2008-10-17 15:51:01 -
www.tig3.com - For Tri-Isthmus Group, Inc. Hawk Associates Frank Hawkins or Julie Marshall, 305-451-1888 e-mail: tigroup@hawkassociates.com. Tri-Isthmus Group, Inc. (TIGroup) (Pink Sheets:TISG) a provider of financial solutions to the healthcare industry, announced today that its subsidiary, RHA, which will be renamed Southern Plains Medical Group LLC, in partnership with ESSENCE Healthcare has introduced a new Medicare Advantage plan in Oklahoma
called ESSENCE Advantage.
Seniors enrolled in our Medicare Advantage plan, which will be managed by local doctors, will benefit from:
-- Local design: Local doctors, not insurance administrators, have designed and will manage the plan.
-- Lowest out of pocket expenses: ESSENCE Advantage has the lowest maximum out of pocket expense of any plan in the area, helping protect Medicare beneficiaries against expensive and unexpected medical bills.
-- More benefits: ESSENCE Advantage offers more benefits than traditional Medicare, including preventive dental care and eye exams.
-- $0 Premiums and low co-pays: ESSENCE Advantage is available for a $0 premium. No additional fees are required above and beyond what seniors already pay Medicare.
-- Prescription drug coverage: The ESSENCE Advantage plan automatically includes full Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage, featuring a $0 annual deductible and a smaller coverage gap than standard Part D plans. There is no need for members to sign up for a stand-alone drug plan.
-- Exceptional service and quality: The ESSENCE Advantage plan gives doctors - not large insurance companies - control over health care decisions.
TIGroup Chairman and CEO David Hirschhorn said, "The ESSENCE Advantage plan not only offers major benefits to the seniors who are enrolled in it, but it provides TIGroup with a consistent revenue stream based on a monthly premium received from Medicare for each person enrolled in the plan. Our initial target is to enroll 5,000 seniors.
"Our local doctors, in cooperation with ESSENCE Healthcare, took great care in designing a plan that promotes long-lasting health and wellness. By keeping health care affordable and making it easy for Oklahoma Medicare beneficiaries to see their doctors early and often, RHA, or Southern Plains Medical Group is working hard to keep people healthy."
Southern Plains is distinguished as one of the nation's longest-established medical groups, having provided continuous service to rural Oklahoma communities since 1915. The group is comprised of five facilities in Oklahoma and offers a wide range of services including cardiology, pediatrics, oncology, orthopedics, radiology and urgent care. Southern Plains is one of the most respected healthcare providers in the region due to its level of community involvement, superior service and long-standing commitment to high-quality care. Southern Plains Medical Group was acquired by TIGroup in May 2008.
About Tri-Isthmus Group, Inc.
Tri-Isthmus Group, Inc. (TIGroup) acquires and provides financial, operational and technological services to healthcare facilities primarily located in rural markets. The company promotes quality medical care by offering improved access and breadth of services. TIGroup unlocks the value of its investments by developing strong, long-term and mutually beneficial relationships with their physicians and the communities they serve. The company operates numerous medical facilities and employs over 350 people in Oklahoma and California. The company is building a portfolio of interests in ambulatory surgical centers, rural hospitals, surgical hospitals and other centers operating in partnership with physicians. TIGroup's wholly owned subsidiary TIG Financial Solutions LLC provides insurance services for physicians and patients. For more information, visit
www.tig3.com.
A profile for investors can be accessed at
www.hawkassociates.com/profile/tisg.cfm. For investor relations information, contact Frank Hawkins or Julie Marshall, Hawk Associates, at 305-451-1888, e-mail:
tigroup@hawkassociates.com. An online investor kit including press releases, current price quotes, stock charts and other valuable information for investors may be found at
www.hawkassociates.com. To receive free e-mail notification of future releases for TIGroup, sign up at
www.hawkassociates.com/about/alert/.
Safe-Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the" Exchange Act"), including all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the company, its directors or its officers with respect to, among other things: (i) the company's financing plans; (ii) trends affecting the company's financial condition or results of operations; (iii) the company's growth strategy and operating strategy; and (iv) the declaration and payment of dividends. The words "may," "would," "will," "expect," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "intend" and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's ability to control, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors including the risk disclosed in the company's Forms 10-K and 10-Q filed with the SEC.
Plan Offers Oklahoma Seniors More Benefits and Better Care
