HAMMOND, La., March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- North Oaks Health System today
announced the signing of a participating provider agreement with Humana Health
Benefit Plan of Louisiana, Inc. to provide health care services to employees
and families enrolled in Humana's commercial Preferred Provider Organization
(PPO), Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), self-funded (ASO) health
insurance programs and HumanaOne individual plan.
Under the participating provider agreement, members of Humana's commercial
insurance plans who receive insurance coverage through their employers will
now have covered benefit access to all inpatient, outpatient, home health
care, hospice and emergency services provided by the 355-bed North Oaks
Medical Center and North Oaks Rehabilitation Hospital in Hammond effective
March 1, 2005.
In addition, these plan members will now have access to family practice
and specialty care physicians affiliated with North Oaks Health System
clinics, including: North Oaks Family Medicine Clinics in Hammond and
Independence and North Oaks Specialty Clinic and North Oaks PM Clinic, the
latter two of which are located in Walker. The participating provider
agreement also allows Humana commercial members benefit coverage through North
Oaks Home Health and Hospice Agencies.
"We are pleased to welcome participants in the Humana health plans to our
hospitals and medical clinics," comments James E. Cathey Jr., Chief Executive
Officer of North Oaks Health System. "This agreement signifies a commitment by
both organizations to provide Humana commercial members with convenient,
community-wide access to the quality care and services that North Oaks Health
System offers."
"As the Northshore's largest health care system, North Oaks Health System
offers a comprehensive range of services that we are proud to offer our
commercial members and employers," said Hassan Rifaat, M.D., President of
Humana Health Benefit Plan of Louisiana, Inc. "The expansion of Humana's
statewide participating hospital and physician network is a key to Humana's
commitment to provide affordable health benefits to small- and mid-size
employers currently facing double digit increases in health benefit costs. We
are proud that we can now offer their employees access to this respected
hospital system."
The addition of North Oaks Health System further strengthens Humana's
statewide medical provider network that now offers members a choice of more
than 81 participating hospital providers and more than 7,000 physicians
throughout Louisiana.
About North Oaks Health System
North Oaks Health System is a community hospital organization with over
2,500 employees, physicians and volunteers. Facilities include North Oaks
Medical Center, North Oaks Rehabilitation Hospital, North Oaks Heart Health
Center (located within North Oaks Medical Center), North Oaks Diagnostic
Center, North Oaks Family Medicine, North Oaks Home Health and Hospice
Agencies, North Oaks Occupational Health Services, North Oaks Outpatient
Rehabilitation Services, North Oaks Specialty Clinic and North Oaks PM. For
more information, please visit our website at http://www.northoaks.org .
About Humana Health Benefit Plan of Louisiana, Inc.
Humana Health Benefit Plan of Louisiana, Inc. is one of the largest health
benefit plans in the New Orleans market and the third largest in the state of
Louisiana with approximately 150,000 commercial medical members and
approximately 35,000 members in the MedicareAdvantage program.
Humana Health Benefit Plan of Louisiana Inc. is the only health plan in
Louisiana to be awarded the Excellent Accreditation from NCQA twice in a row.
"Excellent" is the highest accreditation awarded by NCQA, an independent, not-
for-profit organization dedicated to measuring the quality of America's health
care.
About Humana Inc.
Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of
the nation's largest publicly traded health benefits companies, with
approximately 7 million medical members located primarily in 15 states and
Puerto Rico. Humana offers a diversified portfolio of health insurance
products and related services - through traditional and consumer-choice plans
- to employer groups, government-sponsored plans, and individuals.
Over its 44-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 http://www.humana.com ,
including copies of:
- Annual report to stockholders;
- Securities and Exchange Commission filings;
- Most recent investor conference presentation;
- Quarterly earnings press releases (including detailed description of
unusual items, where applicable);
- Audio archive of most recent earnings release conference call;
- Calendar of events (includes upcoming earnings conference call dates,
times, and access number, as well as planned interaction with
institutional investors);
- Corporate Governance Information.
SOURCE Humana Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.humana.com
http://www.northoaks.org
Photo Notes:
NewsCom:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030425/HUMANALOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/423125.html
CONTACT:
Ross McLerran of Humana Corporate
Communications, +1-504-219-5101, or rmclerran@humana.com ; or
Michele Sutton of North Oaks Health System, Community Resources
Group, +1-985-230-6647, or nohs@northoaks.org
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