October 10, 2006, Charleston, SC – Southeast Community Care will now offer a new health plan for Medicare-eligible beneficiaries in the 4 county Charleston region. Provided by Arcadian Health Plan, Inc., Southeast Community Care is a comprehensive health care plan that offers Medicare beneficiaries that have Medicare Part A and B reduced health care costs while ensuring excellent care and access to specialists.

“Individuals eligible for Medicare now have a choice,” said John Sirigos, Executive Director for Southeast Community Care. “This is a great opportunity for Charleston because it fills an unmet need in the community. Southeast Community Care covers everything Medicare does, including Medicare Prescription Drug coverage, and even more benefits such as preventive services, for less cost.”

When federal Medicare laws were updated in 2003, it created an opportunity for Medicare Advantage plans like Southeast Community Care to be offered in previously under-served mid-sized communities like Charleston. Medicare beneficiaries in the largest metropolitan areas like Atlanta have had several Medicare options for years, but such options were generally not available in smaller cities because of Medicare regulations and reimbursement rates.

Following a coordinated-care model that uses a network of local doctors and hospitals for enrollees to choose from, beneficiaries are able to enjoy a greater range of benefits with Southeast Community Care compared with traditional Medicare. Southeast Community Care offers two benefit plan options: the Plus Plan has no monthly premium, while the more comprehensive Premier Plan is only $38 per month. The health plan is available to beneficiaries in Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, and Dorchester counties.

“This is a milestone for Medicare eligible individuals in Charleston,” said Sirigos. “Southeast Community Care provides an important new health care option, and this is great for the community and Medicare beneficiaries who live here.”

Southeast Community Care will be hosting a series of town hall meetings and free informational seminars starting in October for Medicare beneficiaries so that they can learn more about Medicare health plans and the Medicare Prescription Drug Program, and to explain Southeast Community Care products. Medicare eligible individuals in Charleston will be receiving announcements about these meetings through the mail and newspaper ads.

“We’ve found in other communities where we have health plans, like Texas and Arkansas that people have questions about Medicare health plans and the changes to their Medicare benefits and what these changes mean to them,” said Sirigos. “The town hall meetings and seminars are a great chance to get answers to questions and clear up any confusion.”

“We’re a locally operated organization,” said Sirigos. “If people have questions either before or after joining the plan, we’re here to answer them in person. We have an office in Charleston and anticipate growing even more in the future,” he said.

Southeast Community Care is provided by Arcadian Health Plan, Inc. Founded in 1996 by John Austin, M.D., Chairman, Arcadian Health Plan, Inc. is a national Medicare Advantage health plan provider. Arcadian’s locally operated Medicare health plans are currently offered in Austin and El Paso Texas, and the Little Rock and Northwest areas of Arkansas, Spokane and the Tri-Cities area of Washington state and Northern Arizona. Arcadian is expanding to offer local Medicare health plans in parts of Oklahoma, South Carolina, Georgia and Maine and even more counties in Arkansas and Texas. For more information call toll-free 800-998-3055 (TTY/TDD 866-573-8613).

ARCADIAN GROUP ARCADIAN MANAGEMENT SERVICES