WATERTOWN, Mass. and PROVIDENCE, R.I., April 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Tufts Health Plan has been selected by the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health & Human Services (EOHHS) as a new choice for residents who receive RIte Care and Rhody Health Partners benefits. This represents the first time in seven years that Rhode Island has offered a new Medicaid plan option in the state.

"With our mission to improve the health and wellness of the diverse communities we serve, the opportunity to serve more Rhode Island residents is exciting for us," said Tom Croswell, president and CEO of Tufts Health Plan. "We look forward to working with Governor Raimondo and the state to support their efforts to improve Medicaid in Rhode Island. It's our intent to offer a Medicaid plan that provides excellent value and service."

By choosing RITogether, Medicaid beneficiaries will see the integration of their primary and behavioral health care through Tufts Health Plans' member-focused care management programs. 

"We are ecstatic that Rhode Islanders receiving Medicaid will now have another great option for administering their health care benefits," said Patrick Tigue, Rhode Island's Medicaid director. "Tufts Health Plan has an outstanding reputation and we are happy they will partner with us and expand in our state."

Tufts Health Plan has offered health insurance to large and small employers in Rhode Island since 2009. Tufts Health Plan is nationally recognized for its commitment to providing innovative, high-quality health care coverage and continually ranks among the top health plans in the country based on quality and member satisfaction.

"We will work hard for our members to make sure they get the care they need and fully understand their benefits, as well as the tools, resources and programs that are available to them," said Helene Forte, who will lead RITogether for Tufts Health Plan. "We will leverage our already strong partnerships with the provider community to make sure our members receive high quality, high value health care."  

Tufts Health Plan's expansion in Rhode Island will bring new jobs across the state, with roles ranging from care managers and other clinical staff to provider and customer service representatives. The company is also making plans to expand to a bigger office in Rhode Island.

Rhode Islanders new to Medicaid can choose Tufts Health Plan for coverage that begins on June 1, 2017. Existing Medicaid beneficiaries will be able to choose Tufts Health Plan beginning this summer during open enrollment. Visit TuftsHealthPlan.com/RITogether for more information.

About Tufts Health Plan
Tufts Health Plan is nationally recognized for its commitment to providing innovative, high-quality health care coverage. Staying true to our mission of improving the health and wellness of the diverse communities we serve, we touch the lives of more than 1.1 million members in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire through employer-sponsored plans; Medicare; Medicaid and Marketplace plans, offering health insurance coverage across the life span regardless of age or circumstance.

We continually rank among the top health plans in the country based on quality and member satisfaction:

• Our private HMO and PPO plans are rated 5 out of 5 and our Medicaid plan is rated 4.5 out of 5 by the National Committee for Quality Assurance.ⁱ
• Our Tufts Medicare Preferred HMO and Senior Care Options plans received a 5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the highest rating possible.ⁱⁱ

To learn more about how we're redefining what a health plan can do, visit tuftshealthplan.com/ourstories. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

ⁱ The National Committee for Quality Assurance Private Health Insurance Plan Rankings and Medicaid Health Insurance Rankings 2016-2017.

ⁱⁱ Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-Star rating system. Star Ratings are calculated each year and may change from one year to the next. For more information on plan ratings, go to www.medicare.gov. Tufts Medicare Preferred HMO plans received 5 out of 5 stars for contract year 2016 and 2017.

Contact: Kathleen Makela
kathleen_makela@tufts-health.com
857-304-8293

SOURCE Tufts Health Plan

Related Links

http://www.tuftshealthplan.com