UnitedHealthcare Takes Action to Help People Affected by Storm in Connecticut

  • Assistance for people who need immediate access to care or early refills of prescription medications

HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- UnitedHealthcare is taking immediate action to help people in Connecticut who may be affected by the recent winter storm and resulting power outage. Actions include special measures to help ensure UnitedHealthcare plan participants in Connecticut can continue to have access to care and prescription medications; and financial support of the Red Cross’ relief efforts in affected communities.

Plan participants in Connecticut are offered the following relief measures, effective immediately:

  • Access to Care: Plan participants who have been displaced from their homes or whose network medical facility or physician is not accessible, and require assistance or special accommodations, can call customer care at the number located on the back of their medical ID card for assistance. If necessary, customer care professionals will help affected individuals obtain in-network benefits if a network provider is not available. If a UnitedHealthcare plan participant does not have their medical ID card, they can call 866-633-2446, 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. (in the local time zone), Monday through Friday.

    This includes plan participants enrolled in all fully insured commercial products, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement plans and Medicaid plans. This policy is effective from Oct. 29, 2011, and will remain active until at least Nov. 12, 2011. UnitedHealthcare also encourages plan participants who are dependent on home-based medical equipment, such as dialysis machines or ventilators, to contact their attending physician if they need to discuss alternatives due to the extended power outage.
  • Early Prescription Refills: Individuals who have been displaced or do not have access to their medications will be able to have prescriptions refilled early. Plan participants obtaining a refill are asked to alert the pharmacist that they were affected by the storm in order to ensure the early prescription refill request is processed appropriately.

    This includes plan participants enrolled in all fully insured commercial products, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, Medicare Part D offerings or Medicaid plans (as applicable) insured through UnitedHealthcare. For mail-order delivery service to affected areas or any other questions related to their prescriptions, people are encouraged to call the pharmacy number on the back of their medical or prescription ID card, or speak directly to their pharmacist about their situation in order to get an early refill, if necessary.

    This policy is effective from Oct. 29, 2011, and will remain active until at least Nov. 12, 2011.
  • Support for the American Red Cross: Through a $500,000 annual commitment, UnitedHealthcare participates in the Annual Disaster Giving Program of the American Red Cross, which is offering shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to people in the affected communities.

About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; provides nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 650,000 physicians and care professionals and 5,000 hospitals nationwide. UnitedHealthcare serves more than 38 million people and is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company.



CONTACT:

UnitedHealthcare
Daryl Richard, 860-306-8526 (cell)

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Connecticut  Minnesota

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:   Health  Pharmaceutical  General Health

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