Medford Health Care Org Top-Ranked

For Second Consecutive Year, Industry Analysis Ranks Network Health Among Top MMCOs

The following announcement is from Network Health, a Medford-based non-profit health plan serving over 160,000 low-to-moderate income residents with MassHealth and Commonwealth Care. It is one of five health plans the state has contracted to offer these services.

The recent PayerView Rankings report released by athenahealth, Inc., a provider of Internet-based business services to physician practices, and Physicians Practice, America’s leading practice management journal for physicians, ranked Network Health as one of the top two performers among Massachusetts Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MMCOs) for the second consecutive year.

athenahealth, Inc. and Physicians Practice publish PayerView Rankings yearly to ensure transparency and integrity within the health care management system. The report’s analysis creates awareness about processes and procedures that medical practices and insurance organizations use, and highlights improvements and administrative efficiencies that reduce care management costs.

“Network Health welcomes athenahealth, Inc. and Physicians Practice’s analysis because the data shows our continued focus on rigorous operational practices and high-quality standards,” said Christina Severin, president of Network Health, Inc. “Network Health has been and remains committed to ensuring efficient and accurate claims processing to help ease the burdens facing health care providers who serve patients with Medicaid.”

According to the report, Network Health excelled in the prompt payment of providers, had a low percentage of denied claims, and had a nearly perfect rate of eligibility accuracy.

Network Health is at the forefront of creating administrative efficiencies. In February 2009, the Massachusetts Division of Health Care Finance and Policy released a report showing Network Health maintained the lowest administrative expense ratio of any Massachusetts health plan.

About Network Health

Since 1997, Network Health has provided access to high-quality health care to Massachusetts residents with low and moderate incomes. Based in Medford, Mass., Network Health is a comprehensive health plan serving members through its Network Health Together® (MassHealth) and Network Health Forward® (Commonwealth Care) plans.

Network Health provides its Network Health Together members with all the benefits of MassHealth, plus additional free and discounted benefits. Network Health’s Commonwealth Care plan extends access to affordable health care for qualified Massachusetts residents 19 years or older who earn at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level, or up to approximately $32,496 a year for an individual (up to approximately $66,156 a year for a family of four). In addition to core health care benefits, Network Health offers its Network Health Forward members extra benefits designed to encourage wellness.

Network Health is nationally recognized for its integrated model of care, which provides a team of in-house medical, mental health, social service, and pharmacy professionals to coordinate the care of members with complex health needs and address their nonmedical barriers to care. In its efforts to improve the health and well-being of its members and their diverse communities, Network Health partners with a growing network of 18,000 primary care providers, specialists, hospitals, and community organizations to serve members in more than 300 cities and towns across Massachusetts.

Individuals must be eligible for MassHealth to join Network Health Together, a MassHealth plan. To learn about MassHealth eligibility, Massachusetts residents can contact the MassHealth Enrollment Center at 888-665-9993 (TTY: 888-665-9997), Monday through Friday, 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Once enrolled, MassHealth members can learn about their MassHealth health plan options by calling the MassHealth Customer Service Center at 800-841-2900 (TTY: 800-497-4648), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

To learn about Commonwealth Care health plan options, call the Commonwealth Care Customer Service Center at 877-MA-ENROLL or 877-623-6765 (TTY: 877-623-7773), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Or visit www.mahealthconnector.org.