The Masonic Homes has recently signed a managed care contract with MediGuard, a division of Health Guard. MediGuard is an insurance company which offers a Medicare-risk HMO product which appears to be the insurance of choice for some individuals in the community.

Since some of the residents at the Masonic Homes have expressed an interest in this type of insurance, a task force consisting of residents and staff has met over the past few years to discuss managed care options for Masonic Homes' residents. A few months ago, the task force heard a MediGuard presentation and after careful consideration, felt that insurer currently offers the strongest provider list of physicians and specialists in Lancaster County. While the Masonic Homes is not actively promoting this particular type of insurance to current and prospective residents, it is providing the information to those who may wish to explore this option.

This option is available to residents regardless of pre-existing medical conditions. Ample time was taken to consider this option because the task force wanted to make sure that the contract would cover medical and clinical services provided in the Masonic Health Care Center such as x-ray, laboratory, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, podiatry, ophthalmology, etc.

The Masonic Homes is open to talking to other managed care organizations in the near future and always works to provide a continuum of quality services to allow people to choose how they prefer to live at their most independent level; either by receiving skilled services in the Masonic Health Care Center or utilizing home or community-based services.

Those who choose this insurance option may save money because with it they no longer will have to pay for Medicare supplemental insurance. The plan also offers additional benefits beyond what is provided by traditional Medicare, such as savings through prescription drug purchases and vision services.

It is important to remember, however, that individuals who enroll in the MediGuard insurance option will be required to choose their physicians and medical specialists from MediGuard's network of health care providers.