NEW HEALTH PROGRAM FOR PALM BEACH COUNTY RESIDENTS

West Palm Beach , FL - Today the Health Care District of Palm Beach County launched Vita Health , a new, innovative health program designed exclusively for working individuals and families in Palm Beach County . Vita Health is an affordable, quality health coverage option for enrollees who want the peace of mind of knowing that they can access health care if they need it.

"For over a decade, the Health Care District has provided safety net health coverage for Palm Beach County residents. Vita Health provides the public an opportunity to purchase affordable health coverage that is subsidized by the Health Care District. This translates into more benefits for less cost," says Dwight D. Chenette, Health Care District Chief Executive Officer. "By offering Vita Health , the Health Care District is able to expand the number of Palm Beach County residents who have access to quality health care services."

Vita Health begins serving Palm Beach County residents on April 3, 2006 . With a network of primary and specialty physicians throughout Palm Beach County , Vita Health offers health care benefits to members at affordable rates including hospitalization, emergency room services, outpatient surgery, diagnostic services, primary care services, and prescription drugs.

Vita Health is affordable health coverage for uninsured single parents, individuals whose employers do not offer health benefits for full and part-time employees and people who are self-employed.

Vita Health provides subsidized low cost health coverage with monthly premiums that range from $25 to less than $100 per individual and affordable co-payments for health services. Vita Health's affordable rates have been established through a shared cost health program that is subsidized by the Health Care District, which funds approximately two-thirds of the monthly premium.

As a shared cost health initiative, Vita Health serves as a viable health coverage solution for reducing the number of uninsured residents in Palm Beach County . Some key benefits include:

• Access to primary and preventive health care services.
• Security of coverage and debt avoidance if hospitalization becomes necessary.
• Improved health through a focus on wellness.

The community also benefits through:

• A reduction of inappropriate utilization of the emergency room by uninsured residents.
• Additional reimbursement to health care providers.
• Improved attendance by working residents and school children.

To enroll in Vita Health , applicants must be between the ages of 1 and 65, reside in Palm Beach County, have been without health coverage for six months, and meet income requirements. Individuals earning less than $17,150 per year or a family of four earning less than $35,000 are eligible for Vita Health .

To learn more about qualifying for Vita Health services, Palm Beach County residents can call (866) 930-0035 to determine whether they meet the eligibility requirements and to request an application. Information about the program is also available at www.vitahealth.org.

  About the Health Care District:

The Health Care District has broad health care experience in Palm Beach County . Funded by ad valorem taxes, the Health Care District is responsible for the care of trauma patients from the point of injury to rehabilitation. The District funds two Level II trauma centers and operates Trauma Hawk for aeromedical transports in cooperation with 18 other emergency response organizations. As a leader in children's health, the District operates 160 school health clinics and employs 220 school nurses who help to ensure that 170,000 students are healthy and ready to learn. Additionally, our children's health program includes 48 behavioral health professionals who work in elementary schools to address behavioral and emotional issues for students. The District is also responsible for a 198-bed nursing home for residents who require long-term skilled nursing care that they cannot receive at other nursing home facilities.

A core responsibility for the Health Care District is to advance access to health coverage for low-income residents of Palm Beach County . This is accomplished through a network of physicians, hospitals, pharmacies, and ancillary health care providers. The Health Care District currently operates an HMO licensed in the State of Florida and administers benefits under the Medicaid program.

Glades General Hospital , a not-for-profit subsidiary of the Health Care District, provides acute care hospital services for western Palm Beach County residents.

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