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| Oxford Announces Year 2001 Medicare+Choice Plan - Company to Exit Select New Jersey Counties - - Medicare Service Areas in New York and Connecticut Unchanged - |
TRUMBULL, Conn., June 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Oxford Health Plans, Inc. (Nasdaq: OXHP), today announced its Medicare plans for the year 2001. The Oxford Medicare Advantage(SM) (OMA) plan will be discontinued in eight counties in New Jersey, effective January 1, 2001. The affected counties are Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean, Passaic and Somerset. Oxford will remain in the 12 other counties in the tri-state area, including New York City and Nassau County, where it already provides benefits. Later this summer, Oxford will release benefit adjustments, which also go into effect January 1, 2001, following approval by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA). Citing decreasing federal reimbursement and increasing health care costs, Oxford determined that the current Medicare environment did not allow it to continue to offer the OMA plan to eligible individuals in these eight New Jersey counties as an alternative to Medicare fee-for-service. Over the next few months, Oxford will work to ensure that Oxford's Medicare members in these counties are transitioned as smoothly as possible and providers are aware of all of these changes. "Our Medicare+Choice program significantly increases the quality and quantity of health care services that area seniors can access, including drug benefits and preventive care. In certain New Jersey counties, the funds received from the federal government are not sufficient enough for us to continue to provide seniors with the highest levels of benefits, service and choice. Rather than offer a product in these counties that do not meet these standards, we made the even more difficult choice to exit these areas all together," said Peter Haytaian, vice president, government programs at Oxford. "We have been forced to make this decision because of Washington's inaction in addressing both the long-term financial viability of the Medicare+Choice program and the need for choice in selecting Medicare health benefits. We will continue to work with legislators to reach a resolution that would protect not only our Medicare members, but the millions of other seniors who depend on the Medicare+Choice program," Haytaian concluded. Oxford's service area in 2001 will consist of 12 counties in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, providing coverage for more than 80,000 members. In New York, Oxford will continue to offer OMA plans in six counties: Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Queens and Richmond. In New Jersey, the plan will be offered in five counties: Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Morris and Union. In Connecticut, Oxford will continue to offer the OMA plan in New Haven County. Oxford Medicare members who want to join another Medicare+Choice program or return to the Medicare program can call the Medicare Choice Helpline at 800-MEDICARE/800-633-4227 (TDD/TTY: 877-486-2048). For additional information regarding Medigap rights and protections, enrollees can contact the New Jersey State Health Insurance Assistance Program at 800-792-8820 (TTY/TDD: 800-987-6543). Additionally, Oxford members also may call Oxford Medicare Advantage's Member Services Department at 800-234-1228 (TTY/TDD: 800-201-4874), Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Founded in 1984, Oxford Health Plans, Inc. (http://www.oxfordhealth.com) provides health plans to employers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, through its sales force and through independent insurance agents and brokers. Oxford's services include traditional health maintenance organizations, point-of-service plans, third-party administration of employer-funded benefit plans and Medicare+Choice plans.SOURCE Oxford Health Plans, Inc.
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CONTACT:
Maria Gordon Shydlo of Oxford Health Plans,
Inc., 212-805-3420
