SpineMark Partners with Healthplace America to Offer Access to Top Quality Spinal Care
January 30, 2009
Spinal Care Patients Receive Enhanced Quality, Savings and Experience for Surgery
San Diego, California and Lisle, Illinois, January 30, 2009 – SpineMark Corporation, a spinal care services organization that partners with hospitals and physicians to develop Spine Centers of Excellence, has entered into a partnership with Healthplace America to deliver high quality spinal care at cost effective rates through the first – and only – comprehensive Surgery Benefit Management solution, the Healthplace Surgery Benefit™. As a result of their affiliation, American patients will receive access to specialized spine centers committed to transparency, quality, protocol-driven care and continuous quality improvement for the treatment of spinal and orthopedic conditions.
"The comprehensive, evolving nature of spinal care coupled with today’s demand, led us to seek out a partner who could provide high quality spinal care under a protocol-driven, outcomes based integrated delivery system," said Ken Erickson, Healthplace America founder and CEO. “SpineMark’s model is the perfect complement to our network of spinal and orthopedic care.”
A pilot program involving three sites was launched in January 2009, allowing both companies to measure the success of the program. All Healthplace Surgery Benefit™ members will have access to SpineMark’s Centers of Excellence facilities.
The Healthplace Surgery Benefit™ is an easy addition to any existing employer health plan, providing members access to world-class U.S. healthcare facilities and surgeons who offer low, fixed-rate pricing for the opportunity to increase their patient database. As a result, employers realize up to 30% - 50% savings on major medical procedures — such as heart surgery, joint replacement, spine surgery, cancer care, bariatric surgery and more — while reducing re-admission and re-operations through high quality outcomes the first time around. Additional cost savings are received by eliminating unnecessary procedures through our unique Expert Opinion Program&trade, included in the Healthplace Surgery Benefit™*. What’s more, greater predictability in expense forecasting is finally achieved in knowing the total cost of a claim prior to surgery.
With the Healthplace Surgery Benefit™, most health plan members share in the savings through elimination of co-pays, deductibles and coinsurance (all while receiving a superior quality of medical care)! And in many cases, members receive a Cash Recovery Benefit™, which translates into significant personal out-of-pocket savings.*
What’s more, members receive personalized attention from a dedicated Personal Care Coordinator to guide them throughout the entire surgical process. Plus, domestic travel and upscale lodging accommodations for two are provided at no additional cost.
“I believe we are going to see more and more employers investing in the Healthplace Surgery Benefit™ to support their employees and plan members by providing access to alternative treatment options that reduce costs without compromising the quality of care received,” said SpineMark President and CEO, Marcy T. Rogers, M. Ed.
About SpineMark
SpineMark is an innovative service organization dedicated to transforming the delivery of spinal care. The company partners with hospitals and physicians across the United States and abroad to develop and operate comprehensive, evidence-based centers of excellence. By building a global network of spine centers, spine research organizations and state-of-the-art medical conference facilities, SpineMark strives to improve the overall quality of life of patients afflicted with spine disorders and injuries.
Driven by the specialized experience and expertise of its leadership team and medical advisory board, SpineMark’s goal is to create a global network, based on clinically validated best practices for spinal care that streamline diagnosis and treatment, simplify referrals and accelerate the recovery process.
About Healthplace America
Healthplace America is funded in part by Ziegler HealthVest Partners, LP, a venture capital fund investing in early to middle-stage healthcare support services, healthcare IT and wellness.
