MANAGEMENT ADVISORY #10-022
DATE: September 29, 2010
TO: Agency and University Personnel Officers and Benefit Coordinators
FROM: Michelle Robleto, Director
SUBJECT: Coventry Health Care (formerly VISTA) ad in the Tallahassee Democrat
Some of your employees and retirees may have seen an ad that ran yesterday in the Tallahassee Democrat http://dms.myflorida.com/index.php/content/download/74395/440035. The ad is about the termination of the contract between Coventry Health Care and Tallahassee Primary Care Associates (TPCA). The contract is scheduled to terminate effective January 1, 2011. This means that TPCA will remain in-network for Coventry members through December 2010.
Open enrollment began this week and is the best time of year for employees and retirees to make choices about coverage that will take effect on January 1, 2011. If your employees or retirees are affected by this contract dispute, this open enrollment period is their best opportunity to determine if they want to make any changes for 2011.
The ad placed by Coventry was not approved by us prior to being placed in the paper. Please note that contract negotiations between our health plans and their participating providers do not result in 2011 rate increases to the state or to our members.
Our employees and retirees should never choose a health plan based solely on the participation of a particular physician, hospital or other provider. A provider’s network status is always subject to change. A provider leaving an HMO’s network is not a Qualifying Status Change event that will allow our members to change health plans.
Please encourage your employees and retirees to read their Benefit Guide for the 2011 Plan Year or visit www.MyFlorida.com/MyBenefits to learn about all of their health plan choices. They may also wish to visit a benefit fair if one is convenient. The benefit fair schedule can be seen at http://www.myflorida.com/mybenefits/Health/Medical_Plans/Annual_Enrollment2011.htm.
We serve those who serve Florida.