FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., Jan. 9, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Sometimes the best Customer Service is controlled by the customer. That's why Care Choices is launching the second phase of its Internet Self-Service (ISS), offering members the ability to go to the Web for secure access to their plan information 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The first phase, the physician portal, has been available since April, 2004.
The member and physician portals, developed for Care Choices by eHealth solution provider Abovehealth, are user-friendly and allow secure, real-time, direct access to Care Choices HMO health plan information via the Web where and when a person needs it.
Member Portal:
With just a few simple clicks of the mouse, members can:
-- View eligibility
-- View claims
-- View referrals
-- View benefit documents
-- Search the provider directory
-- Print maps and directions
-- Change primary care physicians
-- Request ID cards and more
According to Laurie Westfall, chief operations officer for Care Choices, "By giving our members more choices -- and offering some of the best technology available today -- we're trying to help make the health care benefits decision-making process easier. It's important to us that our members have convenient options that work for them."
"The ISS member portal is a secure site and opens the door for a new suite of health care decision-making tools we'll soon be offering," said Westfall. "Members will have a convenient way to access critical information and services to help them make informed decisions on managing their health -- especially important in light of the trend toward consumer-directed plans," said Westfall.
Physician Portal:
The ISS physician portal offers secure site access to physicians who need important patient coverage information at their fingertips. Like the member portal, it can be accessed 24/7 and offers physicians the convenience of looking for information where and when they need it.
The physician portal simplifies office administrative work, by making patient coverage information quick and easy-to-find, so physicians can concentrate on patient care. Marilyn Pagel of Huron Valley Urology said, "I have been using the claims tracking feature on the Care Choices web site and it is so much better than being on the phone. I used to use a system to check claim status using my speakerphone, which took much longer and was a distraction to others in the office -- not anymore. I know right away which claims need attention and which are on the way to being paid. I'm also finding more referrals on the web site."
Special features include:
-- Provider Search: Allows printing driving instructions for
office locations to give to members. Providers can also
update their office address, phone number and office hours.
-- Eligibility Reports: Print real-time member eligibility
reports.
-- Member Search: Access to member benefit coverage including,
copays, subscriber dependent information and member
eligibility history.
-- Claims Inquiry: Review the detail of current and past claims
submitted.
-- Explanation of Payment: Review how and when a claim was paid.
-- Referral/Plan Approval
-- Inquiry/Submit: Submit referrals/plan approvals and view the
status of referral/plan approval requests.
"We're thrilled to partner with Care Choices to enable their members and physicians to realize the immediate benefits of Internet self-service," remarked Abovehealth CEO, Jack Johnson. "The Abovehealth platform allows Care Choices and its constituents to automate many manual administrative processes, while delivering secure transactions and improved communications."
Westfall added, "By adding the new member portal and consumer-driven tools to our existing provider systems, Care Choices continues to move forward with technology. Our commitment to new technology ensures we are working to make our customers' lives less complicated and we will continue to grow and perfect our web functionality to make Care Choices the health benefits management company of choice for employers, providers and consumers."
About Care Choices
Care Choices is a health benefits management company and a subsidiary of Trinity Health, one of the nation's leading providers of health care services. Since 1986, Care Choices has been providing quality health care coverage to thousands of members throughout Michigan. The Care Choices suite of products includes Care Choices HMO, Care Choices PPO, Preferred Choices PPO and consumer-directed plans. Care Choices offers a broad, fully integrated network of physicians, hospitals and other health care professionals all sharing a strong commitment to improving the health status of the communities it serves by delivering effective and affordable health care. Care Choices HMO maintains the highest rating available of Excellent by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Care Choices HMO was rated by "U.S. News & World Report/NCQA America's Best Health Plans, 2005" as the seventh best commercial health plan among 257 nationwide. Care Choices was the top-rated plan in Michigan.
About Abovehealth
Founded in 2001, Abovehealth is a leading eHealth solution provider. Abovehealth maximizes value by combining strong, effective client service with a powerful web-portal product that addresses the needs of all health plan constituents: members, providers, employers, and brokers. Integrating seamlessly with existing claims and administrative systems, Abovehealth replaces costly manual and paper-driven transactions with automated workflow processes, real-time transactions, interactive communications, and personalized content. The company has made agreements with more than a dozen healthcare organizations, representing more than 5 million member lives. For more information, call 866-837-4538 or visit www.abovehealth.com.