Champaign, IL -(Effingham Radio)-
Beginning January 1, 2020 all Health Alliance members can seek services at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center. This includes individual and employer group products. The contract between Health Alliance and Sarah Bush continues for the Health Alliance Medicare Advantage plans as well.
Health Alliance Medical Plans and Sarah Bush Lincoln have entered into a five-year contractual partnership giving local healthcare consumers access to all products from the local health plan company and the local health system.
A commitment to integrated care at Health Alliance means patients at Sarah Bush Lincoln will have a health plan that seamlessly connects them to doctors, services and treatments needed.
Health Alliance’s provider-owned insurance model covers approximately 240,000 commercial and Medicare Advantage members in Illinois, Washington, Iowa, Ohio, Indiana and North Carolina. For the third year in a row, Health Alliance earned J.D. Power’s designation for “Highest Member Satisfaction among Commercial Health Plans in the Illinois/Indiana Region.”
Additionally, high quality service at Health Alliance has resulted in:
- 80 percent member retention rate
- 90% claims processed within 13 business days
- 96.4% providers very satisfied with Health Alliance
“Considering our history in east-central Illinois dates back more than 35 years, we are thrilled to enter into this direct partnership with an organization that has a commitment to the health of the communities we serve,” said Health Alliance Chief Operating Officer Sinead Rice Madigan. “For more than 40 years, Sarah Bush Lincoln has served patients from Coles County and its surrounding areas with high-quality healthcare services. That’s why we believe a local health plan option will support this already excellent healthcare experience.”
Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center is a 145-bed, not-for-profit, regional hospital in Mattoon, IL. Medical staff includes approximately 189 providers representing 28 specialties. In addition to home health services offered to the surrounding 19 counties, Sarah Bush also provides a full range of acute care services to residents of Coles County and the surrounding eight counties. This includes:
- A regional cancer center
- A heart center
- A surgery center
- Women & children’s services
- A Level II Perinatal Unit
- Medical-surgical units
- Behavioral health services
- And more
Sarah Bush Lincoln Chief Financial Officer Dennis Pluard cited a few reasons for the new contract. “Sarah Bush Lincoln has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, including the acquisition of the operations of Fayette County Hospital in Vandalia and several medical practices in Effingham (orthopedic, primary care, surgical care and interventional pain) where Health Alliance owns a considerable share of the insurance market. We needed to be active in this health plan to better serve the community.”
Pluard added, “We’re pleased with the contract and look forward to serving our patients’ healthcare needs in East Central and Southern Illinois.”
In 2019, Sarah Bush Lincoln earned recognition as a Top Rural Hospital nationally by The Leapfrog Group.
This display of excellence stems from safety and quality performance that is better than the top 6% of hospitals in the nation. From acknowledgments like this to a 2018 recognition for “Excellence in Employee Safety,” the dedication to high quality healthcare remains a bedrock of Sarah Bush Lincoln.
For more information about Health Alliance commercial, individual and Medicare healthcare coverage, please visit healthalliance.org. Review sarahbush.org for information on Sarah Bush Lincoln’s services.
