SURVEY HELPS SENIORS FIND TOP HMOS.Byline: Evan Pondel Staff Writer With California's growing elderly population facing soaring soaring: see flight; glider. soaring or gliding Sport of flying a glider or sailplane. The craft is towed behind a powered airplane to an altitude of about 2,000 ft (600 m) and then released. medical bills, Consumer Reports and the California California (kăl'ĭfôr`nyə), most populous state in the United States, located in the Far West; bordered by Oregon (N), Nevada and, across the Colorado River, Arizona (E), Mexico (S), and the Pacific Ocean (W). HealthCare Foundation released a new guide today to help choose the best Medicare HMO HMO health maintenance organization. HMO n. A corporation that is financed by insurance premiums and has member physicians and professional staff who provide curative and preventive medicine within certain financial, plan. In Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County, the Long Beach-based SCAN health plan SCAN (SCAN Health Plan) is an SHMO founded in Long Beach, CA in 1977. SCAN was formerly known as Senior Care Action Network. External links
SCAN also held the top slot for overall drug coverage. ``We found that SCAN offered the best financial value in Los Angeles County because of the company's ability to serve the consumers' needs,'' said Ann Monroe, director of the California HealthCare Foundation's Quality Initiative. ``It's important that these companies offer products that consumers would find appealing across the board.'' SCAN's performance can be attributed to its focus on an aging demographic, company officials said. All 53,000 members participate in the company's Medicare HMO plan. ``Our mission surrounds seniors and we continue to look for ways to develop this area,'' said Sherry sherry [from Jérez], naturally dry fortified wine, pale amber to brown in tint. The term sherry originally referred to wines made from grapes grown in the region of Jérez de la Frontera, Andalusia, Spain; today it may refer to any of the Stanislaw, vice president of operations for the company. Despite SCAN's overall strength, the company retained only 89 percent of its members in its Medicare plan for more than one year. Woodland Hills-based HealthNet did far better, retaining 99 percent of its Medicare members for more than a year. ``We believe the guide is in the public's best interest to provide information that helps individuals make informed decisions about their health plans,'' said Brad Kieffer, a spokesman for HealthNet. ``But we still feel it's difficult to base a decision solely on this guide because it doesn't show such popular features as discount programs.'' That's important to Lillene Fifield, a licensed clinical social worker from Studio City. Although the 60-year-old is five years away from eligibility for Medicare, she counsels a bevy bevy a flock of birds. of seniors who are in search of better plans. ``And anything that helps improve access to health care is always a useful tool for seniors,'' Fifield said. Although Kaiser Permanente's Senior Advantage plan fell to eighth place in Los Angeles, the company was No. 1 in Ventura County. The group received three stars, coupled with an average membership approval rating. But the most dramatic difference between the Oakland-based company's plan and other providers was its $75-a-month premium. ``Even though we have a premium, it represents the quality service we provide for our customers,'' said Jim Anderson Jim Anderson can refer to:
Quality service will become increasingly more important to seniors as the government struggles to control Medicare costs. Medicare spending rose 24 percent in the past five years, to $238 billion in 2001. Monroe said with these costs rising, the government will most likely attempt to trim Medicare expenses across the board. ``And with new legislation that locks seniors into their Medicare plans for at least six months starting in July, finding a decent plan will become a priority for many people,'' said Trudy Lieberman, director of the Center for Consumer Health Choices at Consumers Union. Even so, information about Medicare HMOs isn't always accessible, and while guides about the myriad Myriad is a classical Greek name for the number 104 = 10 000. In modern English the word refers to an unspecified large quantity. The term myriad is a progression in the commonly used system of describing numbers using tens and hundreds. plans are helpful, they're not always effective. ``My concern about information regarding Medicare HMOs is that it's not completely accurate and even if it is, seniors may have a difficult time finding the information,'' Fifield said. ``I subscribe to Verb 1. subscribe to - receive or obtain regularly; "We take the Times every day" subscribe, take buy, purchase - obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction; "The family purchased a new car"; "The conglomerate acquired a new company"; 'Consumer Reports' and other publications, but they're not always helpful.'' Around 250,000 postcards will be sent out to seniors in California regarding the free California Medicare HMO guide. Seniors will also be able to access the guide online at Calmedicare.org and Consumerreports.org. < The guide was compiled by the Consumers Union, which created a mathematical model
CAPTION(S): box Box: WHICH MEDICARE HMO's OFFER THE BEST VALUE? SOURCE: Guide to California Medicare HMOs Daily News |
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