HealthPartners receives 2009 Community Pride Award

Awards were presented May 31 at the Ritz Theater in Minneapolis

June 1, 2009

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - HealthPartners was recently honored with the 2009 Community Pride Award. The award recognizes nonprofit and community groups that make a difference in the lives of Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transgender (GLBT) people. HealthPartners, along with three other Pride Award recipients, were honored on Sunday, May 31, at the Ritz Theater in Minneapolis.

"We are honored to be recognized for our commitment to provide care that is the best for each individual patient regardless of gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status or sexual orientation," said Jo-Ellyn Pilarski, senior program associate for HealthPartners Institute for Medical Education. Pilarski is a former member of the Twin Cities Pride board of directors and received the 2008 HealthPartners Wilbur Thomas Community Service award for her ten years of dedication and commitment to the Twin Cities Pride organization and GLBT community.

In 2006, HealthPartners won the "Recognizing Innovation in Multicultural Health Care Award" from the National Committee for Quality Assurance. HealthPartners addresses care for GLBT youth who are at risk for violent hate crimes and suicide, and individuals who might be more susceptible to certain diseases or cancers.

Other 2009 Pride Award recipients include: Sam McClure, Executive Director of Twin Cities Quorum, for the Everyday Hero Award, SUPERVALU for the Corporate Achievement Award and Gilbert Baker, creator of the Rainbow Flag for the Grand Marshal Award.

Stop at the HealthPartners and Regions Hospital booth (#3090) at the GLBT Pride/Twin Cities Festival on June 27-28. Look for Petey P. Cup, HealthPartners mascot in the Pride Parade on June 28.

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About HealthPartners
Founded in 1957, the HealthPartners (www.healthpartners.com) family of healthcare companies serves 1.25 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 fourth 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 "Americas Best Health Plans 2008."

Contact: 952-883-5305
Pager: 651-629-0411