At Independent Health, we believe the best path to making the health care system both more efficient and more effective is to have your primary care doctor at the forefront of your health. When your doctor serves as the central source for information and guidance on your health history and needs, he or she is able to coordinate your care properly and focus on your overall well-being.

In the spirit of fostering collaboration among health care providers and our members, Independent Health will be offering a new plan in 2014 called Independent Health’s Network AdvantageSM HMO Plan. This unique plan will give our members access to a network of primary care doctors who are focused on providing them with higher quality care and a greater overall patient experience. The Network Advantage plan will be available to Erie and Niagara County residents only as of January 1, 2014.

How the Network Advantage plan works

The primary care providers who participate with the Network Advantage plan will work together with dedicated care coordinators and specialists to make sure our members are receiving the quality care they deserve. This collaborative approach will help enhance our members’ care through:

• Better communication and coordination between doctors.

• Better patient-physician relationships.

• More efficient primary doctor and specialist office visits.

• More appropriate treatments tailored to each member’s needs.

Network Advantage plan members will also have prescription coverage and enjoy greater cost savings, including $5 copays for primary care doctor visits, in-patient hospital copays as low as $400 and a monthly plan premium of $37.20 Please note: Members who qualify for EPIC or Full Extra Help may have their premium lowered to $0.

A variety of plans to choose from

In addition to our Network Advantage plan, Independent Health will continue to offer plans that are designed to meet our Medicare Advantage members’ individual needs. This includes Independent Health’s Encompass 65® Essential HMO-POS plan, which is our $0 monthly premium plan with prescription coverage.

All of our Medicare Advantage plans have comprehensive benefits* that are designed to help our members maintain an active and healthy lifestyle. For example, our Healthy Benefits fitness benefit allows our members to join a participating fitness location of their choice and have access to all the facility’s amenities—treadmills, free weights, fitness classes and more. We also provide vision and preventive dental coverage on most plans.

Stop by a Medicare Information Center to get your RedShirt Benefit Review

To ensure that Western New Yorkers are well-informed when it comes to their Medicare coverage, Independent Health has once again opened several Medicare Information Centers** that are available to the entire community during the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 through December 7).

We have five centers throughout the region that are staffed by our Medicare RedShirtsSM, including our year-round sites in Cheektowaga/Depew, Orchard Park and Williamsville. Visit a Medicare Information Center for your exclusive RedShirt Benefit Review where we will meet with you one-on-one to help you find the Medicare Advantage that is right for you.

“Our Medicare Information Centers offer greater access and convenience to seniors seeking information on the various Medicare plan options,” said Linda Rehrauer, Director of Government Sales. “They give people a place to visit whenever it’s easiest for them and allow them to get their questions answered by our friendly and knowledgeable RedShirts in a comfortable setting.”

Independent Health’s Medicare Information Centers are open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the following locations:

Williamsville – New location!
Independent Health Family Branch YMCA
150 Tech Dr.

Cheektowaga/Depew
Valu Plaza
(Across from Wegmans)
620 Dick Road

Lakewood
Independent Health
66 Chautauqua Avenue

Orchard Park
Tops Plaza
(Near Tim Hortons)
3223 Southwestern Boulevard

Tonawanda
Youngmann Plaza
746 Young Street

We’re here to help!

If you any questions about Independent Health’s Medicare Advantage plans or Medicare Information Centers, please call us at (716) 635-4900 or 1-800-958-4405, Monday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. TTY users: 1-888-357-9167.

Independent Health is a Medicare Advantage organization with a Medicare contract offering HMO, HMO-SNP, HMO-POS and PPO plans. Enrollment in Independent Health depends on contract renewal.

*Benefits vary by plan. The benefit information provided is a brief summary, not a complete description of benefits. For more information contact the plan. Limitations, copayments, and restrictions may apply. Benefits, formulary, pharmacy network, provider network, premium and/or copayments/coinsurance may change on January 1 of each year.

**A sales representative will be present to assist with information and applications. For accommodations of persons with special needs at sales meetings, please call (716) 635-4900 or 1 (800) 958-4405, Monday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. TTY users: 1-888-357-9167.

H3362_C4014_1 Accepted 09152013