Lifespan, Tufts collaborate to offer new tiered network health plan

PROVIDENCE – Lifespan, Rhode Island’s largest health system, and Tufts Health Plan have collaborated to introduce Lifespan Premier Choice, a new tiered network health plan.

In this kind of plan, hospitals and affiliated physicians are grouped into different levels or “tiers,” and members pay different amounts for copayments, coinsurance and/or deductibles based on the tier designation of their health care provider.
With Lifespan Premier Choice, all providers in the Lifespan health system have been designated Tier One, the lowest priced tier.

“Through Lifespan Premier Choice, consumers will gain access to an expansive network of top-quality providers and hospitals and coverage from Tufts Health Plan, all at a great value,” Dr. Timothy J. Babineau, Lifespan president and CEO, said in a statement. “We are excited about our unique relationship with Tufts Health Plan because it reinforces Lifespan’s efforts to provide high-quality, cost-effective health care and it exemplifies the need for innovative collaborations that can enhance the efficiency of our health care system.”

According to information from Lifespan and Tufts, Lifespan Premier Choice offers premium savings up to 10 to 15 percent to comparable plans in the market.

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The product features the Lifespan health system network along with primary care and specialty physicians who collaborate with the Lifespan health system, including those affiliated with Rhode Island Hospital and its pediatric division Hasbro Children’s Hospital, as well as The Miriam Hospital, Bradley Hospital, Newport Hospital and Gateway Healthcare.

Lifespan Premier Choice was approved by the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner and will be offered to Rhode Island employers beginning July 1.
A spokeswoman for Tufts, Sonya Hagopian, said there are no plans at this time to join HealthSource RI, the state’s health benefits exchange.

HealthSource RI offers plans from Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island and UnitedHealthcare of New England.

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