DETROIT, Sept. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The Wayne County HealthChoice(TM) program and Blue Care Network of Michigan are partnering to provide low-cost health care coverage to up to 1,000 young adults and to up to 500 part-time and temporary workers living in Wayne County. Enrollment begins Oct. 1.
The Wayne County HealthChoice Young Adult program will offer health care coverage to persons 18 to 30 years old who live in Wayne County. The young adult can be a full or part-time worker, and/or a full or part-time student at a college, university or other institution. Program members will have a $250 deductible.
The Wayne County HealthChoice Tempro program will offer coverage to part- time and temporary workers who live in Wayne County. Program members will have a $500 deductible.
To qualify for either of the programs, a person must earn $30,000 or less a year, and be ineligible for other health care coverage. There are additional requirements as well.
Under both the Young Adult and Tempro programs, a person will pay a monthly premium of $85 which will be matched by Wayne County HealthChoice. Additional copayments and deductibles will apply for certain services. Members will receive benefits and services that include:
* Preventive care * Routine care (non life-threatening) and follow-up care * Urgent and emergency care, and ambulance services * Hospital care * Diagnostic services * Pharmacy services * Dental and vision screenings
Both programs feature a $15 copayment for office visits, $100 copay for emergency room visits, 50 percent copay for prescription drugs, and a maximum of $1,500 in out of pocket costs.
“Wayne County has made a special commitment to protecting the health care safety net,” said Robert A. Ficano, Wayne County executive. “We’re fortunate to have the public and private sectors working together to provide solutions for small businesses and our residents who need affordable, quality health care. Blue Care Network is one of the most respected names in health care, and HealthChoice is known as a great choice for quality, affordable medical coverage. Together, BCN and HealthChoice are a perfect team for those who need the services provided by the Tempro and Young Adult programs.”
“I would like to congratulate Blue Care Network in joining with HealthChoice of Michigan in the effort to provide much needed programs for both young adults and temporary workers in Wayne County,” said Kwame Kenyatta, Wayne County commissioner and chairman of the HealthChoice of Michigan board of trustees. “Currently, there are many families and companies struggling to make ends meet. With the unemployment rate exceeding 15 percent in Detroit, it is especially important to provide health care services for those who are working and/or going to school. Having these programs available certainly will help improve the quality of life for our temporary workers and young adults attending college or a trade school program.”
“We are very pleased to partner with Wayne County HealthChoice to provide this health care coverage to people in Wayne County who otherwise would be uninsured,” said Kevin Seitz, Blue Care Network president and CEO. “These programs dovetail nicely with the Blues’ social mission, of which one of the components is improving access to health care for the uninsured.”
More information on the Tempro and Young Adult programs can be obtained by calling 1-800-WELL-NOW (935-5669).
Wayne County HealthChoice is a managed care-type program that provides limited health care benefits to Wayne County residents, small businesses, their employees and families.
Blue Care Network of Michigan has more than 462,000 members, award-winning disease management programs and the largest HMO network of physicians and hospitals in the state, with more than 3,100 primary care physicians, 7,600 specialists and 110 hospitals. Blue Care Network is the HMO affiliate of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For further information, visit http://www.MiBCN.com.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan; Wayne County
CONTACT: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan: Helen Stojic,+1-313-225-8113, or Jon Ogar, +1-517-322-4320; Wayne County: Teresa Blossom+1-313-224-5109
Web site: http://www.MiBCN.com/
