporate Governance Information
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For the Editor:
Affinity Health System, a faith-based regional health care network, is the Fox Valley’s second-largest employer, according to the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce & Industry. For the fourth consecutive year, Affinity has been named one of the nation’s top 64 health systems based on clinical performance according to Thomson Reuters, a leading provider of information and solutions to improve the cost and quality of health care. For ten consecutive years, Affinity Health System has been named to the SDI (formerly Verispan) Integrated Health Network Top 100, an annual assessment of the 100 most highly integrated health care networks in the nation. Both St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton and Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh rank among the top 1 percent of hospitals nationwide in terms of quality and efficiency, as determined by the 2007 Premier | CareScience Select practice National Quality Award. Members of Affinity include Mercy Medical Center and Mercy Health Foundation, Oshkosh; St. Elizabeth Hospital and the St. Elizabeth Hospital Foundation, Appleton; Affinity Medical Group, a regional network of 25 family practice and specialty clinics – 22 of which are recognized as NCQA Level III medical homes, the highest level of recognition – in 14 communities; Calumet Medical Center, Chilton; and Affinity Occupational Health.