UCare proudly offers UCare Connect, a Special Needs BasicCare (SNBC) plan for adults with physical and developmental disabilities, and mental illness. It is especially helpful for members with chronic conditions.

The plan serves nearly 17,000 people who are age 18-64, live in a 41-county service area in Minnesota and have Medical Assistance with or without Medicare Parts A and B. Individuals with Medicare can enroll and keep their current Medicare plans.

Enrollment is voluntary and members can join or leave UCare Connect monthly. Designed and administered by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), the plan offers health care delivery options that improve access to primary and preventive care. Benefits include hospital stays, nursing home care, doctor visits, outpatient care, preventive care, prescription drugs, transportation services, dental care, and interpreter services.

As the plan’s administrator, UCare offers many value-added benefits not available in fee-for-service plans and some other SNBC plans, such as:

·No cost to members, including no premiums, copays or deductibles. (Note: Individuals with Medicare may have Medicare Part D co-pays.)

· UCare’s Connect to Fitness program, which provides free membership and no monthly dues at a participating fitness club.

· Dental benefits, including UCare’s See-A-Dentist GuaranteeSM, access to our Mobile Dental Clinic, and an extra dental check-up and cleaning every year beyond what’s covered by Medical Assistance for non-pregnant adults.

· A care navigator who is assigned to each member to assist them with accessing services and answering their health care questions.

· 24/7 assistance in arranging rides to and from covered medical and dental appointments, and the pharmacy.


This chart shows the added benefits you can get through UCare Connect over Medical Assistance Fee-For-Service.

Personal Care Assistance and/or Private Duty Nursing Services are not covered through UCare Connect but continue to be covered through Medical Assistance Fee-for-Service for eligible UCare Connect members.

A UCare sales representative is available 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday to answer questions at 612-676-3554 or 1-800-707-1711 (toll free). Hearing impaired individuals can call 612-676-6810 or 1-800-688-2534 (toll free).

 


UCare description:

UCare (www.ucare.org) is an independent, nonprofit health plan providing health care coverage plans and administrative services to more than 285,000 members. It was created in 1984 by the Department of Family Practice and Community Health at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

UCare serves more people from diverse cultures and more people with disabilities enrolled in Medical Assistance than any other health plan in Minnesota. UCare partners with health care providers, counties, community organizations, and other member-directed groups to create and deliver innovative health coverage plans for:

· Medicare-eligible individuals throughout Minnesota and in western Wisconsin.

· Individuals and families enrolled in income-based Minnesota Health Care Programs, such as MinnesotaCare and Prepaid Medical Assistance Program.

· Adults with disabilities.

· Minnesotans dually eligible for Medical Assistance and Medicare.


UCare addresses health care disparities and care access issues through its UCare Fund grants and a broad array of community initiatives. The health plan received Top 100 Workplaces honors from the Star Tribune in 2010, 2011, and 2012.

Delivering health care value is UCare’s top priority. UCare works to:

· Improve access to needed services by all members and the community-at-large.

· Bring high-quality care to every member.

· Demonstrate cost-effectiveness.

· Reinvest in the communities it serves.

· Enhance the health care infrastructure of the providers who care for UCare members.


Member satisfaction remains strong. The 2011 survey results for UCare’s Medicare Advantage plan UCare for Seniors were significantly higher than the national average results on a number of ratings and scores for Minnesota and Wisconsin members.

Among our PMAP and MinnesotaCare members, UCare scored 90% or above in six survey ratings in 2011.

Moreover, in 2011, UCare achieved the Overall Rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, which equates to the “Very Good” category of the Medicare Plan Performance Ratings. This rating placed UCare in the top 9% of health plans in the country.