Affinity Health Plan Covers HPV Vaccination

Affinity offers Gardasil - a new HPV vaccine - to female members ages 9 to 26.

Bronx, NY (Vocus) May 10, 2007 -- Affinity Health Plan recently made available Gardasil, a vaccine that helps prevent certain types of the human papillomavirus (HPV), to its female Members ages 9 to 26. Gardasil helps prevent against the most common types of HPV that cause cervical cancer and genital warts.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), HPV has become increasingly common in recent years with approximately 20 million people currently infected. The CDC states that by age 50, at least 80 percent of women will have acquired genital HPV infection.

"HPV has become a serious problem across the country and particularly in New York City," says Dr. Susan Beane, Affinity's Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. "By providing Gardasil we are offering our membership a preventative approach to better managing their health."

All types of HPV can cause Pap test abnormalities, including some that have serious consequences, including the development of cervical cancer. The CDC states that approximately 10 of the 30 identified genital HPV types can lead to the development of cervical cancer.

Affinity Health Plan covers the vaccine for females age 19 through 26 as a medical expense, and reimburses vaccine administration for females ages 9 through 26.

To speak with an Affinity representative regarding HPV vaccination coverage, please contact Max Meng, communications director, at (718) 794-5799 or email mmeng(at)affinityplan.org.

About Affinity

Affinity Health Plan is an independent, not-for-profit corporation designed specifically to serve the needs of low-income residents in the New York metro area. Founded in 1986 as The Bronx Health Plan, Affinity was the first health plan licensed in New York State specifically to serve government-sponsored populations, and, to a large extent, served as the development model for the State's Medicaid managed care program. Affinity also served as a pilot for State premium support programs for the uninsured.

Its programs are sponsored by New York State and include Child Health Plus (https://www.affinityplan.org/chp.asp), Family Health Plus (https://www.affinityplan.org/fhp.asp), Medicaid managed care (https://www.affinityplan.org/medicaid.asp), and UniCare (https://www.affinityplan.org/unicare.asp). In October 2006, Affinity announced that it had been approved by the Center for Medicare (https://www.affinityplan.org/medicare.asp) & Medicaid Services (CMS) to operate two Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans in the five boroughs of New York City. Enrollment of Members for its two programs, Affinity Medicare Ultimate and Affinity Medicare Solutions, began in January 2007.

Affinity's mission is to improve the health of underserved populations by providing comprehensive, high-quality health care coverage, and by striving, in collaboration with its primary care providers, to improve care-seeking and care-giving.

For more information visit www.affinityplan.org or call (866) 247-5678.

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