LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Health Net of California, Inc. is introducing SmartCare, an expanded tailored network in Southern California that is built on innovative strategic alliances with health care providers, an expanded benefit offering and emphasis on complementary care.
“We’re taking one of our pioneering tailored networks, the Bronze HMO, and expanding benefits and adding incentives for healthy habits,” said Steve Sell, president of Health Net’s Western Region Health Plan. “Even with these additions, SmartCare premiums in many cases still will be up to 25 percent less than a comparable level of benefits available through our full statewide HMO network.”
The SmartCare network utilizes health care provider groups that share Health Net’s focus on quality medical care at an affordable price. “And they share our vision of creating strategic provider partnerships that, in many cases, will result in effective Accountable Care Organizations delivering care that is personal, simple and local,” said Sell.
With the cost of health care premiums remaining a concern in the minds of consumers, SmartCare is designed to help meet budgets while providing simple and flexible benefit choices. Some of its features are:
- Coverage for complementary care, such as chiropractic and acupuncture
- A financial incentive for members’ healthy habits
“SmartCare helps us strategically adapt to the changing health care landscape,” said Robert Margolis, MD, chairman and CEO of HealthCare Partners medical group. “Our collaboration with SmartCare establishes an Accountable Care Organization that aligns us with Health Net in a way that helps promote affordable benefits and enhanced health outcomes.”
“We are pleased to participate in the SmartCare network,” said John Jenrette, M.D., CEO and chief medical officer of Sharp Community Medical Group. “With years of experience providing high-quality, coordinated care, we like to partner with health plans who share this same commitment. We must work together to develop innovative ways to meet the needs of employers and their employees.”
The SmartCare network became available March 1, 2012, to companies with employees in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Bernardino counties.
For more information about the SmartCare network, employers may contact their broker or their Health Net representative. Employers also may call 800-448-4411 (option 4).
Medical Groups Participating in SmartCare
Over the coming months, additional health care providers and counties are expected to be added to the SmartCare network. The following medical groups currently participate in the SmartCare network:
Los Angeles County:
Access IPA
Advantage Health Network, Inc.
AKM Medical Group
All Care Medical Group
Allied Health Care Partners
Allied Physicians of California
Angeles IPA
AppleCare Medical Group – Downey Region
AppleCare Medical Group – St. Francis Region
Associated Hispanic Physicians of Southern California
Bella Vista Medical Group IPA
Exceptional Care
Family Care Specialists
Good Samaritan Medical Practice Association
Greater San Gabriel Valley Physicians
HealthCare Partners Affiliates Medical Group
Hispanic Physicians IPA/Medico Hispano IPA
Korean American Medical Group
Los Angeles Medical Center IPA
Mid Cities IPA
Omnicare Medical Group
Pacific Independent Physician Association
Pioneer Provider Network
Prudent Medical Group
Serra Community Medical Clinic
St. Vincent IPA Medical Group
Torrance Hospital IPA
San Bernardino County:
Beaver Medical Group
Citrus Valley Physician Group
Hispanic Physicians IPA
LaSalle Medical Associates
My Family Medical Group
PrimeCare Medical Group – Redlands, Inc.
PrimeCare Medical Group – San Bernardino, Inc.
Redlands-Yucaipa Medical Group
Regal Medical Group of San Bernardino County
San Diego County:
Arch Health Partners
Children’s Physicians Medical Group
Sharp Community Medical Group
Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group
About Health Net
Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT) is a publicly traded managed care organization that delivers managed health care services through health plans and government-sponsored managed care plans. Its mission is to help people be healthy, secure and comfortable. Health Net provides and administers health benefits to approximately 6.0 million individuals across the country through group, individual, Medicare, Medicaid, U.S. Department of Defense, including TRICARE, and Veterans Affairs programs. Health Net’s behavioral health services subsidiary, Managed Health Network, Inc., provides behavioral health, substance abuse and employee assistance programs to approximately 5.0 million individuals, including Health Net’s own health plan members. Health Net’s subsidiaries also offer managed health care products related to prescription drugs, and offer managed health care product coordination for multi-region employers and administrative services for medical groups and self-funded benefits programs.
For more information on Health Net, Inc., please visit Health Net’s website at www.healthnet.com.
Cautionary Statements
Health Net, Inc. and its representatives may from time to time make written and oral forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act (“PSLRA”) of 1995, including statements in this and other press releases, in presentations, filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), reports to stockholders and in meetings with investors and analysts. All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical information provided herein, may be deemed to be forward-looking statements and as such are intended to be covered by the safe harbor for “forward-looking statements” provided by PSLRA. These statements are based on management’s analysis, judgment, belief and expectation only as of the date hereof, and are subject to changes in circumstances and a number of risks and uncertainties. Without limiting the foregoing, statements including the words “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “estimate,” “intend,” “feels,” “will,” “projects” and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by the forward-looking information and statements due to, among other things, health care reform and other increased government participation in and regulation of health benefits and managed care operations, including the ultimate impact of the Affordable Care Act, which could materially adversely affect Health Net’s financial condition, results of operations and cash flows through, among other things, reduced revenues, new taxes, expanded liability, and increased costs (including medical, administrative, technology or other costs), or require changes to the ways in which Health Net does business; rising health care costs; continued slow economic growth or a further decline in the economy; negative prior period claims reserve developments; trends in medical care ratios; membership declines; unexpected utilization patterns or unexpectedly severe or widespread illnesses; rate cuts and other risks and uncertainties affecting Health Net’s Medicare or Medicaid businesses; litigation costs; regulatory issues with federal and state agencies including, but not limited to, the California Department of Managed Health Care, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Office of Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and state departments of insurance; operational issues; failure to effectively oversee our third party vendors; noncompliance by Health Net or Health Net’s business associates with any privacy laws or any security breach involving the misappropriation, loss or other unauthorized use or disclosure of confidential information; any liabilities of the Northeast business that were incurred prior to the closing of its sale as well as those liabilities incurred through the winding-up and running-out period of the Northeast business; Health Net’s ability to complete proposed dispositions on a timely basis or at all; investment portfolio impairment charges; volatility in the financial markets; and general business and market conditions. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the risks discussed in the “Risk Factors” section included within Health Net’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC and the risks discussed in Health Net’s other filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Except as may be required by law, Health Net undertakes no obligation to address or publicly update any of its forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date of this release.