SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
Saint Mary’s Health Plans (SMHP), which includes CDS Group Health, remains a strong statewide health insurance carrier with 120,000 fully-insured, self-funded and network members and we will continue to provide quality products and services to the employers and members we serve.
Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center (SMRMC) and Medical Group will be sold to Prime Healthcare Services and the transaction is expected to be finalized by June 30, 2012. Saint Mary’s Health Plans is not part of this transaction. Our organization will remain a Dignity Health member and we will continue to operate in the same manner as we are today.
As a condition of the sale, Saint Mary’s Health Plans will contract with Prime Healthcare Services and SMRMC will remain a provider for SMHP members. As such, members will still be able to access network benefits for care at Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center and Medical Group.
Saint Mary’s Health Plans is firmly committed to maintaining the same top-line health care resources our brokers, clients and members access. Additionally, our staff will work closely with all health plan members to ensure they understand their scope of benefits and address any questions or concerns.
Saint Mary’s Health Plans is dedicated to the state of Nevada and meeting the insurance needs of the communities we serve. We fully expect this transition will help strengthen our existing operations and allow us to expand and offer additional services in the future. Our goal to provide the very best health care benefits to Nevada remains steadfast.
About Saint Mary’s Health Plans
Saint Mary’s Health Plans (SMHP) was established in Reno, Nev. in 1993, initially as a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) affiliated with Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center. Through substantial growth it now consists of HealthFirst, the HMO; Point-of-Service health plans; Saint Mary’s Preferred Health Insurance Company, which provides PPO health plans; and CDS Group Health, a third-party administrator. Additionally, SMHP owns the Preferred Health Care Network (PHCN), a local provider network. SMHP’s HealthFirst HMO/POS is accredited by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), which involves a rigorous review of SMHP consumer protection and quality improvement systems. SMHP’s access to network providers includes 34 hospitals and over 3,500 providers statewide, in addition to providers outside of Nevada through network lease arrangements. For more information, please visit our website at www.saintmaryshealthplans.com.
About Dignity Health (formerly Catholic Healthcare West)
Dignity Health, headquartered in San Francisco, CA, provides integrated, patient and family centered care to more than five million people annually. It is the fifth-largest health system in the country with nearly 10,000 physicians and 55,000 employees across Arizona, California, and Nevada. Through its network of 115 ancillary care sites and 40 acute care hospitals, Dignity Health is committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality, affordable health care services with special attention to the poor and underserved. In 2011, Dignity Health provided more than $1.4 billion in charity care, community benefit, and unreimbursed patient care. For more information, please visit our website at www.dignityhealth.org.
