HAMMOND, La., March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- North Oaks Health System today announced the signing of a participating provider agreement with Humana Health Benefit Plan of Louisiana, Inc. to provide health care services to employees and families enrolled in Humana's commercial Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), self-funded (ASO) health insurance programs and HumanaOne individual plan.
Under the participating provider agreement, members of Humana's commercial insurance plans who receive insurance coverage through their employers will now have covered benefit access to all inpatient, outpatient, home health care, hospice and emergency services provided by the 355-bed North Oaks Medical Center and North Oaks Rehabilitation Hospital in Hammond effective March 1, 2005.
In addition, these plan members will now have access to family practice and specialty care physicians affiliated with North Oaks Health System clinics, including: North Oaks Family Medicine Clinics in Hammond and Independence and North Oaks Specialty Clinic and North Oaks PM Clinic, the latter two of which are located in Walker. The participating provider agreement also allows Humana commercial members benefit coverage through North Oaks Home Health and Hospice Agencies.
"We are pleased to welcome participants in the Humana health plans to our hospitals and medical clinics," comments James E. Cathey Jr., Chief Executive Officer of North Oaks Health System. "This agreement signifies a commitment by both organizations to provide Humana commercial members with convenient, community-wide access to the quality care and services that North Oaks Health System offers."
"As the Northshore's largest health care system, North Oaks Health System offers a comprehensive range of services that we are proud to offer our commercial members and employers," said Hassan Rifaat, M.D., President of Humana Health Benefit Plan of Louisiana, Inc. "The expansion of Humana's statewide participating hospital and physician network is a key to Humana's commitment to provide affordable health benefits to small- and mid-size employers currently facing double digit increases in health benefit costs. We are proud that we can now offer their employees access to this respected hospital system."
The addition of North Oaks Health System further strengthens Humana's statewide medical provider network that now offers members a choice of more than 81 participating hospital providers and more than 7,000 physicians throughout Louisiana.
About North Oaks Health System
North Oaks Health System is a community hospital organization with over 2,500 employees, physicians and volunteers. Facilities include North Oaks Medical Center, North Oaks Rehabilitation Hospital, North Oaks Heart Health Center (located within North Oaks Medical Center), North Oaks Diagnostic Center, North Oaks Family Medicine, North Oaks Home Health and Hospice Agencies, North Oaks Occupational Health Services, North Oaks Outpatient Rehabilitation Services, North Oaks Specialty Clinic and North Oaks PM. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.northoaks.org/ .
About Humana Health Benefit Plan of Louisiana, Inc.
Humana Health Benefit Plan of Louisiana, Inc. is one of the largest health benefit plans in the New Orleans market and the third largest in the state of Louisiana with approximately 150,000 commercial medical members and approximately 35,000 members in the MedicareAdvantage program.
Humana Health Benefit Plan of Louisiana Inc. is the only health plan in Louisiana to be awarded the Excellent Accreditation from NCQA twice in a row. "Excellent" is the highest accreditation awarded by NCQA, an independent, not- for-profit organization dedicated to measuring the quality of America's health care.
About Humana Inc.
Humana Inc. , headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the nation's largest publicly traded health benefits companies, with approximately 7 million medical members located primarily in 15 states and Puerto Rico. Humana offers a diversified portfolio of health insurance products and related services - through traditional and consumer-choice plans - to employer groups, government-sponsored plans, and individuals.
Over its 44-year history, Humana has consistently seized opportunities to meet changing customer needs. Today, the company is a leader in consumer engagement, providing guidance that leads to lower costs and a better health plan experience throughout its diversified customer portfolio.
More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company's web site at http://www.humana.com/ , including copies of:
- Annual report to stockholders; - Securities and Exchange Commission filings; - Most recent investor conference presentation; - Quarterly earnings press releases (including detailed description of unusual items, where applicable); - Audio archive of most recent earnings release conference call; - Calendar of events (includes upcoming earnings conference call dates, times, and access number, as well as planned interaction with institutional investors); - Corporate Governance Information.
Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030425/HUMANALOGOAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.comHumana Inc.CONTACT: Ross McLerran of Humana Corporate Communications,+1-504-219-5101, or rmclerran@humana.com ; or Michele Sutton of North OaksHealth System, Community Resources Group, +1-985-230-6647, ornohs@northoaks.org
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