The Health Care Financing Administration today approved a request by United Health Insurance Co. to offer managed care coverage to Medicare beneficiaries in Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio.

United Health Insurance Co., based in Minneapolis, Minn., can begin to serve Medicare beneficiaries throughout Franklin County, including the city of Columbus, and Hamilton County, which includes Cincinnati, on June 1, 2001.

"We are pleased that United Health Insurance Co. decided to offer its services in Franklin and Hamilton counties in Ohio," HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said. "This expansion to the Medicare+Choice program gives Medicare beneficiaries, including senior citizens and people with disabilities, another health care option in addition to traditional fee-for-service Medicare."

The new plan, which operates as EverCare, will give another health care option to the 262,000 Medicare beneficiaries who live in the two counties. Four Medicare managed care plans now operate in Franklin County, including two plans by Anthem Senior Advantage, as well as the Mount Carmel and Sterling plans. Anthem and United Health Care of Ohio operate plans in Hamilton County.

Medicare+Choice HMOs and fee-for-service plans are available where private companies choose to offer them. Currently, about 5.6 million Medicare beneficiaries -- out of a total of nearly 40 million aged and disabled Americans -- have enrolled in Medicare HMOs. Original fee-for-service Medicare, currently chosen by more than 34 million beneficiaries, is available to all beneficiaries.

Congress created Medicare+Choice in the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 to expand the types of health care options available to Medicare beneficiaries, who in addition can now receive new preventive benefits and patient protections. There also is a far-reaching consumer information program that includes a national toll-free phone number -- 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), or TTY/TDD, at 877-486-2048 -- an Internet site -- www.medicare.gov -- and a coalition of more than 200 national and local organizations to provide seniors more information.