AmeriChoice Expands TennCare Member Access to Specialty Care With Investment in Local Telehealth Programs

AmeriChoice Expands TennCare Member Access to Specialty Care With Investment in Local Telehealth Programs Grants Enable Community Health Network and Tennessee Primary Care Association to Expand Reach of Medical and Behavioral Health Specialists

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AmeriChoice by UnitedHealthcare of Tennessee, today announced a strategic agreement with the Community Health Network (CHN) and Tennessee Primary Care Association (TPCA) to expand the use and availability of telehealth services across Tennessee, resulting in improved access to care for Tennessee’s rural patients. The initiative is based on months of planning with the State of Tennessee in support of Gov. Phil Bredesen’s eHealth initiative.

AmeriChoice will support telehealth staffing and further infrastructure development around the state with a grant of approximately $290,000 to CHN. The investment makes it possible to enrich and expand telehealth access by purchasing additional specialized telehealth equipment. It also will add new specialties to the network, working with TPCA to more fully integrate behavioral health into primary care.

The program will expand the number of TennCare members and others in rural areas who can be treated by a medical or behavioral specialist using telehealth technology, while the patient remains at a local community health center near their hometown. AmeriChoice also awarded a separate $40,000 grant to TPCA to support virtual Continuing Medical Education opportunities for providers using CHN’s telehealth network.

“AmeriChoice is proud to join this effort as part of the innovative work under way throughout our company, helping to put Tennessee at the forefront of using telehealth to improve access to care, improve quality and achieve greater efficiencies in the delivery of health care for TennCare members,” said Eric Paul, president, AmeriChoice of Tennessee. “Tennessee is fortunate to have a governor who is health-care-savvy, understands the challenges of today’s health care environment and is committed to overcoming those challenges through partnerships like this.”

This partnership comes as AmeriChoice’s parent company, UnitedHealth Group, is expanding the use and accessibility of telehealth technology across its businesses. Earlier this month in Washington, D.C. UnitedHealth Group launched Connected Care, a program that will focus on building the first national telehealth network, in partnership with Cisco and other technology leaders. The Connected Care mobile clinic, an 18-wheel demonstration clinic that showcases how telehealth works, will visit Tennessee as part of a national tour so communities coast to coast can experience the future of health care delivery. The mobile clinic will visit Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis on July 29, 30 and 31, respectively.

“Rural patients will benefit greatly from expanded access to primary and specialty health care services at local community health centers,” said Melissa Hargiss, director of Tennessee’s Office of e-Health Initiatives. “Tennessee continues to lead in expanding telemedicine, and the incredible opportunities it provides for improving health care at the point of care, to all of our citizens.”

In a telehealth visit, a local community health center is connected to a specialist in one of Tennessee’s urban centers, where the physician is able to see and talk with the patient, observe real-time medical data and imaging, and gather other medical information using high-speed connections, specialized video equipment and digital medical devices. The Community Health Network already operates its own telehealth network at about 80 locations serving rural and underserved populations across Tennessee. It provides access to psychiatrists, dermatologists, perinatal specialists, pediatric subspecialists, ophthalmologists, and interpreters in 13 languages.

“When a patient is referred to a specialist in a strange city the visit often requires time off from work, a long drive, and maybe even overnight accommodations,” said Keith Williams, CEO of Community Health Network. “Community Health Centers are dedicated to helping patients in their communities get the care they need locally, including specialty care. Thanks to technology and to this AmeriChoice grant we can do even more for rural Tennesseans.”

In addition to the grants, AmeriChoice has shown its commitment to telehealth by implementing standard billing codes and procedures for TennCare telehealth visits in order to assure appropriate reimbursement for facilities and practitioners at both ends of the telehealth transaction.

About AmeriChoice by UnitedHealthcare

AmeriChoice by UnitedHealthcare is a Medicaid managed care organization that provides medical and behavioral health care services to TennCare members in East, Middle, and West Tennessee. AmeriChoice is the country’s premier provider of high quality, personalized public sector health care programs, serving more than 2.6 million people in Medicaid, Medicare and Children's Health Insurance Programs in more than 20 states and the District of Columbia. AmeriChoice is a unit of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company. Visit www.americhoice.com for more information.

About Community Health Network

The Community Health Network, Inc. (CHN) is a 501c3 not-for-profit corporation whose members include 17 community health center organizations and the Tennessee Primary Care Association (TPCA), collectively operating approximately 100 clinics. CHN’s mission is to improve the quality and efficiency of health care delivery for medically underserved communities by providing affordable, integrated technology systems, expertise, and related services for community health centers. For more information go to www.CommunityHealth.net.

Patients interested in scheduling a telehealth appointment at a participating community health center, or specialists interested in participating on the CHN Telehealth Network, should call 866-519-2464 x4.

About Tennessee Primary Care Association

Tennessee Primary Care Association (TPCA) is a nonprofit corporation connecting Tennesseans with a health care home, especially the medically underserved. Since its inception in 1976, TPCA committed to 1) identifying unmet needs and gaps in service access, 2) developing systems of care, 3) advocating for resources, and 4) promoting awareness of Community Health Centers. Membership includes 34 nonprofit primary care clinics across the state operating over 150 sites providing comprehensive medical care. For more information go to www.TNPCA.org

UnitedHealthcare

Gregory Fisher, 615-493-9524

[email protected]

or

Jeff Smith, 952-931-5685

[email protected]

Source: AmeriChoice

Copyright Business Wire 2009 AmeriChoice by UnitedHealthcare of Tennessee, today announced a strategic agreement with the Community Health Network and Tennessee Primary Care Association to expand the use and availability of telehealth services across Tennessee, resulting in improved access to care for Tennessee’s rural patients.