VNSNY CHOICE Acquires New York-Presbyterian SelectHealth Health plan for people living with HIV/AIDS

~ A Sustainable Care-Driven Solution for New Yorkers with HIV/AIDS and their Families ~

NEW YORK, June 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- VNSNY CHOICE, an affiliate of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, the nation's largest not-for-profit provider of home- and community-based health services, has received approval from the State of New York to acquire the New York-Presbyterian System SelectHealth  (NYPS) health care plan for people living with HIV/AIDS and their families.  Effective June 1, 2012, the health plan will become VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth, and members will be automatically transitioned into the new plan unless they choose to disenroll and receive their health insurance elsewhere.

The Visiting Nurse Service of New York is the largest provider of HIV/AIDS services in NYC, and has been on the frontlines addressing the needs of New Yorkers coping with the disease since before it was officially reported by the CDC in 1981. VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth is a Special Needs Plan for Medicaid-eligible New Yorkers living in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan or Queens. The plan provides an expanded array of special HIV/AIDS care and services to adults who have the disease and their children.

All VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth members will have their own team of expert caregivers led by a Nurse Care Manager who will supervise and coordinate comprehensive care customized for each member. NYPS staff will transition to VNSNY CHOICE as well, further ensuring continuity of care throughout the process and into the future. Members' benefits will be consistent with the existing plan and nearly all doctors and hospitals currently associated with the NYPS plan are in the VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth provider network. 

"We see VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth as a safety net for a vulnerable population of New Yorkers who have special medical, psychological and social needs," says Christopher Palmieri, president of VNSNY CHOICE Health Plans.  "Our aim in acquiring this plan is to build on and expand the excellent work that New York Presbyterian began with SelectHealth, and to ensure sustainability that will support New Yorkers with HIV/AIDS and their families in the years to come."

The plan provides easy access to a variety of specialists in HIV and other fields of medicine such as cardiology, dermatology, pulmonary medicine or endocrinology. The specialty provider network is available to all VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth members, and can be coordinated at many of New York's leading medical centers as well as other New York State Department of Health-designated AIDS Centers. Members do have an option to select a different Medicaid managed care plan.  For more information about VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth services and eligibility visit:

www.VNSNYCHOICE.org/SelectHealth.

"As the largest provider of HIV/AIDS services in NYC," Palmieri says, "we know firsthand how important it is to provide personalized, customized care by trusted experts who understand the special needs of families coping with HIV or AIDS. We've worked very closely with New York Presbyterian to ensure that every SelectHealth member has a seamless transition to our plan."

For almost fifteen years, VNSNY CHOICE Health Plans have supported Medicaid and/or Medicare eligible New Yorkers with customized health coverage that addresses the individual needs of each member. Using an innovative nurse-led, team approach to coordinated care, all members have a dedicated Nurse Care Manager who serves as a personal liaison with the member's physician and other health specialists. Based on the VNSNY community-based, visiting nurse model that has been keeping New Yorkers safe at home for over a century, the VNSNY CHOICE approach encourages preventive health and lifestyle choices that foster well-being and independence.

About VNSNY CHOICE Health Plans

VNSNY CHOICE is an affiliate of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York and shares its mission to care for the most vulnerable New Yorkers: the poor, the chronically ill and the elderly, many suffering with multiple chronic conditions. With more than 20,000 members, CHOICE offers an array of health plans for New Yorkers eligible for Medicare, Medicaid or both, all designed to help those with complex health needs live safely and independently at home for as long as possible.  Our Medicaid Managed Long Term Care plan (MLTC) is the largest program of its kind in New York State, serving more than 10,500 members. VNSNY CHOICE also offers Medicare Advantage plans, including a Special Needs Plan for Dual Eligibles.  Additionally, CHOICE has a Medicaid Advantage Plus option, an integrated plan that combines a Medicaid plan with the benefits of a Medicare Advantage plan. Visit www.VNSNYCHOICE.org or call 1-855-AT-CHOICE (1-855-282-4642) for more information.

About The Visiting Nurse Service of New York

As the largest not-for-profit home health care agency in the nation, VNSNY serves more than 30,000 New Yorkers daily. VNSNY has the capabilities and resources to deliver a full range of home health care services throughout the five boroughs of New York City as well as in Nassau and Westchester counties.  Services include short and long-term home care, including skilled nursing, rehabilitation therapy, HHA and companionship services, behavioral health, nutritional guidance and infusion care; services for children and families; end of life services; community mental health services; paraprofessional services, and private care services. http://www.vnsny.org

SOURCE Visiting Nurse Service of New York