Thursday, June 02, 2011
 
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Springfield Clinic to offer HealthLink Open Access (Tier 1) to state of Illinois employees

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[June 02, 2011]  SPRINGFIELD -- Following a vote by its board of directors on Wednesday evening, Springfield Clinic has announced it will offer HealthLink Open Access (Tier 1) to state of Illinois employees.

InsuranceThis addition to Springfield Clinic's in-network insurance coverage comes in response to recent changes to the health insurance plans available to state of Illinois employees, which has affected more than 100,000 downstate workers and dependents.

"We're incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support we've received from our state of Illinois patients," stated Mark Kuhn, chief administrative officer at Springfield Clinic. "It was evident they did not want to change doctors, and we certainly didn't want to lose them as patients, so we looked for a solution that would preserve those important patient-provider relationships."

Springfield Clinic has accepted HealthLink insurance plans for years, but HealthLink has not been offered to state employees until now.

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Kuhn added, "HealthLink has been an excellent partner in our patients' care for more than 10 years, so we're confident in the service they will deliver."

By enrolling in HealthLink Open Access (Tier 1), state of Illinois patients can expect full continuity of coverage and continuity of care from their current plan.

"The transition to the Tier 1 Open Access Plan, or OAP, should be absolutely seamless. The HealthLink benefit applies to all doctors, all locations and all services that Springfield Clinic provides," Kuhn noted.

The HealthLink plan will also enable new patients to attach to Springfield Clinic's health care network. Callers can ask for TeleNurse assistance to identify and select a physician in accordance with their medical needs and personal preferences. A comprehensive list of physicians, mid-level providers, services and locations can be found at http://www.springfieldclinic.com/ForPatients.

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State employees have until June 17 to finalize the selection of their health insurance plan. Employees who may have already enrolled in another insurance option can change to HealthLink until the June 17 deadline. Coverage becomes effective July 1. For more plan details, visit http://www.state.il.us/cms/
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To assist state of Illinois employees with their insurance questions, Springfield Clinic has established a special help line. Patients can call Springfield Clinic at 217-528-7541 or 800-444-7541 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and ask for the "State Employee Hotline."

"We understand how anxious this situation has been for state of Illinois employees, and we appreciate their patience as we've formalized arrangements with HealthLink," Kuhn said. "State employees can enroll in the HealthLink Open Access (Tier 1) plan and continue to receive the same high-quality care and excellent service they've come to expect from Springfield Clinic."

For a complete list of in-network insurance plans currently accepted at Springfield Clinic, visit http://www.springfieldclinic.com/Insurance.

[Text from file received from Springfield Clinic]

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