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UPMC Health Plan Expands Medicare Offering for 2008

PITTSBURGH (October 15, 2007) — UPMC Health Plan will continue to offer Medicare HMO and PPO members benefit plan choices in 2008 with enhanced services that include a 24/7 nurse advice line, a new online personal health record, and a value-added dental discount program.

All Medicare members will continue to have access to the popular Health Care Concierge program, which provides a personal representative to assist each member through the complexities of Medicare.

In 2008, UPMC for Life will once again offer its “zero premium plan,” called UPMC for Life HMO, and is expanding the HMO service area by five additional counties: Cameron, Clarion, Elk, Forest, and McKean.

UPMC for Life HMO offerings in 2008 include:

• UPMC for Life HMO Plan: This plan features a $0 monthly plan premium and no referrals. It does not include prescription drug coverage but works well for persons who are not looking for such coverage or have the coverage through some other source.

• UPMC for Life HMO Rx Plan: This plan provides coverage beyond Original Medicare and has no deductible for Part D prescription drug coverage. The monthly drug premium is $26.50. 
  
  Medicare beneficiaries with PACE pharmacy coverage can enroll in this plan for a $0 monthly premium, as the state will pay the monthly premium on the member’s behalf. PACENET members will pay the monthly premium but will not have to pay the monthly deductible at the pharmacy.

• UPMC for Life HMO Rx Enhanced: This plan provides all the coverage of the Rx plan, lower copayments, and unlimited generic drug coverage. The monthly premium is $97.

UPMC for Life also offers a PPO Rx Enhanced plan that has a monthly premium of $122, a prescription drug plan, and a private fee-for-service plan. The UPMC for Life PPO service area is expanding in 2008 to include seven additional counties: Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Elk, Forest, Greene, and McKean.

UPMC for Life offers all HMO and PPO members:

• Health Care Concierge for personalized, quality service
• Access to a 24/7 nurse advice line
• Value-added dental discount program for individual members
• MyHealth Record, a personal health record to track health online
• Silver&Fit^TM, which includes fitness club membership and a home-based fitness and health education program  
• Assist America, the nation’s largest provider of emergency travel assistance services

“Serving the region’s Medicare-eligible population is important to the Health Plan,” said Diane P. Holder, president of UPMC Health Plan. “We are pleased to offer a selection of comprehensive and affordable options for Medicare coverage.”

Those approaching Medicare eligibility do not need to wait until they become 65 to begin acquiring information. They can enroll in a Medicare plan three months prior to their 65th birthday and may enroll in Medicare when they reach age 65 even if they do not retire at that time.

Persons enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B or who are approaching Medicare eligibility can enroll in UPMC Health Plan’s 2008 Medicare products beginning November 15, 2007. Coverage becomes effective January 1.
       
Those interested in more information about UPMC for Life can call the UPMC for Life Medicare Sales Department at 1-877-381-3765 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hearing-impaired may call the TTY number – 1-800-361-2629 – during those same hours. In addition, visit www.upmchealthplan.com for links to information about coverage plans and general information about Medicare.

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. 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, CHIP, Medical Assistance, behavioral health, employee assistance, and workers' compensation products and services to nearly 1 million members. Our local provider network includes UPMC as well as community providers, totaling more than 80 hospitals and more than 7,500 physicians in a 29-county region. For more information, visit www.upmchealthplan.com.

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