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UPMC Health Plan Newest Insurance Company to Offer CHIP

PITTSBURGH (November 7, 2006) – UPMC Health Plan is the newest insurance company in the state to offer coverage for the Pennsylvania Children’s Health Insurance Program, also known as CHIP.

CHIP, offered now by UPMC for Kids, offers free or low-cost health insurance coverage to children from birth up to age 19. It covers hospitalizations, immunizations, well-baby visits, emergency care, prescriptions, dental, vision, home care services, diagnostic services, and more. It also offers services to help promote health and wellness for the children who enroll.

“Despite the many public and private programs available for health insurance, many Pennsylvania children remain uninsured,” said Diane Holder, president of UPMC Health Plan and the UPMC Insurance Services Division. “CHIP coverage, offered by UPMC for Kids, is a high-quality health insurance product that can help fill that gap.”

UPMC for Kids administers CHIP in a 27-county Western Pennsylvania service area. Once enrolled, children have access to a full network of health care providers, similar to UPMC Health Plan’s other provider networks. Seven other insurers offer CHIP throughout the state.

To be eligible for CHIP, children cannot be covered by Medical Assistance or have any other health coverage. Families interested in applying can call UPMC for Kids at 1-800-978-8762. For more information about CHIP, please visit http://chipcoverspakids.com/. For more information about UPMC Health Plan, visit www.upmchealthplan.com and click “Plan Options.”

About UPMC Health Plan
UPMC Health Plan, the second-largest health insurer in Western Pennsylvania, is owned by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), one of the nation's top-ranked health systems. As part of an integrated health care delivery system, UPMC Health Plan partners with UPMC and community network providers to improve clinical outcomes as well as the health of the greater community. According to the U.S. News & World Report/NCQA’s listing of “America’s Best Health Plans,” UPMC Health Plan is the top-ranked health plan in Pennsylvania and one of the top 10 health plans in the nation. The Health Plan is also the highest-ranked managed care company in the nation for breast cancer screening for the third consecutive year. The integrated partner companies of the UPMC Insurance Services Division – which includes UPMC Health Plan, Work Partners, EAP Solutions, UPMC for You (Medical Assistance), and Community Care Behavioral Health – offer a full range of group health insurance, Medicare, Children's Health Insurance Program, Medical Assistance, behavioral health, employee assistance, and workers' compensation products and services to over 900,000 members. Our local provider network includes UPMC as well as community providers, totaling more than 80 hospitals and more than 7,000 physicians in a 28-county region.

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