For Immediate Release
August 21, 2008
Mercy Hospital-Scranton and Geisinger Health Plan reach new agreement
DANVILLE, PA –Mercy Hospital and Geisinger Health Plan have agreed to a new contract to provide health services to Geisinger Health Plan (GHP) members.
Mercy Hospital Interim President and CEO John M. Starcher, Jr., addressing the new GHP agreement, said, “We are pleased to provide GHP patients access to the full array of excellent diagnostic and treatment services here at Mercy Health Partners. Mercy is a faith-based, mission driven healthcare facility with deep roots in Northeastern Pennsylvania. We warmly welcome GHP patients to the caring family of Mercy.”
The new terms went into effect July 1 and will be effective for 4 years. The contract includes services at Mercy Hospital and Mercy Special Care.
“We are pleased to be able to offer our members the services of Mercy-Scranton through this multi-year agreement,” says Joseph Haddock, GHP’s vice president of sales. “We look forward to working together to provide high quality, affordable health care for the benefit of our members.”
Approximately 22,500 residents of Lackawanna County are enrolled in GHP. Begun in 1985, Geisinger Health Plan is one of the nation’s largest rural HMOs and serves approximately 265,000 members in 38 counties throughout northeastern and central Pennsylvania.
About Mercy Hospital
Founded by the Religious Sister of Mercy, Mercy Health Partners is part of Catholic Healthcare Partners (CHP). The Hospital cares for the community guided by a set of six Core Values. These Core Values of Excellence, Compassion, Human Dignity, Justice, Service and Sacredness of Life underscore the charitable mission of the hospital. In deed, Catholic Healthcare Partners’ mission is to extend the healing ministry of Jesus by improving the health of our communities with emphasis on people who are poor or under-served. While operating as efficiently as we can, Mercy treats all who come to us for care within the framework of its Mission and Core Values. Mercy Hospital has earned the distinction of being named a Top 100 Hospital in the United States for Cardiovascular Care for four consecutive years by Thomson Healthcare.
About Geisinger Health Plan
Begun in 1985, Geisinger Health Plan serves more than 220,000 members in 42 counties throughout northeastern and central Pennsylvania. Geisinger Health Plan has held the highest accreditation level from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) since 1993. In addition, GHP was named one of the top ranked plans in Pennsylvania and ranked #33 across the nation in the U.S. News & World Report/NCQA America's Best Health Plans 2007 list.
Geisinger Health Plan members have access to complete health-care benefits ranging from preventive care and routine office visits to hospital care and major surgery. Coverage is available for businesses of all sizes, individuals and families, and Medicare beneficiaries. PPO and high deductible plans are sold through Geisinger Quality Options, Inc. Self-funded plans are sold through Geisinger Indemnity Insurance Company.
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For more information, please contact
Lisa Hartman, (570) 271-8135
Jack Coyle, (570) 348-7878