UPMC Health Plan Introduces UPMC Individual Advantage Plan Option

PITTSBURGH, April 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- UPMC Health Plan is introducing a new option for its UPMC Individual Advantage plan that is designed to incentivize members to make healthier lifestyle choices by rewarding them for taking care of their health.

Members who enroll in the Goals Plan will be able to earn money in a health incentive account (HIA) when they participate in various healthy activities. The money is funded by UPMC Health Plan. The member will use the funds in his or her HIA to pay for medical expenses such as deductibles and pharmacy costs. Unused funds will roll over to the following year.

"With the Goals Plan, members now have a plan that gives them incentives to make healthy decisions and rewards them for positive behavior changes that impact their health," said Kimberly L. Cepullio, Vice President, Sales and Account Management for UPMC Health Plan. "This plan incentivizes members for doing the things we should all be doing -- taking an active role in our health."

Members can earn up to $400 (for individuals) or $800 (for families) in their HIAs. Individual members can select either a $1,200 deductible or a $2,000 deductible, while families can choose from a $2,400 deductible or a $4,000 deductible.

Distinguishing the Goals Plan from other incentive plans in the region are the more than 150 healthy activities that members can choose to participate in to earn incentives. Other comparable plans offer fewer than five activities that are available for incentives.

Activities include having preventive screenings as well as dental and general physical exams; completing an online health risk assessment; and attending telephonic or online sessions on physical activity, nutrition, and weight management.

Under this plan, primary care, specialist visits, and prescriptions are covered before members reach their deductible. In addition, dental care - including oral exams, x-rays and routine cleanings - is covered. Members can also earn funds in their HIA for having a dental exam.

Goals Plan members will also receive free access to MyHealth, the nationally acclaimed health and wellness program developed by UPMC. MyHealth guides and motivates members to live the healthiest lives possible through online programs, tools, and over-the-phone advice.  Health coaching programs designed to help members quit tobacco use, lose weight and reach health goals, are also available free through the Goals Plan.     

The Goals Plan will be available in 29 counties in western Pennsylvania beginning May 1, 2013.  For more information about the Goals Plan, call 1-877-563-0292 or visit www.upmchealthplan.com.

About UPMC Health Plan
UPMC Health Plan, the second-largest health insurer in western Pennsylvania, is owned by UPMC, an integrated global health enterprise. The integrated partner companies of the UPMC Insurance Services Division - which includes UPMC Health Plan, UPMC WorkPartners, LifeSolutions (EAP), UPMC for You (Medical Assistance), and Community Care Behavioral Health - offer a full range of group health insurance, Medicare, Special Needs, CHIP, Medical Assistance, behavioral health, employee assistance, and workers' compensation products and services to over 2 million members. Our local provider network includes UPMC as well as community providers, totaling more than 135 hospitals and more than 11,500 physicians throughout Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland. For more information, visit www.upmchealthplan.com.

SOURCE UPMC Health Plan