HNE Medicare Advantage Plans Now Offered in Berkshire County

SPRINGFIELD — HNE Medicare Advantage plans will now be available to eligible beneficiaries living in Berkshire County.

“We are very excited about expanding our Medicare Advantage plan options to Berkshire County. HNE has offered our commercial plans in Berkshire County for several years,” said Maura McCaffrey, HNE Chief Operating Officer. “In 2010, we expanded our offerings to include our Medicaid plan option, HNE Be Healthy. Now the residents of Berkshire County will also be able to join an HNE Medicare Advantage Plan.”

HNE Medicare Advantage Plans have received a five-star rating by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) for plan year 2012. The five-star rating is Medicare’s highest rating, and reflects a plan’s overall performance. Medicare determines a plan’s overall performance rating based on information from member-satisfaction surveys, HEDIS (quality-effectiveness data) results, and CMS-monitoring data. A plan can get a rating between one and five stars. These ratings help prospective members compare plans based on quality and performance.

“We are very proud of this achievement,” said Peter Straley, HNE president and CEO. “HNE’s quality program is comprehensive, focused on ensuring that high-quality, cost-effective care and services are provided to all HNE members, regardless of the type of coverage they have with us: employer group, individual, Mass Health, or Medicare Advantage. This rating is a testament to all the hard work we do with our members and providers.”

HNE offers a variety of Medicare Advantage Plan options to meet the specific needs of Medicare beneficiaries. Some plan options offer pharmacy benefits, while others can be purchased without the pharmacy benefit. There is also a plan option that allows members to access services outside of the network. HNE plans include all of the hospitals in the Pioneer Valley and Berkshire Health Systems. HNE’s Medicare Advantage Specialists will begin to offer information sessions for residents of Berkshire County in October 2012. For more information about HNE’s Medicare Plans, visit hne.com/medicare or call (877) 431-2115 or (800) 439-2370 .