INScompanies Blog

11/14/2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MVP Health Care/Preferred Care Support National Industry Effort to Expand Health Insurance Coverage to Every American

Schenectady, N.Y. and Rochester, NY, November 14, 2006 — MVP Health Care and Preferred Care today announced support of a comprehensive new initiative proposed by America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) to provide more than 40 million uninsured Americans with access to affordable health insurance coverage.

The proposals, which would require federal and state legislative action, would expand health insurance coverage to all children within three years and to 95 percent of all adults within 10 years.

David W. Oliker, president and CEO of MVP Health Care and Preferred Care is a member of the Board of Directors of AHIP and a member of the AHIP policy committee that developed the proposals.

“Lack of access to affordable health insurance causes millions of people not to get preventive care and treatment for chronic illnesses which increases the total cost of care.  Improving access for affordable health insurance coverage will make families more secure and will help to reduce the cost of health care,” Oliker said.

“These proposals form a fiscally sound framework for a public-private partnership that could extend health insurance coverage to tens of millions of uninsured Americans,” Oliker said.

The plan would:
– Expand eligibility for Medicaid and other public health insurance programs,
– Enable all consumers to purchase health insurance with pre-tax dollars through the use of Universal Health Accounts,
– Establish a health tax credit of up to $500 that low-income families could use to secure health insurance for their children,
– Establish a new Federal grant program to encourage states to achieve full coverage within 10 years.

The reform plan announced today in Washington, D.C., follows seven months of analysis and discussion among AHIP board members.

“We believe the step-by-step approach taken in this proposal is likely to succeed in changing federal and state policies to extend health insurance coverage to millions more Americans while reducing overall health care costs, and at the same time preserving state-level consumer protections,” said Oliker.

CONTACT:
In Rochester:
Mike Traphagan
(585) 327-2333
In Schenectady:
Gary Hughes
(518) 388-2319

For Release: June 19, 2006

MVP Health Care announced today that it has received approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to offer MVP Gold, a Medicare Advantage HMO plan, in selected counties in New York.

“We are delighted to receive CMS approval to move forward with the MVP Gold product,” said David W. Oliker, president and CEO of MVP Health Care.

“We are excited about the prospect of offering a superior health plan option to Medicare-eligible people in the Capitol District, Hudson Valley and Syracuse areas.” Oliker noted that coverage is expected to be effective January 1, 2007, and that specific plan benefits and rates remain under CMS review and cannot yet be announced.

MVP Gold will be offered in eight counties – Albany, Dutchess, Montgomery, Onondaga, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady and Ulster. Oliker also announced that MVP Gold will be administered and member services provided by “the same exceptional Rochester-based staff that currently provides those services for Preferred Care Gold.” MVP Health Care and Preferred Care merged in January, 2006, and Preferred Care Gold is ranked the number one Medicare Advantage health plan in the nation on the U.S. News & Word Report/NCQA Best Health Plans in America list.

“That top ranking is based on measures of both clinical quality and customer satisfaction, and we can think of no better group of people to staff our MVP Gold product offering,” said Lisa Brubaker, MVP Health Care executive vice president for Rochester operations and government programs. “Their dedication to the health and well-being of members will quickly help differentiate MVP Gold in the marketplace.”

MVP Health Care
Corporate Communications
P.O. Box 2207
Schenectady, NY 12301
Contact: Gary Hughes
MVP Health Care
518-388-2319
hughesg@mvphealthcare.com
or
Mike Traphagan
(585) 327-2333

Combination Creates Major New Health Plan Serving New York, Vermont and New Hampshire

SCHENECTADY, NY – January 11, 2006 – Two upstate New York based health plans, MVP Health Care of Schenectady and Preferred Care of Rochester, announced today that their proposed merger has been completed creating a major new plan serving three quarters of a million members across upstate New York, Vermont and New Hampshire.

“The regulatory and legal steps needed to conclude the merger have been completed, and during the months ahead MVP and Preferred Care coworkers will be working together to combine two great health plans into one plan that will be a ‘leading player’ in the Northeast,” said David W. Oliker, president and CEO of MVP Health Care.

“I want to reassure current MVP and Preferred Care customers that they will not see any changes in day to day operations as a result of this merger, customers will call the same telephone numbers they’ve always called, talk to the same people they’ve always talked to, and see the same doctors and health care providers as they did prior to the merger,” said Lisa Brubaker, MVP Health Care executive vice president for Rochester operations, and government programs. “The combination gives us the resources to make needed investments in technology to meet the needs of our customers and providers,” she said.

The company said:
• Members of the two plans will see no change in their products and services;
• Members, employers and providers will continue to call the same telephone numbers and work with the same people from the same offices across the new combined service area;
• Jobs across the new service area will be preserved;
• The new combined organization will continue to operate as a not-for-profit. Its board of directors will be a combination of current MVP and Preferred Care directors;
• MVP Health Care president and CEO David W. Oliker is the president and CEO of the combined company, which will continue to operate as both MVP Health Care and Preferred Care.

During meetings with employees in both Rochester and Schenectady, Oliker outlined his goals for the combined company including:
– A provider network stretching from Rochester to New Hampshire that will be seamless for members and employers.
– Product offerings that will combine the best of both MVP and Preferred Care products and that can be sold throughout the expanded market area.
– Expansion of Preferred Care Medicare programs into several MVP counties.

In addition to Oliker, other members of the senior management team for the combined company are drawn from both company’s management teams.

Lisa Brubaker, Preferred Care senior vice president and chief operating officer will assume the newly created position of executive vice president, Rochester operations and government programs.

Thomas Combs, Preferred Care senior vice president and chief financial officer will become executive vice president and chief financial officer of MVP.

David Field, MVP chief financial officer and chief operating officer will be the executive vice president and chief operations officer for the combined company.

Dennis Allen, M.D, MVP executive vice president and chief medical officer; will have the same role in the combined company.

Scott Averill, MVP executive vice president and chief marketing officer will be the chief marketing and sales officer for the combined company.

Denise Gonick, Esq., MVP executive vice president and chief legal officer will hold the same position in the combined company.

“These executive vice president appointments reflect a blending of the talent of the two organizations,” Oliker said. This is a leadership team that will make MVP the perfect example of a well-managed and successful, regional health benefits company,” Oliker said.

The combined company’s service area covers upstate New York, the Hudson Valley, the entire state of Vermont and southern New Hampshire.

For More Information Contact:
Gary Hughes, MVP Health Care Mike Traphagan, Preferred Care
Phone: (518) 388-2319 Phone: (585) 327-2333
Cell: (518) 522-4107 Cell: (585) 261-3963
hughesg@mvphealthcare.com mtraphagan@preferredcare.org