Care Choices Launches New Agent Advisory Council

Health Plan seeks ‘first-hand’ knowledge of consumer needs

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., Nov. 1, 2005—In an effort to build on its success of being the top-rated commercial HMO in Michigan and seventh best in the nation,1 Care Choices launched a new Agent Advisory Council—an advisory board comprised of Michigan independent insurance agents. The purpose of the council is to seek input from agents—who have day-to-day contact with employers and consumers—to design products and processes that anticipate their future needs.

“The health care industry is undergoing a revolution,” said Jelka Petrovic, chief marketing officer, Care Choices. “There are huge advances in medicine, an increasing concern about cost, and it’s crucial that health plans adapt quickly to changing needs. Our agents are our ‘eyes and ears’ and can bring a real-time perspective as to what employers and consumers are requesting.”

The council is comprised of ten agents representing a variety of agencies that span an area between Port Huron and Brighton, who will serve non-consecutive terms of one and two years. The agent council will have the opportunity to work with representatives from Care Choices senior leadership, operations, pharmacy, medical management, finance, underwriting and sales/marketing.

The first of the quarterly meetings was held on October 10, 2005 where the council provided input for developing products to meet the needs of small group employers facing competitive pressures, such as cost, profit margins and recruiting/retaining a quality work force.

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 is rated 7 among 257 Commercial plans nationwide and is the top-rated plan in Michigan, according to NCQA/U.S. News & World Report “Best Health Plans, 2005.”

1. Source:U.S. News & World Report/NCQA “America’s Best Health Plans, 2005.” “America’s Best Health Plans” is a trademark of U.S. News & World Report.