BEND, Ore. - (Business Wire) Clear One Health Plans, Inc. (OTCBB:CCHN) received notice from the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) of its intent to award the Company a contract for the Healthy KidsConnect Plan, which is expected to be available January 1, 2010. Clear One Health Plans would be a regional health insurance carrier offering the new individual health plan specifically designed for Oregon’s uninsured children in partnership with the Office of Private Health Partnerships (OPHP). The plan would provide affordable, accessible health care coverage to Oregon children under the age of 19 throughout Central and Eastern Oregon, Marion, Polk, Douglas, and Josephine counties, and portions of the metropolitan Tri-county area. The Clear One Healthy KidsConnect Plan would offer comprehensive medical care including regular checkups, preventive care, prescription drugs, mental health, chemical dependency, vision, dental, and care management services to children who are currently uninsured. “Over 116,000 children in Oregon are currently without health insurance coverage," said Patricia Gibford, President and Chief Executive Officer of Clear One Health Plans. “Our Clear One Healthy KidsConnect plan would offer commercial coverage and provide access to high quality physicians for children, who are most in need, at little to no cost.”
As the regional carrier, Clear One Health Plans would provide children in underserved populations with access to a vast array of high quality providers through a unique alliance of physician partnerships throughout Oregon, including the Mid-Valley Independent Physicians Association (IPA), Douglas County Individual Practice Association (DCIPA), and Mid Rogue Independent Physician Association (IPA). “Mid-Valley IPA is excited to be involved in this very necessary partnership with Clear One Health Plans to help deliver care to children in Oregon," stated Jan Buffa, Chief Executive Offer of Mid-Valley Independent Physicians Association. “Our goal is to be a compassionate and responsible partner in offering our expertise to ensure this program's success.”
The Mid-Valley IPA has approximately 530 practicing primary and specialty care providers serving Salem, Santiam, Silverton, and West Valley hospitals, and provides services to over 385,000 people in Marion and Polk counties. DCIPA includes nearly 89% of all health care providers in Douglas County, which includes over 145 physicians serving 105,000 citizens throughout the county. Mid Rogue IPA includes more than 70 practicing physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, and Behavioral Health counselors in Josephine and Jackson counties.
Any child under the age of 19 can apply. Children must live in and be a legal resident of Oregon, and have been without health insurance for two months with the exceptions for certain circumstances such as a parent’s job loss or a child’s serious medical need. The state of Oregon will subsidize premiums on a sliding scale based on the size of the family and the household’s average income for the past two months. Premium subsidies will range from 70-85% if the household income is less than 300% of the federal poverty level, which is approximately $66,000 for a family of four. For households with income greater than 300 percent of federal poverty level, the family will pay the full premium. For more information about the Healthy KidsConnect plans, call Shonda Dahl with Clear One Health Plans at 888-863-3637. To enroll, visit www.oregonhealthykids.gov.
About Clear One Health Plans, Inc.
Clear One Health Plans offers affordable health plans to meet the needs of employers, providers, and consumers. The Company provides health insurance, including Medicare Advantage plans, commercial plans, individual plans, and administrative services to individuals and businesses throughout the West. The Company also offers life, disability, dental, vision and voluntary benefits programs, as well as employee benefit services to self-funded employers, associations, Taft-Hartley Trusts, and Chamber of Commerce plans. Clear One is dedicated to the development of community-based employee benefits programs, health insurance, and ancillary plans. For information call 888-863-3637, visit www.clearonehp.com.
Safe Harbor statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
Certain statements contained in this press release are forward-looking in nature and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements are within the meaning of that term in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934, as amended. The words “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “appears,” “will,” and similar expressions and variations thereof identify certain of such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the dates on which they were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
Clear One Health Plans, Inc.
Patricia Gibford, President & Chief Executive Officer, 541-330-8114
patricia.gibford@clearonehp.com
or
Ruth Bauman, Executive Vice President, Corporate Analytics and Government Programs, 541-330-7312
ruth.bauman@clearonehp.com
