US Family Health Plan at Martin's Point Reports 6% Growth for 2002

Enrollment surge for US Family Health Plan in Maine and N.H. tied to ongoing member satisfaction

PORTLAND, Maine - Enrollment in the US Family Health Plan offered by Martin's Point Health Care for families of active-duty military personnel, retirees and their eligible family members grew 6 percent in 2002, with 1,062 new members in Maine and New Hampshire.

Additional growth is projected for the US Family Health Plan this year, fueled in part by consistently high member satisfaction ratings, according to Dr. David Howes, president of Martin's Point.

"The growth of the US Family Health Plan is a clear indication that we continue to meet the needs and expectations of military dependents and retirees, both in Maine and New Hampshire," Howes said. "The enrollment increase is particularly impressive, given the volatile HMO market nationwide."

The US Family Health Plan, which has a 21-year history of providing prescription benefits, on-site patient advocacy and 24-hour access to health care services, as well as preventative-health and disease-management programs, is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense. The plan provides the TRICARE Prime managed-care program to more than 90,000 people through networks of community-based civilian hospitals and physicians in six designated service areas across the nation.

Portland-based Martin's Point is one of six designated providers of the US Family Health Plan. Others are located in Baltimore; Boston; Staten Island, N.Y.; Houston; and Seattle. Cleveland is also served by a designated provider currently, but recently chose not to continue with the designated provider program after completion of the current contract with the Department of Defense in May 2003. This decision was made so its parent organization can focus more on traditional commercial health-care programs.

Headquartered in Portland at 331 Veranda St., Martin's Point is a not-for-profit ambulatory health-care center with facilities in Portland, Brunswick and Windham, Maine, and in Portsmouth, N.H. In addition to offering health care services at the four Martin's Point facilities, the 19,000 members enrolled in the US Family Health Plan have access to an additional 300 contracted primary care physicians, 19 hospitals and 898 specialty providers through the plan's extensive Maine and southern New Hampshire provider network. Projects for expanding the network for plan members into even more locations then currently exist are continuously under way, which will broaden the opportunities for other eligible military beneficiaries.

Last year, an independent survey conducted by Market Street Research in Northampton, Mass., found that nearly 92 percent of military dependents and retirees served by the US Family Health Plan at Martin's Point were satisfied with their health plan. The 91.6 overall satisfaction percentage was even higher than the 2000 and 2001 survey results of 89.5 percent and 86 percent, respectively - and more than 30 percent higher than the national average of 59.3 percent for commercial HMOs.

Among the other 2002 survey findings were:

• Loyalty to the US Family Health Plan has been increasing steadily since 2000, with nearly 82 percent of members saying they would recommend the plan to their friends and family.
  
• 93 percent of members are satisfied with the quality of care.
  
• Nearly 84 percent of members continue to be highly satisfied with their ability to access needed care and were less likely to encounter waits on the day of their scheduled appointment.
  
• Satisfaction with specialty care (92 percent) remains high and is similar to levels recorded in 2001. The percentage is significantly higher than the national norm of 76.3 percent for specialists practicing through commercial HMOs.
  

Martin's Point Health Care clinics serve nearly 13,130 US Family Health Plan members and about 36,000 patients under other major commercial health plans. Established in 1981, Martin's Point serves patients in the areas of family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, radiology, cardiology and mammography, as well as other fields. For additional information on Martin's Point or the US Family Health Plan, visit online at www.martinspoint.org.

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