Michigan Medicine, St. Joseph Mercy hospitals partner with Lansing health group on Medicare plan - MLive.com

ANN ARBOR, MI - Michigan Medicine and St. Joseph Mercy Health System have announced a partnership with a Lansing health plan to expand Medicare Advantage choices to Washtenaw and Livingston county residents.

The team-up with Lansing-based Physicians Health Plan will be marketed under the name UM Health + St. Joe's Advantage, according to a Sept. 29 Michigan Medicine news release.

The new partnership is open to residents eligible for Medicare in those counties starting Oct. 15 through the 2022 calendar year, the release states. This is the annual enrollment period for Medicare.

"The partnership with PHP and the addition of this new Medicare Advantage plan represents an important next step in which we continue to improve access to high quality care in our communities," Dr. David Miller, president of UM Health, the clinical branch of Michigan Medicine, said in a statement.

The UM Health + St. Joe's Advantage plans feature access to all Michigan Medicine providers, hospitals and ambulance services, the release states. In addition, primary and specialty care through the St. Joseph Mercy-affiliated providers Integrated Health Association and Huron Valley Physicians is covered, the release states.

"This new Medicare Advantage plan, with the support of our strategic health system partners, extends our personal care and service to southeastern Michigan, and gives seniors a new choice from trusted health systems, which now include Michigan Medicine and St. Joe's," Dennis Reese, PHP's president and chief executive officer, said in a statement.

PHP enabled the two hospital systems to expand its coverage area, Miller said.

"This plan enhances a care delivery model that uses the strengths of both Michigan Medicine and St. Joe's to benefit patients," he said in the release.

Michigan Medicine became a minority owner of PHP in 2019, joining Lansing-based Sparrow Health System. The next year, the PHP commercial health plan Michigan Care became available to Michigan Medicine and Sparrow Health employees, the release states.

In addition to the UM Health + St. Joe's Advantage plan starting Oct. 15, PHP also offers Sparrow Advantage in Clinton, Eaton, Gratiot, Ingham, Montcalm and Shiawassee counties. PHP also offers Covenant Advantage in Saginaw, Bay and Tuscola counties, as well as PHP Advantage in Calhoun, Jackson and Kalamazoo counties.

The partnership allows St. Joseph Mercy to "extend our mission" of providing an "extraordinary benefit to our local seniors," said Alonzo Lewis, president of St. Joseph Mercy in Ann Arbor and Livingston.

"St. Joe's mission is to improve the health of our communities," he said in the release. "We look forward to working with our partners on this exciting new venture."

The eligible enrollees have until Dec. 7 to sign up for a plan. The coverage will begin on Jan. 1, 2022.

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Rising COVID cases delay return to in-person work at Michigan Medicine

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