News Release - Choosing a Medicare Managed Care Plan - A Guide for Medicare Beneficiaries

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Joe Martin, Communications Director
717-232-6787 or

NEW PUBLICATION HELPS OLDER PENNSYLVANIANS CHOOSE A MEDICARE MANAGED CARE PLAN

Harrisburg, PA - November 21, 2003 - On behalf of Governor Edward G. Rendell, Department of Aging Secretary Nora Dowd Eisenhower and Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) Marc P. Volavka today announced the release of a new publication to assist older Pennsylvanians in selecting a Medicare Managed Care Plan.

Choosing a Medicare Managed Care Plan - A Guide for Medicare Beneficiaries, lists Medicare plans by region, giving comparisons on monthly premiums and copayments, listing how well each plan does on several quality measurements, providing descriptions of the benefits they offer, and presenting the results of patient satisfaction surveys.

"While the choices available to older Pennsylvanians can be confusing, this new publication is designed to help explain the options offered by Medicare Managed Care Plans," said Mr. Volavka. "For the third consecutive year, PHC4 is pleased to have a role in getting this easy-to-understand information into the hands of Medicare beneficiaries," he added.

"With such a range of managed care plans available, the Pennsylvania Department of Aging wants to ensure that Medicare participants have all the necessary information to make a decision based on their own unique situations," said Secretary Dowd Eisenhower. She added, "This guide will provide, in one publication, the differences in plan options - including premiums, plan benefits, out-of-pocket expenses, and important information about the quality of care provided to members."

Now, Medicare beneficiaries and their families can obtain the new publication, jointly issued by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) and the Pennsylvania Department of Aging.

Choosing a Medicare Managed Care Plan - A Guide for Medicare Beneficiaries is free and available by calling PHC4 at 717-232-6787 or the Department of Aging's APPRISE Program at 1-800-783-7067. The publication also is available online through the PA POWERPORT at http://www.state.pa.us, PA Keyword: "aging", or at http://www.phc4.org.