HealthAmerica And HealthAssurance Contract With Children's Hospital Of Philadelphia
HARRISBURG, Pa., Jan. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthAmerica and HealthAssurance have signed an agreement with The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, adding one of the nation's premier pediatric hospitals to their network. Children's Hospital operates the largest pediatric health care system in the U.S. with nearly 50 locations in southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
"The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is recognized as one of the finest pediatric hospitals in the nation and in the world," said Robert L. Dawson, president and CEO of HealthAmerica and HealthAssurance. "Its focus on quality care is unsurpassed. Our agreement with them ensures that our young families in southeastern Pennsylvania can receive the best pediatric health care possible."
The new agreement greatly enhances HealthAmerica's expansion into southeastern Pennsylvania. HealthAmerica received approval to expand its service area in southeastern Pennsylvania in 2003. Since that time, it has been building a network of health care providers in the region. It anticipates continued network development activity throughout 2005.
"This agreement is good news for children," said Steven M. Altschuler, MD, president and CEO, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "These are challenging times for health care providers. It is critically important that families have access to the best pediatric care available. We are very pleased to have established this agreement with HealthAmerica and HealthAssurance."
Founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was ranked as the best pediatric hospital in the nation by U.S. News & World Report in 2004 and Child magazine in 2003. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric health care professionals, and pioneering major research initiatives, Children's Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country, ranking second in National Institutes of Health funding among children's hospitals. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 430-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents from before birth through age 19.
You can find more information about The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia online at http://www.chop.edu/ .
About HealthAmerica and HealthAssurance
HealthAmerica Pennsylvania, Inc., has a 30-year record in managed care. HealthAmerica, HealthAssurance Pennsylvania, Inc., and affiliate companies cover over 730,000 members in Pennsylvania and Ohio through HMO, POS, PPO, Medicaid, and Medicare Advantage plans. In addition, HealthAmerica earned an "Excellent" Accreditation for its HMO plan and HealthAssurance earned an "Excellent" Accreditation for the HealthAssurance POS by the National Committee for Quality Assurance, an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to measuring the quality of America's health care.
With corporate offices in Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, HealthAmerica and HealthAssurance provide managed health care products and services to over 11,000 employers in Pennsylvania and Ohio. HealthAmerica and its affiliates employ over 1,500 people in Pennsylvania. For more information, visit HealthAmerica's website at http://www.healthamerica.cvty.com/ .
HealthAmerica and HealthAssuranceCONTACT: Kendall Marcocci, Director of Communications of HealthAmericaand HealthAssurance, +1-717-540-6746, or kmarcocci@cvty.com ; or Peggy Flynn,Director, Media Relations of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia,+1-267-426-6050, or flynnp@email.chop.edu