ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--UnitedHealthcare has started offering in New Mexico PlanBien, a suite of health plans featuring unique services to enhance the health and well-being of Spanish-speaking individuals.
PlanBien is being offered to the more than 1,500 member businesses of the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, one of the nation's largest Hispanic chambers, and is available to any New Mexico company with two to 99 employees.
In addition to traditional health benefits, PlanBien provides culturally relevant health information and customer service programs in both Spanish and English at no extra charge, ensuring that the coverage is tailored to meet Hispanics' unique health care needs. These resources include printed and online materials on various health topics, such as diabetes management, heart health and workplace safety.
Plan participants also have access to bilingual customer care professionals who can answer questions and help locate Spanish-speaking physicians in their area. The physician directory is also available online at www.uhclatino.com, making it easier for plan participants to find a Spanish-speaking physician close to their home or work.
PlanBien customers have access to UnitedHealthcare's broad national health care provider network of more than 600,000 physicians and care professionals and 5,000 hospitals. In New Mexico, UnitedHealthcare's network includes more than 4,600 health care professionals and 36 hospitals statewide.
"PlanBien makes UnitedHealthcare's quality and cost-effective health benefit plans easier to use and more relevant for Spanish-speaking people," said Russell Bennett, UnitedHealthcare's vice president of Latino Health Solutions. "PlanBien's innovative programs, services and materials help address two growing areas of concern: the need to reduce the rate of the uninsured among Hispanics, and the effort to help Hispanics - many of whom communicate more comfortably in Spanish - better understand their health plan and become more engaged in their care. We believe PlanBien can make a positive impact on both fronts."
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the Hispanic population is the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. work force. Also, about 45 percent of New Mexico residents are of Hispanic origin.
"Our collaboration with UnitedHealthcare to offer PlanBien to our member employers will help meet the unique health care needs of Hispanics, Hispanic-owned businesses and their employees," said Alex Romero, CEO, Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce. "This effort will enable us to help make a positive impact on the health and well-being of New Mexico's Hispanic community."
UnitedHealthcare has a history of introducing innovative programs to enhance Hispanics' health and well-being. Other examples include the United Health Foundation's Latino Health Scholars Program and support for Community Health Centers of Excellence in Hispanic communities. These efforts have helped UnitedHealthcare's parent company, UnitedHealth Group, win the National Hispanic Medical Association's (NHMA) 2010 Hispanic Health Leadership Award.
In addition to New Mexico, UnitedHealthcare currently offers PlanBien in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois and Texas. More information about PlanBien is available online in Spanish and English at www.planbien.info and www.uhclatino.com.
About The Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce
The AHCC (www.ahcnm.org) is organized to promote economic development, to enhance economic opportunities and to provide business and workforce training and education with an emphasis on the Hispanic and small business community in Albuquerque and New Mexico.
About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare (www.unitedhealthcare.com) provides a full spectrum of consumer-oriented health benefits plans and services to individuals, public sector employers and businesses of all sizes, including more than half of the Fortune 100 companies. The company organizes access to quality, affordable health care services on behalf of approximately 25 million individual consumers, contracting directly with more than 600,000 physicians and care professionals and 5,000 hospitals to offer them broad, convenient access to services nationwide. UnitedHealthcare is one the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company.