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State offers HealthPartners patient advocates program for state employees
September 15, 2006
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The State of Minnesota today announced a new patient advocacy program that will improve the quality and efficiency of health care services for about 120,000 state employees and their family members. The program Advantage Health Advisors (AHA) is the culmination of a year-long joint effort by the Department of Employee Relations and the State's Joint Labor Management Committee on Health Plans.
A key element to the AHA program is the availability 24 hours a day, seven days a week of specially trained health advocates to help state employees and their family members with services including:- Finding the best provider
- Accessing the right care more quickly and efficiently
- Answering benefits questions
- Coordinating care with multiple providers
- Resolving claims and bill disputes
Recent reports indicate a growing number of employers are offering patient advocacy services in their health care plans.
"This will help employees and their families make informed decisions about spending their health care dollars so that they get the right care from the right provider at the right time," said Acting Department of Employee Relations Commissioner Matt Kramer.
The State of Minnesota is contracting with HealthPartners for AHA! which is available to state employees and their families including those who have coverage through the state's other insurance carriers (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota and Preferred One).
"This is another way to resolve health care issues more quickly, which will improve health and productivity while lowering costs," said Kramer.
About HealthPartners
Founded in 1957, the HealthPartners (www.healthpartners.com) family of healthcare companies serve more than one million medical and dental health plan members nationwide. It is the largest consumer-governed, nonprofit health care organization in the nation, providing care, coverage, research and education to improve the health of members, patients and the community. For the third year in a row, HealthPartners is rated one of the best commercial health plans in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, NCQA's "America's Best Health Plans 2007" and is ranked "Highest in Member Satisfaction among Commercial Health Plans in the Minnesota-Wisconsin Region" by J.D. Power and Associates.
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