UnitedHealth Group Takes Immediate Action to Help People in Red River Valley
- Toll-free help line to assist residents dealing with stress and anxiety brought on by the evolving flood situation
- Affected Medicare Advantage and Part D plan customers can obtain early prescription refills
- UnitedHealthcare to assist customers requiring access to medical care
MINNEAPOLIS (March 31, 2009) - UnitedHealth Group and its family of companies, including UnitedHealthcare, Ovations, OptumHealth and Prescription Solutions, are taking the following actions to help those affected by the evolving Red River Valley flood situation:
Help Accessing Network Physicians and Facilities: UnitedHealthcare health plan customers who are displaced and need assistance or special accommodations should call the telephone number on the back of their medical ID cards. If necessary, customer care professionals will help them obtain in-network benefits for out-of-network services if a network provider is not available. This policy is effective immediately and will remain active until April 3, 2009. UnitedHealthcare will continue to monitor this evolving situation.
Early Prescription Refills: UnitedHealth Group is temporarily allowing people enrolled in its Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans, including SecureHorizons
®, who identify that they have been affected by the flood, to obtain early refills of their prescription medications if they have refills remaining on file at a participating retail or mail-order pharmacy. This policy is effective immediately and will remain active until the conclusion of the emergency.
These policies are effective in the following North Dakota counties and Indian Reservations:
| North Dakota Counties & Indian Reservations |
| Adams |
Emmons |
McKenzie |
Richland |
| Barnes |
Foster |
Mclean |
Sargent |
| Benson |
Grand Forks |
Mercer |
Sioux |
| Billings |
Grant |
Morton |
Spirit Lake |
| Burleigh |
Hettinger |
Nelson |
Standing Rock |
| Cass |
Kidder |
Oliver |
Stark |
| Cavalier |
Lamoure |
Pembina |
Stutsman |
| Dickey |
Logan |
Ramsey |
Walsh |
| Dunn |
McIntosh |
Ransom |
Williams |
The OptumHealth Help Line is now open at (866) 342-6892 to assist all residents trying to cope with the emotional consequences of the flood. Staffed by experienced master’s-level behavioral health specialists, the free help line assists callers with a range of personal concerns including stress, anxiety and the grieving process. Callers may also receive referrals to a database of community resources to help them with specific concerns, such as financial and legal issues.
The Help Line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for as long as necessary.
This service is free of charge. Resources and information are also available in English at
www.liveandworkwell.com and in Spanish at
www.mentesana-cuerposano.com.
“UnitedHealth Group is concerned about the health and welfare of people affected by the evolving flood situation. We want to move quickly to help our customers, as well as our fellow residents and we will continue to look for ways to respond to their needs,” said Tom Paul, chief operating officer, Ovations.
Health plan customers who have questions about their coverage or require additional assistance should call the customer care phone number listed on the back of their ID card.
About UnitedHealth Group
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to making health care work better. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through six operating businesses: UnitedHealthcare, Ovations, AmeriChoice, OptumHealth, Ingenix, and Prescription Solutions. Through its family of businesses, UnitedHealth Group serves more than 70 million individuals nationwide.
