


	SESSIONS PLANNED ON MEDICARE PLAN CHANGES FOR STATE RETIREES HARRISBURG, MARCH 6 – State Sen. Connie Williams is urging retirees enrolled in the Commonwealth's Retired Employee Health Program (REHP) to consider attending an informational meeting on upcoming changes to their Medicare coverage in light of a March 21^st enrollment deadline and the uncertainty of which Southeastern Pennsylvania hospitals will participate in the new plan. Members of the REHP have until March 21^st to select a Medicare plan. If they do not select a plan, they automatically will be enrolled in Coventry's Advantra Freedom. Last fall, the Commonwealth chose to combine traditional Medicare coverage with Medicare Supplemental and Major Medical into one plan. This plan, called Advantra Freedom, is a Medicare Private Fee-for-Service plan. Officials of the Governor's Office of Administration say that the new Fee-for-Service plan is similar to the current indemnity plan, offering the same benefits, access to the same providers and no pre-authorization for tests or procedures. According to the Office of Administration, certain hospitals in Southeastern Pennsylvania announced that they would not accept any Medicare Private Fee-for-Services plans, including Advantra Freedom. Others have not committed. "What this means to retirees is that if they are currently receiving care through a specific health-care system in Southeastern Pennsylvania and their health-care system has chosen not to participate in these plans, or is on the fence, this new plan may not be their best option," Williams said. "The planned informational sessions will offer consumers an overview of the new program, the issues they may face and details of some other health insurance options. The bottom line is that you do not need to be left out in the cold with health-care coverage, but you will need to make a educated decision based on your specific circumstances." The issue affects residents in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Retirees will be able to change their plan choice at anytime throughout 2008 if the plan they select does not meet their expectations or if their health-care system should decide to accept the Medicare Private Fee-for-Services plan. Medicare informational meetings will be held as follows, with meetings at each location from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.; 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; and 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Monday, March 10 – Crowne Plaza, 1800 Market St., Philadelphia Tuesday, March 11 – Radisson Hotel Valley Forge, 1160 First Ave., King of Prussia Wednesday, March 12 – Inn at Chester Springs, 815 N. Pottstown Pike, Exton Thursday, March 13 – Blue Bell Country Club, 1800 Tournament Drive (enter through the Main Gate), Blue Bell Friday, March 14 – Sheraton Bucks County, 400 Oxford Valley Rd., Langhorne Hospital/Health Care System decision on accepting Medicare Private Fee-for-Service plans (as of March 5^th): Accepting: Chester County Hospital Doylestown Hospital Fox Chase Cancer Center Holy Redeemer Hospital and Medical Center Lower Bucks Hospital Montgomery Hospital St. Luke's Quakertown Tenet Health Systems Not Accepting: Crozer Keystone Health System Jefferson Health System University of Pennsylvania Health System Undecided: Abington Memorial Hospital Catholic Health East Central Montgomery Medical Center Community Health System Chestnut Hill Rehabilitation Hospital Grand View Hospital North Philadelphia Health System Roxborough Memorial Hospital Temple University Health System Plan choices available for Medicare eligible retirees in the Philadelphia five-county area: Aetna Golden Medicare HMO Aetna Golden Choice Medicare PPO Keystone 65 Medicare HMO Advantra Freedom Medicare Private Fee-for-Service