Dean Health Plan goes retail at west towne mall for open enrollment
Contact:
Mary Carr Lee
(608) 824-6953
Mary.carrlee@deancare.com
Embargoed until November 17, 2014
Innovative Kiosk to Reach Consumers
MADISON Wis. (November 17, 2014) – This holiday season when you run by West Towne Mall to visit Santa, buy Grandma’s gift or that sweater for your favorite uncle, think about grabbing some health insurance information at the same time!
Dean Health Plan is believed to be the first health insurance company in the state to open a retail location to help consumers understand health care reform. Located in Madison’s West Towne Mall, The Dean Spot will be open for the entire open enrollment season, which began November 15, for individuals buying their own insurance. The idea is to provide customers face-to-face education and assistance as consumers continue to navigate the new rules of health care reform and purchase 2015 insurance plans just as they would other consumer items. The Dean Spot will also feature free biometric screenings, an interactive touchscreen monitor and educational brochures that clearly explain health reform options and benefits in a consumer-oriented manner.
“Our goal is to create a friendly environment where consumers can get help understanding the world of health insurance and the various cost-savings programs available to them,” says Product Manager Mitch Soetenga. “We’ll have a specialist in-person on weekdays and weekends to help explain the information available as well as answer any other health insurance questions.”
The Affordable Care Act has prompted insurance companies to look for ways to reach consumers in new and different ways. Companies nationwide are offering hands-on retail spots to help consumers understand their many options when buying health insurance.
“We’re entering into a new era of retail healthcare as the Affordable Care Act encourages direct purchase of health insurance, in addition to traditional use of our agent partners,” says Frank Lucia, President and CEO of Dean Health Plan. “We want to help individuals become smarter health care consumers with innovative shopping tools and ways to track health care spending.”
It’s estimated that 140,000 people in Wisconsin signed up for Marketplace plans during the first year of health care reform and millions more across the country will sign up this year. “While we recognize many people already get insurance through their employers or public programs, there is a growing number of people buying their own insurance, and they have questions,” says Lucia. “We want to make sure our valued members and potential members have all the tools they need to make informed decisions.”
This year’s Marketplace Open Enrollment runs from November 15 through February 15. You can view plan and rating information on Deancare.com/sign-me-up or by visiting The Dean Spot at West Towne Mall.
About Dean Health Plan
With access to more than 4,000 practitioners, at 185 primary care sites, and 28 hospitals, Dean Health Plan is one of the largest and most diversified HMOs in the Midwest. It maintains a position of leadership in insurance services through a physician-led integrated health system that improves the health status of its members and delivers a superior level of service and care. Products include HMO and freedom-of-choice insurance plans for commercial and individual customers, Medicare and Medicaid programs and third party administrator services.
Dean joined SSM Health in September 2013. SSM Health is a St. Louis-based integrated health system which features 19 hospitals nationwide, including St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison and Janesville, Wisconsin and St. Clare Hospital in Baraboo, Wisconsin.
###
