Medical Mutual takes over HealthSpan insurance

March 03--Medical Mutual of Ohio is acquiring the group and individual health insurance business of HealthSpan Partners.

On March 1, Medical Mutual announced the deal with HealthSpan, endorsing the Cleveland-based insurer as its replacement health insurance carrier.

The deal calls for HealthSpan to continue to insure its members enrolled in employer-sponsored plans through their renewal date or Aug. 21, whichever comes first, and individual members through Dec. 31, said Jared Chaney, Medical Mutual's chief communications officer.

HealthSpan members do not need to do anything now; Medical Mutual will contact HealthSpan's individual and group customers with information about replacing their current coverage.

"Medical Mutual has plans with comparable coverage based on rates, benefits and provider network, which, depending on the plan, is likely to include the same physicians offered by the HealthSpan network," Chaney said.

"We are going to work hard to transition as much of the HealthSpan membership to us as we can," he said. "We think we will be a great fit for them."

There are 4,300 members of HealthSpan in the Lorain-Elyria area, according to Medical Mutual.

HealthSpan in December 2015 announced it would close its HealthSpan Physicians group as of March 31, according to a notice posted at www.healthspan.org.

HealthSpan also no longer will operate its 11 medical facilities in Avon, Bedford, Chapel Hill, Cleveland Heights, Concord, Fairlawn, Parma, Rocky River, Strongsville, Twinsburg and Willoughby.

However, starting April 1, The MetroHealth System, is to reopen the HealthSpan facilities in Cleveland Heights, Parma, Bedford, and Rocky River to provide care to HealthSpan members. Summa Health intends to reopen HealthSpan's facilities in Chapel Hill on May 1 and Fairlawn on April 1 to provide care for HealthSpan members, according to HealthSpan.

HealthSpan also noted members using the Avon and Strongsville locations would have choices among nearby provider locations in the HealthSpan network to receive care.

HealthSpan also said the company would communicate with members about care options in our Concord, Twinsburg and Willoughby facilities.

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