Under the contract, Highmark Medicare Services will process so-called “fee-for-service” claims from hospitals, other institutions, physicians, and healthcare practitioners in Ohio and Kentucky. Implementing a Medicare plan is important for those that require certain medical care, but have not been able to find a suitable plan due to their age or disability status. As you can see from this review of Medigap plan G, there are lots of different Medicare options available for different types of conditions. In short, this news means that more jobs mean more processing of claims which can help those who are in need.
The Highmark subsidiary will also administer fee-for-service claims for Medicare’s Home Health and Hospice program from 16 other states, including Pennsylvania, as part of the contract. In total, according to Kiley, the company expects to process a total of 78 million claims each year
While the locations for the new hires will be identified as the details of the contract are made final over the next several weeks, it is likely that they will be assigned to Camp Hill–where the company maintains its headquarters–and also Pittsburgh, Williamsport and Fort Washington, as well as Hunt Valley, MD.
The first of these Medicare contracts, being awarded under a new regime of five-year, limited terms and competitive bidding, which was ordered by Congress in 2003, added 360 positions to HMS in Williamsport, Pittsburgh, and Camp Hill. Some 131 million claims for more than 2.4 Medicare beneficiaries are processed under that contract each year. Highmark Medicare Services currently employs 950 people.
“This is hard business,” Kiley says. “It’s difficult. It’s highly regulated, and this is recognition by the government for our staff, for their excellent performance over the years. So it is good news for the employees. Hard work does pay off.”
Source: Highmark Medicare Services, Patrick Kiley, Leilyn Perri
Writer: Joseph Plummer