Family Health Network Continues Rapid Growth of Provider Network for Medicaid Consumers
Chicago, Illinois (PRWEB) February 09, 2014 -- The Family Health Network (FHN), a nonprofit health plan serving Medicaid recipients, has seen its network of providers double over the last three years, from 2,078 primary-care physicians, specialists, hospitals and clinics in 2010 to 4,299 at the close of 2013.
The FHN network grew by nearly 15 percent in 2013, sustaining the dramatic growth spurt since 2010. Key additions to the network last year include the Erie Family Health Center (EFHC) and UIC Hospital.
“Erie felt that Family Health Network would be a good business partner as Illinois moves to a managed care model for Medicaid. As a provider-owned company with roots in the local safety-net health care system, FHN understands Erie’s mission and shares our commitment to helping our patients maintain good health. From a business perspective, FHN demonstrated flexibility in meeting Erie’s business needs as well as serving the interests of our patients,” said Lee Francis, President and CEO, EFHC.
The FHN provider network expanded 32 percent in 2011 and 36 percent in 2012. The number of network specialists increased by 107 percent through 2013. The number of Cook and Collar County hospitals in the network increased from 29 to 49 over three years.
FHN brings 18 years of experience in the community outreach and engagement that is essential to positive health outcomes. FHN is pioneering member engagement strategies that are showing real results. FHN membership has grown to 88,514 from 44,510 three years ago.
“Medicaid recipients are increasingly being enrolled in managed care plans, and our long experience serving these populations has taught us that community-level outreach and education is the key to achieving positive health outcomes," said Keith Kudla, FHN CEO. “As other Medicaid health plans have come and gone, we have grown and are well positioned to contribute to better health quality for Medicaid enrollees entering managed care plans.”
About FHN
Family Health Network (FHN) was founded in 1995 with an important objective – bringing quality health insurance to those who need it the most. FHN is the only not-for-profit managed care community network serving Chicago and Cook County, and is directed by local health care providers. In our 18 year history, we’ve developed strong and lasting relationships with our medical providers and greatly improved overall access to medical care for the families and individuals we serve.
About Erie
Erie Family Health Center delivers high-quality, culturally-sensitive, bilingual health care to more than 45,000 medical patients and 9,000 dental patients. Our community-based health care centers are portals to high-quality care – and a higher quality of life – regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. Since 1957, when the Erie Family Health Center was first established as a volunteer clinic by doctors from Northwestern Memorial Hospital, it has been our mission to consider health care a right, not a privilege. Today, Erie serves patients from 12 sites, including six large primary care facilities (three with integrated, on-site dental care), five school-based health centers and the only freestanding comprehensive teen health provider in Chicagoland.
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bob kettlewell, JRK Strategies, LLC, +1 (312) 543-0524, [email protected]
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